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Spring Botanical Watercolor Workshop
Artist-instructor: Mira O’Brien
Format: Online Live (livestreaming with class recordings and instructor feedback).
April 18 – May 23, 2023
– 6x Tuesdays
– 6-8pm CET Online
(6pm in Berlin, 12pm in New York, 9am in San Francisco, 5pm in London)
Cost: 185 Euros
(includes 19%VAT)
What to Expect:
Learn botanical watercolor techniques from your home and tune in to the explosion of spring all around us. Even if you live in an urban environment, spring buds and tender greens are bursting from the cracks in the pavement and the hedgerow at the playground. If you are lucky enough to have a garden, you are already aware of the flourish of wanted and unwanted growth. But what exactly are those plants we call weeds? During this workshop we will pay special attention to oft overlooked subjects, such as weeds, and learn about their medicinal properties and historical importance. You will leave this workshop with new watercolor skills and a fresh appreciation for the details of nature right outside your door.
While instruction will take place through an interactive livestreaming format (Zoom), care will be taken to emphasize the individual sensual experience of drawing from living specimens and working with watercolors.
Specimen Collection: Each class will include instructions for specimen collection as well as reference photos. Simple instructions provided days in advance will direct you to pick up a green leaf from the sidewalk, grab a weed sprouting out from a crevice, purchase a piece of seasonal produce, and other actions intended to call attention to oft overlooked instances of nature. Photographic references will be available.
Watercolor Painting: The livestreaming classes will introduce watercolor techniques through live demos and interactive instruction.
Techniques include:
- line drawing with watercolor tea wash
- building up layers with washes
- adding detail with special watercolor effects
- mixing colors and more
All levels are welcome.
The painting made in this workshop are inspired by the figure of the Naturalist, who was both artist and scientist. These recordings are just as much about the subjective process of observation as they are about the recording of scientific data.
Botanical Watercolor Workshop Series:
A year long series of Botanical Watercolor Workshops that take place online and follow the changing of the seasons. Join at any point in the year for one or all four modules. Continuing students receive a 10% discount on consecutive modules. The next module: Summer Botanical Watercolor Workshop
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.
Testimonial:
I took the Summer Botanical Watercolor Workshop online with Mira O’Brien. It was a such a marvelous experience; clear, precise, informative and wonderful. Although initially slightly hesitant about taking an online class, I was especially impressed! The online nature of the class gave us up close access to watching Mira do demos which was a huge highlight! I would recommend this class to anyone who is either interested in learning about watercolor techniques as a beginner or as someone who has watercolor experience. Mira’s enthusiasm for botanical watercolors comes through in so many ways! For each class she prepared wonderful slide shows about plants and techniques – always giving us a context with which to understand that day’s class! Take this class! It’s marvelous! – April Gertler, Botanical Watercolor Student
