Your dedication to making use of your book is admirable. Even more your ideas can be translated into many different types of work. Your sense of humor is great. Keep it up, you are doing great!
I think your work is amazing. Beautiful in fact. I am looking for an illustrator for my website.. I am just beginning. I am a wholistic health counsellor who believes that foods are the answer for a healthy life.
Are you interested?
Best Wishes
Gloria Fox
I cannot believe what amazing beauty comes out of your head! That you can see it, put it on paper and keep the vision is amazing. What an artist you really are.
Hi! I’m doing a project for school (I go to Wellesley College) involving a vertical plant wall and journaling. I was looking for inspiration online when I saw your pages. Thank you for showing them. I’ve gotten a lot of food (and greens) for thought!
Since you didn’t have a new post up….I came in search of your sketch book. These pages are remarkable. I like your garden design and it says…big old tree. I also love how the sunflower turned out and the Comfrey. You are so good!
I love and enjoyed a lot your botanical sketches!!! I downloaded them trying to show a friend your work! because I like than “somebody” : ) make some sketches (for me) about my favorite ferns maiden hair fern among others…), butterflies, bettle´s, dragon flies, mushroms, also about gingko´s, honesty plants, loto´s flowers and leaves, “sand dolar´s”, pecten´s, jelly fishes, rainbow´s, hummingbird´s, tulip´s, forgetme not´s, poppie´s…
Hi Val – I discovered you through a link on Joyce McAdams’ newsletter. I’m so glad. I will use your work and your blog as inspiration, together with the techniques I learned from Joyce (see post in my blog). – Sharon
I like your drawings. They are very nice. I like this website too, it is wonderful! Your drawings and artwork is a big inspiration to me. I found this website on google.
I Love, Love, Love your paintings. What do you usually use for watercolor paints? The colors you use are so vibrant, yet realistic! I have been experimenting with watercolor crayons and pencils., but they are not the same as paints. Botanical painting has always been an attraction to me, but I never could find a class to channel it onto watercolor paper. You have inspired me to find something in the area to get me started!
I will also say WOW. Amazing work, a feast for the eyes, just love it. What journal do you use to paint in.? The colors are amazing such an inspiration. Thanks SO much. Heather , South Africa
Thank you so much, Heather! I like to use Prismacolor pencils in a Moleskine sketchbook. The paper is heavy, cream-colored, and oddly slick — at first, I did not really like working on it. But eventually it became a favorite.
These are so lovely and I love the little more formal style – like a naturalist/scientist journal. Do you add lines before you letter the pages? Your text is soooo straight!
Thanks very much! If I have more than one line of text, I’ll lightly pencil in a baseline to write on. If there’s just one line, I usually try to wing it. 🙂
I just found your website and have already emailed you twice! But I, too, love this style of journaling. I like what I call the “scrappy” (the word we use in quilting) look of some of your pages where you put watercolor boxes around your drawings. Also your calendars how designs “run” into each other. Is that something you can learn or is it just something that comes to some people?
It’s definitely something you learn. I recommend “saving” examples of designs you like, and then experimenting with incorporating some of those ideas into your own work. I think the main thing is to keep your approach informal, not lining things up. Let some of your elements overlap. Combine drawing, writing and some hand lettering on the same page. Have fun!
Thanks for visiting. I’m glad you enjoy the website!
Thanks, Maria! It’s colored pencil. I put down a solid, heavy layer in the lighter color — yellow, for example. Then I come back with a darker color (such as brick red) and, using a sharp point, I simply draw crosshatch lines on top of the underlayer. Voila! Textured background. 🙂 Thanks for asking.
flyingtomato said:
Wow! So glad you commented on my blog so that I was able to find yours! Lovely!
–Rebecca
MArgaret said:
What a treasure I have found in you…brilliant art…stunning color…inspiration shines on each page!
Magpie said:
Your dedication to making use of your book is admirable. Even more your ideas can be translated into many different types of work. Your sense of humor is great. Keep it up, you are doing great!
gloria fox said:
I think your work is amazing. Beautiful in fact. I am looking for an illustrator for my website.. I am just beginning. I am a wholistic health counsellor who believes that foods are the answer for a healthy life.
Are you interested?
Best Wishes
Gloria Fox
dgdesign said:
Wonderful work! I’ve always wanted to fill a Moleskine sketchbook. I’m inspired!
Debbie said:
I cannot believe what amazing beauty comes out of your head! That you can see it, put it on paper and keep the vision is amazing. What an artist you really are.
Sharon said:
Wow. Your sketchbook pages are so vibrant. It’s great to find a local artist with such wonderful and inspiring work. Thank you for sharing it. 🙂
Joy said:
Hi! I’m doing a project for school (I go to Wellesley College) involving a vertical plant wall and journaling. I was looking for inspiration online when I saw your pages. Thank you for showing them. I’ve gotten a lot of food (and greens) for thought!
flowergardengirl said:
Since you didn’t have a new post up….I came in search of your sketch book. These pages are remarkable. I like your garden design and it says…big old tree. I also love how the sunflower turned out and the Comfrey. You are so good!
