Botanical Watercolor: Illustrate the Anatomy of Flowers
A course by Luli ReisVisual Artist and Illustrator
A course by Luli Reis, Visual Artist and Illustrator
Learn how to create a botanical plate with the shapes, colors, and textures of plants
Discover the infinite source of inspiration that nature brings and explore the textures, contrasts, colors, and shapes of the botanic world. By creating expressive watercolor compositions, visual artist and illustrator Luli Reis looks to transmit her love and admiration of nature, documenting a plant’s full cycle from flower to decomposition.
In this course, Luli guides you through the artistic process of creating an illustration that’s full of life. Learn every step of making a botanical plate, from the anatomic study of plants and flowers to the essential watercolor techniques needed.
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 16 downloads
What will we do in the course?
2 minutes, 36 seconds
Basic watercolor techniques
13 minutes, 9 seconds
Botanical Watercolor Techniques
11 minutes, 49 seconds
Understanding volumes
14 minutes, 11 seconds
Looking for ways
8 minutes, 8 seconds
Anatomy of a plant
10 minutes, 7 seconds
What's included in this course?
Begin this course by getting to know Luli Reis and her background as a visual artist and illustrator. Discover her artistic influences and go through the topics that are covered in this course.
Get familiar with the materials needed to make your watercolor illustration. Luli teaches you the most popular tips and techniques for botanical watercolor, including the wet brush for both wet and dry surfaces. Also, learn how to work with volume, light, and shadow effects to create a graphical representation that is true to nature.
Then it’s time for the pre-production phase of your final project. Study the geometric shapes of a plant to help create the general outline of your drawing. Learn about the anatomy of flowers by studying a real flower and understand the importance of choosing the right color palette for your final composition.
Luli shows you the multiple possibilities for mounting a botanical plate and teaches you how to correctly transfer your sketches to watercolor paper.
The time to enjoy the fruits of your labor has arrived. Start the coloring of your plate, painting the smallest elements first and inserting details that will define your personal style.
Then, Luli teaches you to paint the layout and main elements of your plant to ensure that there is visual unity in your project. Finally, she gives some advice on how to better preserve your work.
What is this course's project?
Create the illustration of a botanic plate with watercolors based on a study of the plant’s shapes, colors, and textures.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Illustrators, designers, creatives, art lovers, or anyone who wants to improve their knowledge of botanical art and illustrate plants with watercolors.
Requirements and materials
No previous knowledge of watercolors is needed to take this course.
Regarding materials, you will need watercolor paints in tablet or tube form, watercolor paper, round brushes, a support for mixing colors, sheets of drawing paper, pencils, and a soft eraser.
Reviews
- 1 month ago
muy bien explicado, didáctico, me encantó
- 3 months ago
Exactly the kind of course I needed to polish my skills. Thankyou for this precious resource which is easy to follow for a self-taught artist like me.
- 4 months ago
A Luli Reis é excepcional. Já nos primeiros videos conseguimos resultados excelente e nos animamos para avançar
- 4 months ago
Adorei!! Ver o passo a passo do esboço e pintura me ajudou demais!!
- truenaturePLUS5 months ago
Muy lindo el trabajo y las explicaciones. Tiene un estilo muy suave para la ilustración, lo cual llega facilmente al alumnado
As a self-taught student as well as a teacher, her work is featured throughout her eBook Aquarela Básica: tudo que eu gostaria que tivessem me falado quando comecei, in personal collections, and as prints for a range of brands across Brazil and internationally.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- What will we do in the course?
- U2
Studying techniques and characteristics
- Materials
- Basic watercolor techniques
- Botanical Watercolor Techniques
- Understanding volumes
- U3
Studying the plants
- Looking for ways
- Anatomy of a plant
- Colors
- U4
Production
- Botanical composition
- Transferring the drawing
- Coloring the parts
- Painting the arrangement
- Finishing and preserving his work
- FP
Final project
- Botanical Watercolor: Illustrate the Anatomy of Flowers
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
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FAQs
The course is intermediate level, ideal for those with basic drawing and painting skills who want to deepen their botanical watercolor techniques.
You will need watercolor paints, suitable paper (preferably over 300gsm), a variety of brushes, pencils, eraser, an optional lightbox, and materials for transfer and digitization.
You will learn watercolor techniques, anatomical study of flowers and leaves, botanical composition, texture creation, color mixing, volume and shadow work, plus professional applications like portfolios, prints, and packaging.
Basic drawing skills are recommended, as the course focuses on enhancing artistic and anatomical techniques specific to botanical illustration.
The course covers techniques like wet-on-wet, wet-on-dry, solid washes, smooth gradients, dry brushing, color mixing, water control, and creating textures tailored for botanical subjects.
You will learn to draw the morphological structure of flowers and leaves, study volumes, veins, floral anatomy, and apply techniques to achieve realism, depth, and harmonious color balance.
Yes, the course includes guidance on developing an art portfolio, along with ideas for applying your work to prints, packaging, and products.