Jack frost makes magic at night

 Hand painted watercolour illustration of jack frost patterns on a wing mirror for Homecoming nature journal by Melissa Harrison. 

Jack frost really does make magic at night!

Watercolour illustration - Murmuration

 Have you ever witnessed a spectacular murmuration? Set against winter skies, this is definitely one of nature's greatest shows 😍 truly incredible to watch!

Illustration from Homecoming nature journal by Melissa Harrison.

Watercolour Mistletoe Illustration

 With beautiful snowy white berries, Mistletoe is definitely pretty, but did you know that Mistletoe is a parasite? It grow on the branches of other trees and takes its nutrients and water from that tree. 

My hand painted watercolour illustration for Homecoming by Melissa Harrison.

Watercolour illustration of a Song Thrush

Hand painted watercolour illustration of a Song Thrush added to my portfolio. I love their warm brown colours and beautiful chest markings 😍

December Chapter opener - Mistletoe Illustration

 Although December can feel a little bleak sometimes, there is still plenty of nature to be admired.

Maybe a winter walk could put you in the festive mood, with some mistletoe, holly and ivy spotting 👀

Illustration for the December chapter opener from Homecoming, a beautiful, guided nature journal written by award-winning writer Melissa Harrison and fully illustrated by me.

Watercolour illustration of black bird and ivy berries

 At this time of the year in the UK Ivy berries provide important winter food for birds and small mammals. 😊

This hand painted watercolour illustration is one of the many illustrations in Homecoming nature journal written by Melissa Harrison.

What am I reading?

 Homecoming is a beautiful, guided nature journal written by award-winning writer Melissa Harrison and fully illustrated by me.

Available to buy now: https://geni.us/y24Ht 

Featuring monthly guides, birdsong to listen out for, beautiful illustrations, checklists and tips, Homecoming will help you connect to nature, boost your wellbeing and plug you back into the rhythm of the seasons.

Watercolour Autumn Leaf study

Painting a Little bit of Autumn. In my opinion, one of the most beautiful seasons 😍

I love doing leaf studies this time of the year. Hope you enjoy. 

 

Homecoming - A guided journal to lead you back to nature

Homecoming is now available in the shops! 🥳see link below to get your hands on this little treasure. 

There is nothing like nature to still your mind and boost wellbeing ☺️ 
Really proud to have been part of Melissa’s amazing journal to help people reconnect with nature. It has monthly guides, illustrations, checklists and plenty of tips and information. 

Details Below. 
Homecoming: A guided nature journal
Written by Melissa Harrison @m_z_harrison
Fully illustrated by @amanda_dilworth
Published by @wnbooks
Out now https://geni.us/y24Ht

 

Watercolour illustration of Autumn leaf litter

Not all litter is bad. Turn over some nice damp leaf litter to find a whole host of little invertebrates busy at work breaking up organic matter.

Hand painted watercolour illustration from Homecoming by Melissa Harrison.

Watercolour illustration of hibernating bat

Bats are busy looking for good spots to hibernate. Hope you like my illustration for Homecoming of a Natterer's bat getting a nice cozy spot in a tree trunk 😍

Hand painted watercolour illustration of a Tawny Owl

 "Between dusk and midnight, you might be luck enough in the UK to hear a hoo-hooo of a male Tawny owl. Especially on a clear, dry night with a good moon"

Hand painted watercolour illustrations for the October chapter opener for "Home Coming" Nature journal by Melissa Harrison.

Hand painted watercolour squirrel illustration

 So many squirrels out and about on my walk today, busy gathering treats 😍

This illustration is a hand painted watercolour for Homecoming, the nature journal written by Melissa Harrison, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. 

Watercolour illustration - Male and Female pheasants

 Male and Female pheasants out for a stroll together.

My hand painted watercolour illustration for "Homecoming" nature journal by Melissa Harrison.

 September is here. I'm looking forward to watching the unfolding of Autumn. 😍

The changing colour of the tree leaves and collecting conkers (which you are never too old for)!

This illustration is a hand painted watercolour for the September chapter opener for 

Homecoming, nature journal. 

Homecoming: A guided nature journal written by Melissa Harrison, Fully illustrated by me.

Published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, out in November 2024

August hand painted watercolour illustrations

August is here 😊

Ripening fruits and vegetables, harvest season for many farms, allotments and veggie gardeners.

