Timelapse video of watercolour painting moths

 Timelapse video of watercolour painting moths

Timelapse of my watercolour Goldfinch painting

From pencil sketch to finished Goldfinch, watch the process unfold in seconds 🎨☺️

Homecoming is Shortlisted for the Wainwright prize for illustrated nature books!

I am absolutely thrilled that Homecoming is shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Illustrated nature books alongside so many inspiring voices. ☺️

Homecoming, written by the wonderful Melissa Harrison is more than a book - it’s a gentle invitation to reconnect with our natural world. 

I had the joy of illustrating over 80 hand-painted elements, plus a wraparound cover and patterned endpapers - all created mindfully, with deep reverence for the seasons and natural rhythms of nature. 

I hope you enjoy this post, showing some of my process. If you’re an Art Director, Editor, Author or Publisher working on nature writing, slow living, sustainability or seasonal storytelling - I’d love to hear from you.

Hand-painted watercolour illustration for Homecoming nature journal

Hope you enjoy a little peek at some of the research, sketching and painting behind the August introduction in Homecoming ☺️

There is plenty to enjoy in nature this month. Ripening fruits & vegetables, harvest season for many farms, allotments and veggie gardeners. 

I will definitely be out picking some blackberries on my next foraging adventure 

The Big Butterfly Count

The big Butterfly count is a nationwide citizen science survey. Simply count butterflies for 15 minutes during bright (preferably sunny) weather, which if you live in the UK you know is easier said than done! 😂 Then submit your sightings to bigbutterflycount.org

Butterflies and moths are vital parts of the ecosystems both pollinators and components of the food chain. Butterfly declines are also an early warning for other wildlife losses. Butterflies are key biodiversity indicators for scientists as they react very quickly to changes in their environment. Therefore, if their numbers are falling, then nature is in trouble. So tracking numbers of butterflies is crucial in the fight to conserve our natural world. That’s why taking part in this massive citizen science enterprise is of great importance not just for our butterflies but for the wider environment and biodiversity in general.

Hope you enjoy watching some of my sightings 🦋

You can take part too! Just pick your spot and watch for 15 minutes, would love to see what species are flying near you.

Finding and painting Feathers

When i find feathers on a walk, I always feel like it’s a little gift from nature. There is definitely something magical about feathers. I’ve started painting some of the ones I’ve gathered on my walks-hoping to capture their soft, fleeting beauty. Just looking at them brings a sense of calm and stillness…anyone else feel that way?

Hope you enjoy this quick time lapse reel showing the start of paining some of my feather collection. There is more detail and finishing to be be so follow me to find out how they look in the end and what they might become? I am thinking they could make a lovely delicate pattern?

Hummingbird Hawk-moth in my garden

So happy to have captured this little beauty on my very own Buddleia! It's called a hummingbird hawk-moth 😍 I had the pleasure of illustrating one for Homecoming, so was super excited to actually see one in my own garden.

Absolutely beautiful! Hope you enjoy watching my little video of it. 😊

Homecoming Longlisted for the Wainwright Prize for illustrative books.

It has been an absolute joy to illustrate Homecoming, the nature journal written by the brilliant Melissa Harrison.

Reconnecting with nature is something i care deeply about, so when first read Melissa's manuscript for Homecoming, I knew right away this journal was something special! 💖

Painting Wild Honeysuckle

Capturing some wild honeysuckle from my walk in my sketchbook, with a quick watercolour and coloured pencil study.

Watercolour sketching and painting

There’s something magical about this time of year — wild grasses swaying, butterflies dancing, bees busy at work.

I’ve been taking slow, mindful walks through nature this season — observing the small details, recording the moments that move me, and soaking up inspiration for my artwork.

Today was all about the butterflies!

Let me know what you’ve been noticing on your own walks — or what season inspires you most. 🌿✨

#butterflies #naturelover #slowliving #natureinspiredart #watercolourillustration #butterflyillustration 

Bird Nerds - Hand painted colourful garden birds pattern.

What started as a pile of watercolour sketches on my studio table has taken flight — now available on fabric, wallpaper, tea towels, cushions, bedding + more via my Spoonflower shop!

Each little bird was hand-painted with love, inspired by the cheeky, colourful characters flitting through British gardens. This pattern is my joyful tribute to the birdwatchers, the garden potterers, the nature nerds... and anyone who just loves a splash of colour in their home.

💛 from cosy cushions to cheerful kitchenware.

🛍️ Now available in my Spoonflower shop — click here
Save this post for future DIY or gift ideas 🎁

✨ I'd love to know:
Which bird is your favourite? Or where would you use this pattern — on a cushion, tea towel, or maybe wallpaper? Let me know in the comments!

Sound of the ocean - Seashell headphones T-Shirt

Who remembers holding a seashell to your ear as a child, amazed by the sound of the sea whispering inside? 🐚✨

That wonder stayed with me — and it inspired this painting.

I imagined seashell headphones, carrying the ocean’s magic wherever you go...

Dolphins leaping, fish swimming, waves spilling out in a cascade of life and sound. 

This piece is my tribute to the endless beauty, mystery, and life held within the sea.

