Sketching Spring Flowers

My Favourite Blooms in Watercolour

A Shari Blaukopf Online Sketching & Watercolour Painting Course

Spring flowers always herald the start of my outdoor painting season. That’s when I plunk myself in the middle of a garden, surrounded by newly opened blooms, and listen to the birds, watch the occasional bug land on my palette, and paint…whatever.

Maybe the first crocuses poking out of the cold ground, or a bed of tulips unfolding in the sun. There’s so much joy in those first outings that I find myself sketching just about anything — even the odd weed, or a tulip beheaded by a pesky squirrel.

Here's what you'll learn in this course

I'll share with you my obvious love of painting spring flowers, and the skills I use to convey that love. Together, we’ll paint a pot of hyacinths on my windowsill, as well as crocuses and tulips in the garden.

Along the way, I’ll show you how to keep your sketches loose and vibrant, by using the freshest colour mixes, by varying your colours, and by separating your blooms and vegetation through light and shadow. I’ll also show you how I tackle a mass of flowers without getting overly detailed. So that your watercolours remain as vibrant and fresh-looking as the flowers themselves.

Sketching Spring Flowers includes:

• THREE full-length video demos — from drawing to washes to final touches — that you can watch at your own pace, as many times as you like
• A separate practice lesson, where I’ll demonstrate my favourite mixes for the tender green foliage of spring flowers
• Closeup views of my brush and paper so you can see the relationship between the wetness of brush and dampness of paper
• Downloadable reference images, so you can draw and paint along
• A detailed list of materials, as well as a video show-and-tell of tools and materials
• A comments section where you can ask questions and post your finished sketches
  
  

Course Length: 2.5+ hours

Skill Level: All Levels

If you love spring flowers and want to sketch them in watercolour, this course is for you.

I’ll give you step-by-step techniques for capturing both boldly coloured and delicately blushing blooms. You'll also learn how to:

• Simplify your composition with dynamic shapes
• Allow colours to blend fluidly on your paper, for stunning effect
• Create a variety of greens for foliage in sun and shadow
• Convey the beauty and freshness of flowers by varying colour, tone and edges
• Mix clean, bright colours and avoid muddy mixes
  
  
  

3 ways you'll build your flower-sketching skills:

FAQ

How long is this course?

It’s almost 3 hours in duration, and includes THREE full-length demos plus one practice exercise so you can strengthen your skills.

How long will I have access to this course?

Once you sign up, the course is yours to watch as often as you like.

Who is this course for?

This is a course that any sketcher with basic drawing and watercolour skills can follow. We cover all the steps, including a pencil drawing and watercolour painting.

What tools will I need?

We’ll cover drawing and painting tools in some detail at the start of the course, and you can download a list of materials.

Will I have access to all the lessons at once?

Yes, once you register you’ll have access to all the lessons so you can start learning, drawing and painting immediately.

How do I find the courses I am enrolled in?

Go to the top of the page and look for the "My Courses" tab. All the courses you have registered for are right there.