The Watercolor Garden

In this video, I’m going to show you how to paint a botanical-style study of the thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus) using watercolor and ink.

In this class, I’ll show you how to use as few brushstrokes as possible to create a lovely study of a thimbleberry leaf, flower, and berry. A classic trait of botanical painting is depicting a plant in all its stages—flower, fruit, and sometimes even buds and roots—within a single study to provide the most accurate and comprehensive portrayal for identification.

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn to paint the thimbleberry flower, leaf, and berry in a single study

• Explore combining watercolor and ink for a vibrant, detailed look that takes less time to complete

• Practice using minimal brushstrokes to avoid overpainting and keep your painting looking luminous, not muddy

• Gain confidence in simplifying complex subjects using the 3-step painting method

• Understand how practicing breaking down a complex subject into basic plant parts can allow to to tackle complex botanical subjects without feeling overwhelmed

Here’s a free PDF guide with all of the reference materails to help you complete the project. Want even more instruction on using my 3-step painting method? Check out my FREE Watercolor Workshop here.