Sean Houtman schreef
Monographs (publications dedicated to a single group of plants, such as a
genus or subgenus)

***
Lots of monographs are devoted to a family.
Several such in the _Flora of Australia_ which is not a single book but
rather a series of monographs.
PvR

In article ,
Gramma wrote:

"AZTEC" wrote in message
...

good luck and, if you don't mind, can we see your entry? AZTEC

If I don't get cold feet in the mean time and if I have the courage I
might run it past for a critique before I enter, which might of course
put me off entering altogether .

Good heavens, don't let anything put you off entering! You have
nothing to lose and everything to gain!

You might want to confer with the contest organizers about what
criteria they will use in judging entries. And even if you don't
"win", you will have the opportunity for your work to be critiqued by
professionals, which can be invaluable.

Note also that there's interest in botanical illustrations for their
aesthetic as well as scientific value. Entering a contest like this
may put your work in front of potential purchasers and even invite
commissions from people who would like drawings of favorite plants.

You'll also have the opportunity to meet other illustrators and people
interested in botanical illustration, which is invaluable, even if it
doesn't lead to monetary gain. It's hard to make money from art, but
creating art is rewarding in itself, and the pleasure in each other's
work you can share with those with the same interests is wonderful,
aside from the advice and information you can obtain from them.

"P van Rijckevorsel" wrote in message
...
Sean Houtman schreef
Monographs (publications dedicated to a single group of plants, such as a
genus or subgenus)

***
Lots of monographs are devoted to a family.
Several such in the _Flora of Australia_ which is not a single book but
rather a series of monographs.
PvR

Just to highlight how much your replies have helped me and to give you a
giggle
I thought a monograph must be a tonal drawing of some kind

Gramma

wrote in message
.. .
In article ,
Gramma wrote:

"AZTEC" wrote in message
...

good luck and, if you don't mind, can we see your entry? AZTEC

If I don't get cold feet in the mean time and if I have the courage I
might run it past for a critique before I enter, which might of course
put me off entering altogether .

Good heavens, don't let anything put you off entering! You have
nothing to lose and everything to gain!

I only meant from the point of perhaps making some 'glaring' mistakes that a
lay person may not pick up, but again that would be the point of getting a
critique in
the first place.

You might want to confer with the contest organizers about what
criteria they will use in judging entries.

Since I first posted here I have received the assessment criteria which is:
1. Botanical accuracy in the interpretation and portrayal of plant
character and diagnostic features
2. Technical merit
3. Artistic merit
4. Suitability for publication,
[which I understand from the instructions to artists to mean the drawing
must be able to reduce by one third without losing clarity of detail ]

The entry literature has also very helpfully given a judges comment on the
works entered last year and some of the reasons drawings were rejected.

And even if you don't
"win", you will have the opportunity for your work to be critiqued by
professionals, which can be invaluable.

This is basically my reason for wanting to enter - just to see if I am at
the standard for selection.
If selected then my next entry [2006] would be to aim for winning - the
first
prize is $5,000 which would always come in handy

Note also that there's interest in botanical illustrations for their
aesthetic as well as scientific value. Entering a contest like this
may put your work in front of potential purchasers and even invite
commissions from people who would like drawings of favourite plants.

It is certainly a select medium and not everyone's cup of tea.
Not everyone can appreciate the work that goes into Botanical art or
illustration and I think it would be love of the medium and subject rather
than the
gains that would start most people off.

You'll also have the opportunity to meet other illustrators and people
interested in botanical illustration, which is invaluable, even if it
doesn't lead to monetary gain.
snip

It was meeting a past entrant that has spurred me into getting the entry
details.
It is only the few outstanding artists who can gain the success of Celia
Rosser or Jenny Phillips, two of Australia's better known botanical artists,
well beyond my ability but I'm working on it..

