November Book Review: Drawn from Nature

A look at Helen Ahpornsiri's intricate illustrations, created entirely from real leaves, flowers, and seaweed

Nov 22, 2024

Article voiceover

1×

0:00

-4:43

Hello friends, and welcome to the November edition of The Nature Art Book Club. I’ve been amazed by the response to this project—we’re already creeping up on 1,000 members! 🎉

This month, we’re taking a close look at Drawn from Nature by Helen Ahpornsiri, a book with illustrations so beautiful and complex that I frequently caught myself asking, “HOW in the world did she do that?!” as I flipped to a new page. Helen is based in East Sussex, UK, and is both the author and illustrator of this book.

This is a 64-page feast for the senses that pulls readers into the rhythms of the four seasons while zooming in on specific interactions and behaviors of plants and animals. While Drawn from Nature is technically a picture book, it’s loaded with new-to-me natural history factoids and truly stunning illustrations that I think most adults will be captivated by, too. The entire book is illustrated using plants and flowers that Helen has harvested, pressed, and carefully cut and assembled using precision tools like surgical scalpels, x-acto knives, and the teeniest dots of glue (!!!).

Loooook at the details on these shroomies!

I was first introduced to Helen’s work through her line of stationery, Wild Press, which I’ve seen in gift and bookshops all over the place. When I was considering which kind of books I’d like to feature for book club, I knew I wanted to pick an artist whose medium is collage. Helen’s work immediately came to mind, so I did a quick Google search to see if she’d illustrated any books in this same style. Sure enough, she’d created two: Drawn from Nature and Beneath the Waves!

Rosalie Haizlett: Hi Helen! I've loved your work for many years, so I’m excited to learn a little more about how you make your art. You have such a recognizable style and technique. Would you be willing to share the first piece you ever created using this method?

Helen Ahpornsiri: The first piece I created using pressed plants was a Fern Weevil (below), made entirely from different fern species. Ferns have always captivated me, and I incorporate them into nearly every artwork. Their fractal structure makes them perfect for adding intricate details, while their association with dense woodlands and fairytale landscapes adds a magical quality.

Helen’s Fern Weevil, the first piece she made in this style.

Rosalie: Wow, that’s a gorgeous first attempt! I love the delicate little toes. Before finding this technique, what artistic mediums and subject matter did you gravitate towards?

Helen: Before using pressed plants, I explored a variety of artistic mediums. These included cut paper and 3D paper engineering, collages crafted from used postage stamps, watercolour, and detailed pen-and-ink drawings. While these approaches were quite different, they all shared meticulous attention to detail and a love of intricate designs.

The drying and organizing phases of the process

Rosalie: That makes sense. I have a similar affinity for detail, and it seems to follow me no matter what medium I’m using. Your process seems much more time-intensive than my work, though! How long did a typical 2-page spread for Drawn to Nature take you to complete?

Helen: A typical 2-page spread for Drawn to Nature took about 3 to 4 weeks to complete, with extra time spent beforehand collecting, growing, and pressing the plants I needed. Since the book is organised by seasons, I often planned specific pages around what would be growing in my garden during that time of year.

Rosalie: I hadn’t even considered how the growing/gardening phase factors into the overall time spent on a piece. These are true labors of love! Can you please share a quick rundown of the steps that you take to complete a pressed plant art piece?

Helen: The process begins with collecting, growing, and pressing flowers and leaves, which I do year-round to maintain a variety of materials. Next, I sketch the design, while considering the plants I might use and their unique qualities, as well as the limitations of the medium. Strong silhouettes are important so the shapes of animals and other subjects are clear. Next, I sift through my flower folders to select plants that suit the piece, creating colour palettes from my selection. Finally, I spend a few weeks carefully cutting, arranging, and placing each plant element to bring the artwork to life.

Left to right: preliminary sketch, work–in–process, and finished piece

Rosalie: Amazing! It seems like each piece would be extremely satisfying to bring into the world, having put so much care into searching for and growing the perfect plants to use. Do you think you'll create more books? If so—and if you feel comfortable sharing—do you have a dream topic for a book?

Helen: I absolutely hope to create more books in the future. While I don’t have any set plans yet, I’d love to work on a book that teaches flower pressing and shares my techniques. It would be wonderful to inspire others to explore nature & this art form.

Rosalie: Aw, well I definitely would love to purchase that book. Thanks so much for sharing all of this, Helen. You inspire me to take my time with each piece and lean into the intentionality of each little element. I also just pressed a few fall leaves in my flower press this week after reading your books!

I really enjoy her use of the golden ferns on the black background to make this owl stand out

This book came out in 2018, so it isn’t brand new and can be a little tough to find online. However, it’s available through lots of museum shop websites and indie bookstores. This is a book that will stand the test of time, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Thanks for joining me for this month’s nature art deep-dive and I’ll see you in December. Until then, stay cozy. 📖☕️

Buy the book!

Bonus book look

Beneath the Waves is Helen’s second book, and it was created entirely from coastal plants and seaweeds. Here are a few of my favorite illustrations from this one, along with a beautiful little process video: