Botanical Drawing and Painting

Slowing Down The Process

Develop skills in botanical art through close observation of nature.

Train your eye to identify and distinguish the unique features of plants. Translate the three-dimensional world to a two-dimensional paper surface.

Learn tips and techniques to quickly build skills and confidence in drawing realistic representation of plants. Understand how to capture the structural lines of a subject, distinguish distinctive shapes of a single leaf or simplify the pattern of leaf groupings.

Learn about tools and art materials for the essential process of making an accurate and life-like drawing.

This Botanicals series delves into close study of a seasonal plant subject. Presentations also include examples of traditional and contemporary botanical artist work to inspire your own studies.

Seasonal plants are featured.

These online classes are formatted into three lessons of two-hour live presentations and demonstrations.

Each lesson is recorded so that you can review and enjoy further viewing for two weeks after the last class.

Information about art supplies that you will need for each class is provided upon registration. 

Upcoming Classes

Student Testimonials

  • I learned the ability to look at something complex to draw and be able to break it down into its shape and components. Katherine was very good at showing us how to simply the drawing of the complexities in nature.A very dedicated, detailed and disciplined instructor who obviously has a keen interest andpassion of the course materials that are being taught and presented.

    Illustrating Nature Student, Vancouver

  • The most important things I learned was roughing in the overall shapes of things, then going back and adding the contour line, and details. I also learned a lot from the watercolor session: warm/cool colors, color theory, and how to mix colors, and the best tools to use.

    Botanical Illustration, VBGA, Vancouver

  • In Katharine’s classes I am learning to really see what I'm looking at, finding the way to look at the specimen 3-dimensionally and converting it into 2-dimensional drawing on paper

    Student of Botanical Illustration, VandDusen Botanical Gardens, Vancouver

Featured Gallery

Sketchbook Study

Video Example