Botanical Watercolor: Illustrating Art and Science

Botanical Watercolor: Illustrating Art and Science

“You have reached the end of this course, and now you’re all set to start your project. Let me show you an example of what I would like to see in your project course: The Fruit Choose the fruit for your study. Perhaps you could pick something that grows in the area where you live. Or visit the local store and see which colours or textures appeal to you. Remember, you can focus on the outside or cut your fruit in half to display what it looks like inside. Also, remember that peppers, tomatoes, pumpkin, bean pods and so on are all botanically classed as fruits, so don’t overlook these!

The Drawing Draw out your subject from life or a photograph on tracing or inexpensive paper. Focus first on the overall shape and size, (enlarging if desired) before recording any structure or detail that you see. Once you are happy with the drawing, this can be transferred onto watercolour paper. You could redraw your subject from scratch based on your initial drawing, or you can use graphite transfer paper, as you saw me using. The Masking Fluid If there are any small bright highlights or pale speckles where you want to retain the white of the paper, you can use masking fluid to protect the paper. This saves you from having to paint around these small areas. Apply with a dip pen or ruling pen to get the finest lines and shapes. Leave the masking fluid to dry, and then you can focus on the next stage of your painting. The masking fluid is removed towards the end of the project. Mixing Colours Starting with washes or wet in wet techniques, paint in the background colours. You can mix these colours with a limited Starting with washes or wet in wet techniques, paint in the background colours. You can mix these colours with a limited range of paints as you saw me doing, or use any colours that you have in your paint box. It is up to you. Either way, remember to test your colours on a scrap of paper and that they are likely to dry paler than expected. If the initial layers are too pale, you can repeat the process in a second or third layer until you get the strength you need, making sure to allow each layer to dry before adding the next. Firts Layers Once your first layers have dried, build up areas that need to be darker, enhancing the form, texture and detail, using less wet watercolour techniques. Which techniques you use will depend on you what you have chosen to depict. But, for any dry brush detail, you can swap to a smaller brush if you prefer. The golden rule is ‘Never fiddle with drying paint!’, as this will spoil the freshness that watercolour is known for. Adding Details At this finishing touches stage, remove any masking fluid and adjust the exposed areas by softening or adding colour as needed. Then, hold your work at arm’s length to assess how the overall picture looks. It is not too late to make adjustments to overly pale areas with washes of colour or lift out paint from areas that look too heavy. Either way, check that you have used a whole tonal range from light to dark. Even the smallest additions of dark in any crevices or shadows will bring your painted subject to life. The Background If you like the drama of the black backgrounds, this is added towards the end of the process. Using black gouache at a creamy consistency, outline your fruit carefully. You can then fill in the rest of the background with larger brush strokes. You may need to make adjustments to the painting as it will look quite different against the back compared with the white paper. Remember to share your creations in the forum. Get involved with your fellow students and the community. You are all here to learn, so by engaging with each other’s questions and queries, you’ll find it faster to reach your final outcomes quicker. I’ll also check in from time to time, offering feedback. I can’t wait to see what you all come up with. See you soon!”

Partial transcription of the video

“ Final Project In this final lesson, we'll recap what we've learned. I'll share some tips as you continue on your botanical journey. You all have seen that this approach to accurate botanical drawing is artistically challenging but enriching. Being able to capture the essence of a fruit whilst keeping it botanically correct can bring your everyday subject centre stage. First off, you can choose your fruit, which could be something grown locally or even from a store, focusing on colours or textures that appeal to you. Remember to explore beyond well-known options, such as peppers or tomatoe...”

This transcript is automatically generated, so it may contain mistakes.

Course summary for: Botanical Watercolor: Illustrating Art and Science

• Level: Beginner
• 99% positive reviews (112)
• 3658 students
• 4 units
• 15 lessons (2h 47m)
• 7 downloads

• Category

  Illustration

• Areas

  Botanical Illustration, Drawing, Fine Arts, Painting, Traditional illustration, Watercolor Painting