You can now buy The Sound of the Ocean on T-Shirts in my Tee Public Shop

For those who still listen to seashells! 😊

https://www.teepublic.com/user/amanda-dilworth

I was also thrilled to learn that Sound of the Ocean had been selected by Pangeaseed as one of the top 10 art submissions for their Sea Wonder: Share wonder campaign!

In celebration of Earth month and world oceans day the Pangeaseed family invited artists from around the world to submit original art that explore wonder, celebrating the emotional and scientific beauty of the ocean. The campaign is to spark curiosity, build connection and inspire care and empathy through the arts.

Cottagecore Herb Garden Pattern

 “From paper to pattern — this is how a herb garden becomes fabric.”

I loved creating this pattern. All the herbs were painted in watercolour, then scanned into Photoshop, where I created my pattern repeat.

You can buy this pattern on fabric and homeware via my Spoonflower shop https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/amanda_dilworth - prefect for kitchens, gifts, or DIY projects.

What would you love to see this herb pattern on? Let me know in the comments.

Want to license this design for your own products? Email me for details enquiries@amandadilworth.co.uk 

June - Nature Watercolour Illustrations

 June is one of my favourite months in the UK. Grab your copy of Homecoming and step outside-there's so much waiting to be noticed! 😍

When the fields become your studio - Out in the Derbyshire dales sketching nature.

 

When the fields become your studio...

I absolutely love this time of year, the fields look incredible 😍

It's nice to gather inspiration for my artwork from photographs and from getting out and about with my sketchbook, to capture some quick studies.

I hope you will follow me for more nature inspiration and artwork.

https://www.instagram.com/amanda_dilworth/

Homecoming - Fully illustrated nature journal

This isn’t just a book - it’s a year-long adventure, exploring and noticing the beautiful seasons unfolding around us in nature. Whether you live in the city or countryside, Homecoming invites you to pause, notice and reconnect with our beautiful world 💚

Written by the wonderful Melissa Harrison @m_z_harrison 

Fully illustrated by me @amanda_dilworth

 

Watercolour Illustration of Great Tit Nest

Magpies are natural nest predators, as this great tit knows! Hand painted watercolour illustration from Homecoming, a beautiful nature journal written by the wonderful Melissa Harrison and fully illustrated by me.

Hello May - Watercolour nature illustration

 “Spring adds new life and beauty to all that is” - Christina Rossetti 

As May begins, nature reminds us that growth, change and renewal are always possible. Who else is feeling the re-energizing magic of Spring!? 

Hear the Ocean - Watercolour ocean life illustration

 🌊🎧 Hear the Ocean 🎧🌊

Created for @ourplanetweek, inspired by the beautiful prompt “Hear the Ocean” #OPW25Ocean 💙

Who else remembers holding a seashell to your ear as a child, amazed by the sound of the sea whispering inside? 🐚✨

That wonder stayed with me — and it inspired this painting.

I imagined seashell headphones, carrying the ocean’s magic wherever you go...

Dolphins leaping, fish swimming, waves spilling out in a cascade of life and sound. 

This piece is my tribute to the endless beauty, mystery, and life held within the sea. 

Flying high watercolour nature illustration

 Flying high

Created for @ourplanetweek prompt "Feel the air"

This handpainted watercolour is my attempt to capture the freedom of flight- a weightless, soul-lifting moment.

Swallows, swifts and house martins dance above the trees, soaring through a blue sky dappled with sunlight and soft clouds. I hope you can feel what it might be like to ride the wind- to feel the air beneath your wings?

Chiffchaff watercolour illustration

 It was a joy to bring this tiny singer to life. From pencil sketch to final brushstroke, this little chiffchaff found its voice in the pages of Homecoming-a beautiful nature journal written by the wonderful Melissa Harrison. And fully illustrated by me.

Each commissioned piece begins as a pencil sketch, allowing space for feedback on composition and concept before I begin painting. Once the watercolour illustration is complete, I scan and prepare high-quality digital files for my client-ready to sing on the printed page ☺️

Spring bird song watercolour illustration

 “My favourite weather is bird chirping weather.” – Terri Guillemets

Spring mornings are full of music right now—the dawn chorus has returned, and it’s magic. I created this piece to celebrate those peaceful moments where nature gently reminds us to slow down and listen.

To all the fellow bird and nature lovers out there, I hope this brings a smile to your day. 

Wild Garlic pattern on fabric and homeware

From forest floor to fabric. This surface pattern started with a spring walk through the woods and the wild scent of garlic all around me. I hand-painted each element in watercolor, then carefully turned it into a seamless repeat to celebrate the season.

Now it’s available on a full range of products—from fabric and wallpaper to duvet covers, curtains, napkins, pillows, and more. Whether you want to DIY something special or bring nature into your home effortlessly, it’s ready for you.

💚 Shop the Wild Garlic Collection on Spoonflower – link in side bar.

 

Hand painted watercolour illustration of a seven-spot ladybird on alkanet

 Hand painted watercolour illustration of a little ladybird on alkanet

This illustration was part of my commission to fully illustrate the wonderful Melissa Harrison's Homecoming nature journal.