To which end I had better keep practicing.
My thanks to you for interest

Gramma

Gramma schreef
I thought a monograph must be a tonal drawing of some kind

***
In general it is a good idea to look up any unknown word in a dictionary.
Lots of words mean the opposite of what they appear to mean, or originally
meant. Take "decimate".
PvR

Howdy from Texas,

Something that I don't think anyone has mentioned is that you will do
your best work if you are illustrating something you love. Someone
who knows and loves roses and orchids might do a technically competent
job illustrating grasses, but the work won't have the "involvement" or
"investment" of someone who has a gut relationship with the group.
That said, drawing is also a way of understanding--you notice a lot
when you have to draw something, so you may find yourself falling for
something you draw.

Everyone was right when they said the features to be illustrated will
vary from plant to plant or group to group. For
example--Nepenthes--tropical pitcher plants. For these guys, it's
going to be the leaves and pitchers--shape, size, marking, etc. The
flowers are extremely secondary. For orchids, it's mostly about
flowers and their details. For things in the carrot and mustard
family, it's fruits and leaves. For a tree, it might be fruit,
leaves, and bark. Some families have specialized structures that are
like fingerprints for each species. You'd put the other bits in, of
course, but the emphasis will change from plant to plant.

M. Reed

Well, in that case you should also mention pleasant work circumstances, or
at least a spot where one can work sufficiently relaxed ;-)
PvR

Monique Reed schreef
Howdy from Texas,

Something that I don't think anyone has mentioned is that you will do
your best work if you are illustrating something you love. Someone
who knows and loves roses and orchids might do a technically competent
job illustrating grasses, but the work won't have the "involvement" or
"investment" of someone who has a gut relationship with the group.
That said, drawing is also a way of understanding--you notice a lot
when you have to draw something, so you may find yourself falling for
something you draw.

Everyone was right when they said the features to be illustrated will
vary from plant to plant or group to group. For
example--Nepenthes--tropical pitcher plants. For these guys, it's
going to be the leaves and pitchers--shape, size, marking, etc. The
flowers are extremely secondary. For orchids, it's mostly about
flowers and their details. For things in the carrot and mustard
family, it's fruits and leaves. For a tree, it might be fruit,
leaves, and bark. Some families have specialized structures that are
like fingerprints for each species. You'd put the other bits in, of
course, but the emphasis will change from plant to plant.

M. Reed

"P van Rijckevorsel" wrote in message
...

Well, in that case you should also mention pleasant work circumstances, or
at least a spot where one can work sufficiently relaxed ;-)

Got that! a specially made corner of the kitchen overlooking the flower
laden back patio
where the light comes in from the left and my special light with a daylight
globe is at the ready.

Something that I don't think anyone has mentioned is that you will do
your best work if you are illustrating something you love.

snip
That is the hard part , I'm frantically trying to decide what I will draw -
I just want to do so many.
It will have to be something we have in the garden or I can buy in a pot so
I
have a live specimen
Currently the favourites are a species geranium or pelargonium ; possibly
a begonia. I also love native flowers so maybe our native hibiscus [
Alyogyne heugelii] although I suspect the natives will have been done to
death
Then I also love some of the plants that are classed as weeds.
Decisions, decisions. Time is running downs so I will have to decide soon.

I told my art tutor today what I was thinking of doing
and she was all for it so I will get back up and constructive criticism
there.
I can't thank everyone who bothered enough for their in put.
I will let you know what I decide eventually decide to draw, until then
I will be away sorting that out .

My thanks again

Gramma

In article , Gramma
writes
I also love native flowers so maybe our native hibiscus [
Alyogyne heugelii] although I suspect the natives will have been done to
death

There's a revision of Alyogyne in process. Of the 5 species at the last
revision, one has been transferred to Hibiscus, and the remainder 4
split into a least 10. var. leptochlamys has been transferred from
huegelii to pinoniana.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message
...
In article , Gramma
writes
I also love native flowers so maybe our native hibiscus [
Alyogyne heugelii] although I suspect the natives will have been done to
death

There's a revision of Alyogyne in process. Of the 5 species at the last
revision, one has been transferred to Hibiscus, and the remainder 4
split into a least 10. var. leptochlamys has been transferred from
huegelii to pinoniana.
--
Hopefully that won't have any bearing if I choose that plant

Gramma