At the recent conference of the American Society of Botanical Artists, one of the exhibitors in the Exhibitors’ Hall presented a service making it possible to place original botanical art on porcelain. This process enables artists to produce tiles, mugs, plates, and ornaments featuring their artwork. Artwork by botanical artists has been featured on items such as greeting cards, fine textiles, dish towels, and scarves. How have you applied your skills as a botanical artist? How have you chosen to feature your personal artwork?
Sandra Wall Armitage
I have worked for many years as a greeting card illustrator for companies and surface pattern designer. Products include: china, home wares, furnishing fabrics, enamel boxes, gift wrap and greeting cards. Personal art work is exhibited or sold as prints and cards on my website.
Susan Christopher-Coulson
As well as greetings card & wrapping paper commissions, I produce my own range of greetings cards and fine art prints from my work.
Susan Dalton
I have produced greetings cards of some of my paintings. These have been printed either by myself or occasionally I have asked for a printer to print them for me. I sell these when I exhibit at exhibitions that allow artists to sell cards.
Brigitte Daniel
I have produced work for greetings cards, but the style required is very different from that required for botanical illustration. I have also produced prints. The most important thing to do is to understand the market and ensure that you produce the appropriate type of work for the product you have been asked to design. Some of the objects you describe require a stylised design rather than an exacting reference piece of artwork. Are you working for a mass market or are you painting for the enthusiast, plant breeder, collector or museum collection? As my background is botany, I am drawn to how the plants work and what their individual characteristics are and how best to represent them.
Susan Hillier
I have worked as a book illustrator and packaging designer.
Jennifer Jenkins
My work has been produced on Welsh slate products, greeting cards, calendars, brochures and I have been featured in the book The Botanical Palette. I have worked on commissions, including monochrome pen and ink work, produced on postcards and mounted prints ready for framing. I exhibit annually at the Westminster Hall, London with the SBA, and at the Florum exhibition in Kent. I also exhibit work from Spring through to Autumn at a Manor House with gardens open to the public.
Kay Rees Davies
My artwork is featured in greeting cards which I publish myself and limited edition Gicleé prints.
Margaret Stevens
Over the last 25 years my work has been used for numerous greetings cards, calendars and in books. It has also been reproduced on porcelain by Franklin Mint – The Chelsea Plate for one thing – and The Bradford Exchange for collectables including plates, musical boxes, clocks, figurines, Wedgewood vases etc. I have numerous private commissions including one which is ongoing, painting old roses. I started that about 15 years ago and I have so far done around 55. As they mostly only flower once in the season it means that I can only do about 5 in a year and some years – depending on circumstances, health, bad weather etc., it is not possible to do any. The last two summers have been particularly bad and although I did two extra ones required as gifts, I could only add 1 to the main collection.
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