The Library of Obscure Wonders

art nature illustration botanical classes workshops

Month: September, 2023

New classes this autumn in Islington, London

The Almorah Community Centre is close to Haggerston station and just up the road by bus from Liverpool Street station. The classes will be on Thursday evenings, 6 till 8pm. They will be suitable for both beginners and the more experienced. Subjects will include observation, tone(light and shade), creating the illusion of 3d space, colour, and details. It will explore using pencil, watercolours, pastels and colour pencils. It is an eight week course at £120 for the whole course or for individual lessons £18 each. Depending on the weather, some of the classes will be held in the Almorah Centre’s garden. Starts 19th October,  and the week before (12th October) there will be a free taster session for anyone who wishes to find out what the course will be like.

Maple leaf – Watercolour

Old Hoof Fungus

I will get back to regular plants and trees soon but I found this white rot fungus on a tree in west Wales and just had to draw it. It’s growing on a dead Alder tree and is very impressive. Known as Hoof fungus because it looks a little like a horses hoof, it is inedible but is used in the tinder industry – it is useful for starting slow burning fires – and has also been used to make clothing.

White rot bract on an old Alder tree. West Wales. Pencil on paper.