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Bird Watercolor Workshop

Location: Denizen House, Köpenicker Str. 40, 10179 Berlin

Artist Instructor: Maximiliana Martiskova

November 10, 17, 24, December 1, 8, 15
Time: Tuesdays, 18:00-20:00

Cost: 38€ per class (inc. VAT)

A drink on the house: price includes 1x beverage during each class! (wine, soda, juice, etc)

Materials Included: Watercolors, brushes and paper are provided, but if you have your own watercolors and brushes, and/or watercolor sketchbook, feel free to bring them.

What to Expect:

Learn how to paint birds with watercolors while developing essential illustration skills. In this five-week workshop, you will be introduced to the core principles of watercolor, with birds as your central subject. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to deepen your practice, you will build skills and confidence through hands-on techniques and guided observation.

You will get to know birds in more depth – their shapes and anatomy, as well as their character and variety. Learn how to develop an illustration from start to finish, understand the role of negative space, and learn how to intentionally use detail and texture to your benefit.

Beyond illustration, you will gain useful birdwatching knowledge to help you better observe and understand birds in real life. We’ll talk about what features are key to identifying a bird – like silhouette, beak shape, posture, and plumage pattern – and how to translate those details into your own visual language. You’ll get familiar with some common birds of Berlin, and we will chit-chat about birdwatching in real life and how one blends this hobby with art. 

Led by Berlin-based illustrator and bird enthusiast Maximiliana Martiskova, the course blends careful technique with a curiosity for the natural world. Each session results in a finished bird drawing, and over five weeks, you will build a small illustrated series that reflects your personal growth and expanding knowledge of your subject.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Gaining confidence with watercolors and pencils: what to use, when, and why
  • How to build bird illustrations and expand your visual memory
  • Finding your personal drawing style you are comfortable with
  • Principles of composition and how to apply them effectively

This workshop offers an engaging, supportive environment for artists of all levels to explore watercolor, develop their skills, and connect with nature through creative expression.

Location:

The workshop takes place in the Denizen co-working space on Köpenicker Str. 40.

Special Offer at Denizen: Denizen House is a communal place providing work, refreshment, and recreational facilities throughout the day. On the day of the BDR workshop, you can get a day pass for 15€ instead of 19€. Enjoy the comfort and unlimited hot beverages at Denizen House before emerging into the world of art. Food and drinks will be additionally available during the workshop.

About the Instructor

Maximiliana Martiskova is a Berlin-based illustrator from Slovakia. She studied illustration in the Czech Republic and is currently finishing her final semester of Illustration in Berlin. She is developing her own illustrated pocket-sized bird identification guide. Illustration has been the center of her artistic expression for many years, during which she has explored birds in many different mediums.

She is a girl scout and actively involved in ornithological circles, currently focusing on educational illustration to raise awareness about bird conservation and protection. Besides that, she is a passionate photographer and hiker. Her wish is to share love for nature and birds with other people and spark curiosity and appreciation for the world around us.

Her portfolio of works: www.maxmartiskova.com

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