Composition and Finishing in Botanical Watercolour

Masterclass with Laura Silburn

Mon, 01/09/2025, 09H00 - 14H00

Tue, 02/09/2025, 09H00 - 14H00

On this course we will be choosing a subject from the Fynbos surrounding us, then using sketching and freer drawing styles to capture the essence and character of the plant. Using this, we will plan our compositions from the outset, then make detailed, measured drawings to work into our layouts. Planning our tones to build form and drama into our paintings, we will progress through layered stages of watercolour, adding pattern and texture with dry-brushing and more subtle and complex colours using glazes and stipple. Along with sharpening edges and defining details, this will lead us to a high-quality finish on our work. This class is suitable for intermediate to advanced students, or those with drawing skills and experience in other media.

R6500pp
Tuition fee includes a light lunch
50% deposit secures your booking

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About Laura

About Laura

Laura first studied watercolour with Mally Francis in Heligan Gardens, Cornwall, where she now teaches. Laura has three RHS gold medals (London 2013, London 2014 and London 2018) and Best in Show and Best Botanical Painting awards (2014, 2018). Laura has seven paintings in the prestigious Transylvania Florilegium and has work in the Hunt Institute, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney Florilegium, RHS Lindley Library, Shirley Sherwood Collection, Oak Spring Garden Foundation Library in Virginia and Grootbos Florilegium in South Africa. Laura is a painter and tutor for the Eden Project Florilegium Society, near her home in South-West England and is probably best known for her work painting ferns, including the illustration for ‘Ferns: Lessons in Survival from Earth’s most Adaptable Plants’.

Materials List

Materials List

You will need all usual watercolour materials including:

  • Watercolour paper (A4 is good), artists’ quality paints, palette and brushes. I use a selection of different brushes for different jobs so bring a wide selection if you have them. One or two good sable or similar quality brushes are essential but synthetic brushes are also useful.
  • Drawing equipment including measuring tools (ruler or dividers) a fine pencil (preferably propelling), erasers, and a sketch book or sketching paper. Additionally, you may want to bring softer pencils for sketching if you have them, and layout paper (A4 is good) for planning compositions.
  • Your usual magnification, plus a loupe or other strong magnifier may be useful.
  • It may be useful to bring some of your own work to look at, including a piece that is unfinished so that we have something to try out finishing techniques on.

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