Katie said:
How long do you spend doing a sketch spread over two pages? These are amazing. But you know I know how talented you are.
Love your blog, keep up the amazing work and sharing with the rest of us not-so-illustratively-inclined.
Katie @ GardenPunks
valwebb said:
Thanks very much, Katie! A two-page spread takes several hours, but I find it to be very relaxing and therapeutic.
Laura said:
These are gorgeous !!! Please tell me you sell prints …
zeladoniac said:
Beautiful work- you’re taking sketchbook art to a higher level. What fun and inspiration for the rest of us!
spirallogic said:
Delicious!
Mónica said:
Me fascina!!! Did you sketched ferns? Many thanks for your lovely work!
Greetings from México.
valwebb said:
Thank you! Ferns are on my “to-do” list.
mexicanita said:
Excellent!!! PLEASE let me know when you decide to start with ferns!!! Congratulations for your deep, simple, and lovely sketches!
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Mónica said:
Dear Val Webb:
I love and enjoyed a lot your botanical sketches!!! I downloaded them trying to show a friend your work! because I like than “somebody” : ) make some sketches (for me) about my favorite ferns maiden hair fern among others…), butterflies, bettle´s, dragon flies, mushroms, also about gingko´s, honesty plants, loto´s flowers and leaves, “sand dolar´s”, pecten´s, jelly fishes, rainbow´s, hummingbird´s, tulip´s, forgetme not´s, poppie´s…
Sharon Willen said:
Hi Val – I discovered you through a link on Joyce McAdams’ newsletter. I’m so glad. I will use your work and your blog as inspiration, together with the techniques I learned from Joyce (see post in my blog). – Sharon
Jane LaFazio said:
Just lovely!!!!
Candylei said:
Your artwork is beautiful!
personal info will not post sorry said:
I like your drawings. They are very nice. I like this website too, it is wonderful! Your drawings and artwork is a big inspiration to me. I found this website on google.
Liza said:
I can’t believe these are your sketches! Looks absolutely stunning! I’m really astonished by how realistic of a result you have got!
debbyfriselladesigns said:
I Love, Love, Love your paintings. What do you usually use for watercolor paints? The colors you use are so vibrant, yet realistic! I have been experimenting with watercolor crayons and pencils., but they are not the same as paints. Botanical painting has always been an attraction to me, but I never could find a class to channel it onto watercolor paper. You have inspired me to find something in the area to get me started!
lynneglazzard said:
Thank you for this, lovely!
throve said:
Love the touch of your sketches. Thank you for inspiring me to pick up my pencils, pens and water colour brushes again.
onehappylittlemama said:
I am IN LOVE with your style!! So glad to have found you!
JEN 🙂
Jar Of Salt said:
How beautiful 🙂 I enjoy the nostalgic feel of your art — very warm and very endearing (and great subject, too!).
Mariella Soto de Niño said:
WOW!!!!!! This is really beautiful. Congratulations from Caracas, Venezuela. Mariella Soto de Niño.
Heather basson said:
I will also say WOW. Amazing work, a feast for the eyes, just love it. What journal do you use to paint in.? The colors are amazing such an inspiration. Thanks SO much. Heather , South Africa
valwebb said:
Thank you so much, Heather! I like to use Prismacolor pencils in a Moleskine sketchbook. The paper is heavy, cream-colored, and oddly slick — at first, I did not really like working on it. But eventually it became a favorite.
M Todd said:
These are so lovely and I love the little more formal style – like a naturalist/scientist journal. Do you add lines before you letter the pages? Your text is soooo straight!
Val Webb said:
Thanks very much! If I have more than one line of text, I’ll lightly pencil in a baseline to write on. If there’s just one line, I usually try to wing it. 🙂
roxieprov31 said:
I just found your website and have already emailed you twice! But I, too, love this style of journaling. I like what I call the “scrappy” (the word we use in quilting) look of some of your pages where you put watercolor boxes around your drawings. Also your calendars how designs “run” into each other. Is that something you can learn or is it just something that comes to some people?
valwebb said:
It’s definitely something you learn. I recommend “saving” examples of designs you like, and then experimenting with incorporating some of those ideas into your own work. I think the main thing is to keep your approach informal, not lining things up. Let some of your elements overlap. Combine drawing, writing and some hand lettering on the same page. Have fun!
Thanks for visiting. I’m glad you enjoy the website!
Val
Maria said:
Your pages are luscious, Val. I am interested to know how you create the textured colored background, as on the Pimento Peppers page.
valwebb said:
Thanks, Maria! It’s colored pencil. I put down a solid, heavy layer in the lighter color — yellow, for example. Then I come back with a darker color (such as brick red) and, using a sharp point, I simply draw crosshatch lines on top of the underlayer. Voila! Textured background. 🙂 Thanks for asking.
Maria said:
Wow, those backgrounds must take a lot of time! And now how did you do that LIGHT textured background on top of the purple (corner) in “Comfrey”?
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Animal Art by Imi said:
I love this. You are incredibly creative!
Inese Poga Art Gallery said:
Amazing sketches! So carefully done!
fionrk said:
Wow Val. These are so inspiring. Thanks for sharing them.