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Fungi Watercolor Workshop
Artist-instructor: Mira O’Brien
Format: Online Live (livestreaming with class recordings and instructor feedback).
October 18 – November 8, 2022
– 4x Tuesdays
– 6:00-8:00pm CET
(6pm in Berlin, 12pm in New York, 9am in San Francisco, 5pm in London)
Cost: 130 €
(includes 19%VAT)
Watercolor
Learn watercolor techniques while we visit the beautiful and bizarre fungi kingdom during this online workshop. As the fruiting bodies (mushrooms) of the fungi emerge in the fall taking surprising and varied forms, Mira will collect and photograph new specimens every week for the class. We will create botanical style watercolor paintings using photographic references and you will also be encouraged to collect your own specimens if you wish.
Mycology
While mycology as a science won’t be the primary focus of this workshop, learning about our specimens will add depth to our observational painting.
What to expect:
- Learn intro and advanced watercolor techniques that can be applied to mushrooms as well as other subject matter.
- Learn how to mix the complex organic colors associated with mushrooms, while also learning some color theory.
- Learn about botanical illustration composition.
- See examples from the history of botanical and fungi illustration. Learn about some key artists.
- Learn basic mushroom anatomy and fascinating stories about mushrooms and fungi.
The drawings and painting made in this workshop are more like the field notes kept in the sketch books of Naturalists than the highly polished illustrations
found in a botany textbook. These recordings are just as much about the subjective process of observation as they are about the recording of scientific data. Techniques will include line drawing with watercolor tea wash, building up layers with watercolor washes, adding detail with special watercolor effects and paying close attention to oft-overlooked subjects!
Our Online Workshop Format:
- Livestreaming classes take place via online video conference (using Zoom). The instructor conducts live demos with step-by-step instruction so that you can work together in real time. You also have the opportunity to ask questions and get feedback during class time.
- We keep class sizes small and the atmosphere is interactive and supportive.
- Finish exercises or practice at your own pace, at home, outside of class time.
- Receive individual feedback on your completed work and exchange comments and questions with the instructor and your fellow workshop participants in an encouraging environment.
- Find supplemental material and watch the progress of other participants by visiting the workshop Dropbox folder in between classes.
- Recordings from each week’s livestreaming session are available in case you miss a class or want to review a demo.
