Banksia cones have fabulous details and patterns and have always been a favourite subject to draw. Typically a cone has multiple hard seed capsules that often open after bush fire to reveal their glossy orange interiors and to eject winged seeds at an ideal time for germination. I have often drawn them with charcoal which seems such an appropriate material for illustrating a plant that relies on fire for regeneration. In this piece I have combined compressed charcoal with black 8B pencil, watercolour and gouache paint to illustrate the cone of Banksia menziesii.