This is a hefty tome that also carries with it a considerable weight of authority. At £30, it’s priced above most books in this field, but the quality of instruction and reproduction and the sheer breadth of coverage actually make it look a bit of a steal. Shout-out to the UK distributor for converting that from $40 as well (most would just have converted the currency symbol).
So, what do you get for your weighted-down walk home? For a start, as the cover proclaims, most of the painting and drawing mediums and surfaces “and more”. Subjects include flowers, leaves and fruit as well as one of the most thorough groundings in techniques I’ve seen. As the authorship implies, each lesson is tutored by a different artist. No, you won’t have heard of most of them, but there’s a remarkable consistency to the style and the editors have been careful to make the book a homogenous whole rather than, as it could easily be, a collection of only vaguely related articles.
Although there are plenty of step-by-step guides, this is probably best approached if you’re serious about botanical work and already have a reasonable set of skills. I’m hesitant about calling it a masterclass, because it’s more than that, but I do think it’ll leave you feeling well-provided however advanced you were to start with.
Can I say it’s the only book you might need? Not exactly. This is a field that’s widely served and there are plenty of introductory guides and subject-specific offerings. Despite that, and however many other books you have, I think it’s fair to say you need this one.
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