I'm eagerly watching the ripening blackberries and sloe berries, planning my next foraging adventure. 

Which month is your favourite and why?

Watercolour illustration - Swifts Soaring high

Who loves watching Swifts soaring high in the sky? 😍

I tied to capture them on film while out on my walk the other day, but like their name, they are extremely Swift!

This is my hand painted watercolour illustration of a Swift, Swallow and House Martin and is a bit easier to see 😂

This is another illustration from inside Melissa Harrison's amazing nature journal

Written by Melissa Harrison 

Fully illustrated by me

Published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Out November 2024.

Foraging & making Elderflower Cordial

I love Elderflower cordial, every year i say that i am going to forage and make some. This year I have actually done it!

Thought I would share with you my first attempt. Very happy with the finished cordial, I would definitely recommend giving it a go. 

I used roughly 20 heads of elderflower 

500g of caster sugar

4 tablespoons of honey

2 lemons.

1 litre of water.

Melt sugar & honey in 1 litre of water. Gently bring to the boil, until sugar has melted

Grate in lemon zest and add the Elderflower to the melted sugar water.

Squeeze in the lemon juice from one lemon and slice and add the second lemon to mixture.

Take off heat, cover & infuse for 24 hours.

Strain cordial through muslin and add to sterilised bottle.

Enjoy! 😊

Watercolour nature illustration for July's nature journal opener.

 Hello July! Lots to enjoy in nature this month. Look out for the Hummingbird hawk-moth 😍

 They are sometimes found hovering in front of tube-shaped flowers like Buddleia.

This is the final hand painted watercolour artwork from Homecoming: A Guided journal to lead you back to nature. Written by Melissa Harrison, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, will be published in November 2024.

 Really enjoying spotting different plants and animals, with my new knowledge from working on Melissa Harrisons's amazing nature journal, "Homecoming".

Today on my walk, I found Dog Roses and Elderflowers.

Watercolour nature journal illustrations

Finished artwork for one of June's nature journal illustrations. Wild grasses and meadow brown butterfly. I have also included some of the photos and pencil sketches for creating the final artwork.

Who else thinks grasses are massively underrated? I love walking in open fields of long wild grass, blowing in the wind. That gentle swaying motion has such a calming tranquility, I could watch it for hours😊.

British Wild Birds Watercolour illustrations for Nature journal

Some more of my illustrations from "Homecoming." The nature journal written by Melissa Harrison, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

I'm a bit of a bird nerd, so very happy to get to illustrate lots of my feathered friends for this book.

This is a selection of some of the birds featured throughout the book. On the left are the rough pencil sketches which get approved by my client before I begin the final watercolour paintings

June - Hand painted Watercolour botanical illustrations

I love the month of June in the UK. There is so much to enjoy and appreciate in nature at this time of the year. 😍

This chapter opener is illustrated by me and it's from "Homecoming", the nature journal beautifully written by Melissa Harrison, Published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

(Due out in November 2024).

If like me, you love nature, this journal is absolutely amazing! You can follow along, watching and observing all the changes in the seasons unfolding around you month by month. I have learnt so much from working on this book with Melissa.

I will continue to share with you some more sneaks from inside Homecoming over the next few months. Stay tuned!

Watercolour Dandelion clocks.

Who else loves a fluffy Dandelion clock? 

Did you tell the time and make wishes with them as a child?

Hope you enjoy this sneak peek of another illustration for Homecoming, the beautiful nature journal written by Melissa Harrison and Published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. 

Hand Painted Watercolour Book Illustrations

I have some really exciting news, which I have been bursting to share! 

In November 2024, the fully illustrated nature journal I have been working on is published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

"Homecoming" by Melissa Harrison is a guided journal to lead you back to nature. You can begin in any month and carry on round to the start. It will encourage you to spot species, learn to recognise birdsong, mark the changing seasons and join in with citizen science projects.

The front cover features a wrap around design using my illustrations to show the changing of the seasons in leaves, buds and flowers.

I can honestly say, working with @m_z_harrison and @hannahbeatricecreative has been an absolute joy, this little book is stunning, I can’t wait to get my hands on it and share it with everyone.

I will also be sharing some behind the scenes posts and sneak peeks in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. 

 A lot more to come.....................