What is Botanical Art?

Although the terms 'botanical art' and 'botanical illustration' are often used interchangeably, there is a distinction between the two.

Before there was photography, hand-drawn botanical illustrations were the only way of visually recording and documenting the world’s many plant species. The illustrations were used by physicians, pharmacists, botanical scientists, and gardeners for identification, analysis, and classification. 

Today, we define botanical illustration as accurately drawn illustrations that portray a plant and are used as an aid in plant identification. The illustrators work closely with botanists and the illustrations made are often published in scientific journals. They are usually black ink line drawings and include detailed dissections.  Even with today's advances in photography, drawings can show details about plants in a 3D representation that photographs cannot.

Botanical art is made more for aesthetic purposes. The artists have more leeway in portraying the plant in a modern composition and style.  However, the plant depiction must still be true to the plant and botanically accurate.  The most common medium used is watercolour, but graphite, acrylic, oil and coloured pencils are also commonly used.