Exploring Botanical Illustration Restoration and Typography Composition in Adobe Photoshop

This project is my first exploration inspired by the class Source & Mix Botanical Illustrations with Typography to Create Timeless Designs in Adobe Photoshop.

Source Image Selection

The first stage of the project focused on selecting a botanical illustration that could support multiple design directions.

For this project, I selected a vintage botanical plate featuring gladiolus varieties from 1908. I was particularly drawn to the range of colours and flower forms, which offered many possibilities for experimentation. These characteristics made the illustration suitable for both repeating patterns and compositions built from individual floral elements. It also provided a strong foundation for exploring the relationship between botanical imagery, colour, and typography.

Figure 1. Original botanical illustration, selected as the source material for the project.

Preparing the Botanical Elements

Once the source illustration was selected, the next step was preparing the artwork for design use.

Each gladiolus flower was carefully separated from the original background and placed on its own layer. This process involved creating clean selections, refining layer masks, and removing remnants of the original plate. I also corrected minor imperfections and retouched several areas of the illustrations to create a more flexible set of design elements.

During this stage, I explored some of the new tools introduced in Photoshop 2026, including the Remove Tool and updated retouching features, which significantly streamlined the cleanup process.

With the botanical elements prepared, I created an initial floral composition to explore how the illustrations interacted with one another. At the same time, I began experimenting with typography and selected Poppins for its clean, contemporary appearance, which provided an interesting contrast to the vintage character of the botanical artwork.

Figure 2. Preparing the botanical elements, retouching the illustrations, creating the initial floral composition, and exploring typography options.

Composition, Colour & Typography Exploration

After preparing the botanical elements, I began experimenting with composition, colour, and typography to develop the final card design.

Using the same set of gladiolus illustrations, I experimented with different background colours and layout variations to find the most effective combination for the final design.

At the same time, I refined the relationship between the illustrations and the typography. The goal was to create a balanced composition in which the text remained clearly readable while becoming an integrated part of the design rather than a separate element.

To preserve the vintage atmosphere of the original botanical illustration, I worked with a restrained colour palette and applied the paper and dust textures included in the course resources. 

Figure 3. Exploring composition, background colour variations, and typography placement.

Final Design

Using the prepared botanical elements, I developed a series of final card variations, experimenting with background colours, texture overlays, typography placement, and scale. I also explored compositions featuring larger floral elements, allowing individual gladiolus flowers to play a more prominent role within the design. This process helped me evaluate how colour, scale, and typography influenced the overall mood while maintaining the vintage character of the original botanical illustrations.

Figure 4. Final "With Love" card design.

 

I'm happy with the outcome of this project, but I would love to hear any feedback or suggestions for improvement. This was my first time exploring the techniques presented in the class, and I’m looking forward to experimenting with them further and applying them in future projects. 

Thank You :)