Painting on Vellum

Painting on Vellum

July 23, 2015 by · 11 Comments

After preparing my piece of Kelmscott vellum, the next step is to transfer my completed drawing to the vellum.

I do preliminary drawings on tracing paper then combine elements to work out my composition.
I do preliminary drawings on tracing paper, cut out key elements, then move them around to work out my composition. When I am satisfied with the composition, I trace it onto a sheet of tracing paper. Then it’s time to transfer it to the vellum. Once it is transferred, I try to keep any changes minimal to protect the surface.
I place graphite tracing paper between the drawing and vellum and carefully follow the lines that I want for my painting.
I place graphite transfer paper between the drawing and vellum and carefully follow the lines that I want for my painting.
I use transfer paper that I made using 3H and 4H pencils.
This transfer paper is made with layers of 3H and 4H pencils on tracing paper.  It works great because it makes a faint but crisp line and does not leave smudges on the vellum.  To make the transfer paper, lay down many layers of hard graphite in different directions, then rub it with a tissue to smooth out the graphite and remove the loose graphite dust.  This transfer paper can be used over and over.
I like to use a well loaded larger brush for getting down the basic form.
I like to use a well loaded larger brush for getting down the basic form. As long as the tip is pretty dry, there can still be a fair amount of paint in the brush. For fine details, I usually switch to a #1 Winsor & Newton Series 7 brush or a #0 Winsor & Newton miniature brush.  The main thing is to rotate the tip of the brush on a paper towel and dab off any extra moisture so the tip is relatively dry.  Otherwise you will remove the under layers of paint, since the paint sits on top of the vellum rather than being absorbed.  Too much water on the brush will just move the paint around on the vellum and leave white splotches and dark globs of paint.
The violet and some of the leaves in progress.
A detail of the violet painting in progress. I’ll tell you more about the plants and insects in this painting in a future post.

When I was starting out on vellum, I learned much from other artists who shared their techniques. Here are some articles and posts that I’ve found particularly helpful:
Kate Nessler’s article from the ASBA journal, The Botanical Artist.
Denise Walser-Kolar’s article from the ASBA journal, The Botanical Artist.
Dianne Sutherland has many resources and tutorials on her website and blog regarding vellum.

Filed Under: Botanical, Technique and materials, Works in Progress Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Comments

  1. shevaun says
    July 25, 2015 at 10:08 am

    Brilliant blogpost, Janene! What a fantastic painting too! Is it for the SBA next year? Well done!

    Reply
    • jswalkky says
      July 28, 2015 at 8:19 am

      Thanks, Shevaun! I do plan to submit this painting to the SBA exhibition next year. I’d better get busy and get it done so I can work on the others I hope to send in as well.

      Reply
  2. Jo Rollinson says
    July 27, 2015 at 4:45 am

    Just want to say your website is good. Thank you

    Reply
  3. Coral Guest says
    August 4, 2015 at 12:37 am

    Oh how gorgeous Janene!
    So lovely to see your processs and how the outcome has so much delicacy and sweet tenderness towards the plant life.

    Reply
  4. Kristine Mackessy says
    September 28, 2015 at 5:51 pm

    Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Your work is beautiful.

    Reply
  5. Lea Black says
    June 27, 2016 at 11:38 pm

    This is a brilliant and helpful post. I like your description of how the brush should be — it adds to how others have described the “vellum dry brush.” Every little detail helps. Your painting is beautiful, “tender,” just as Coral Guest has described. I find myself coming back over and over again to this post and am inspired by it each time. I hope to take a class with you some day!

    Reply
    • jswalkky says
      June 28, 2016 at 7:18 am

      Hi Lea, I am happy that you found the post helpful! It is my hope to give back something to the artistic community that I have received so much from myself. I agree that every bit of knowledge about the art and craft of botanical art adds to ones skill and technique. Best wishes to you!

      Reply
  6. John G. White says
    October 13, 2025 at 9:09 pm

    Your work is truly amazing! I would love to try my hand at painting on tracing paper and thereafter having such painting photocopied for my portfolio. My question is two-fold:
    One, any problem, such as non-clarity in the photocopying process? Two, would I need to use only specified vellum paper, or would my Artist’s Loft “TTracing Pad” (without mention of any vellum) work as well? (If not, where would I be able to purchase strictly vellum paper?)

    Reply
    • jswalkky says
      October 14, 2025 at 8:21 am

      Hi John, Thank you for your kind comment. I advise that you follow the links I have provided in this post, so you have a clearer idea of the materials I am using. The vellum I refer to is not vellum paper but the kind of calfskin parchment vellum that was used in the middle ages. It is made of processed animal hide, and is produced by hand in an ancient process by a few companies around the world. I talk about it in other blog posts. William Cowley’s in Great Britain or Pergamena in the US both produce calfskin vellum. I do not paint on tracing paper. Modern paper vellum is named after the original, ancient kind of vellum because it has a smooth surface but is entirely different to paint on. It is best for graphite or ink drawings.

      Reply

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