The sweetest thing
In this edited extract from her new book, Botanical Watercolours through the Seasons, SANDRINE MAUGY shares her love of painting sweet peas at a perfect time of year
Painting plants gives a wonderful rhythm to the year. Following the subjects around the seasons, from the fresh flowers of spring to the dead leaves of winter, I never run out of inspiration. Nature surrounds my art and she willingly shares her moods, her colours and her textures. I have always loved watching the effect of the seasons on the garden and becoming a botanical artist has made me even more aware of the changes, month after month. I never feel like painting blossom in November or a gourd in March because it wouldn’t make sense. The seasons are the guide to my inspiration.
Running an ethical art practice is important to me and this is as much a feature of Botanical Watercolours through the Seasons as colour-mixing or tone studies. I try to ensure I am not doing anything harmful to the nature that so inspires me. This means avoiding plastic, not using any toxic pigments, painting with cruelty-free brushes and vegan watercolour paper, drawing on recycled paper and passing on these ethical principles when I paint and teach.
This piece is an extract from one of the book’s summer tutorials. I love the delicate flowers and fresh colours of sweet peas. Bringing them into the studio to paint them is always a pleasure, as their gorgeous scent envelops every brushstroke. I chose some soft pink and strong coral varieties to add contrast to the composition.