Botanical drawing with coloured pencils – focus on form 27 to 30 Mar 2025 with Ann Swan

“We see objects because of light and in order to create realistic images of plants we need to fully understand light and observe how it reacts with our subjects to describe their shapes.”

In this workshop your tutor will show you how to interpret light and shade and to accurately capture these contrasting tonal values to create a true sense of three-dimensional form and volume in your work.

Your tutor will demonstrate ways of creating realistic highlights and sheen and help you choose convincing shade colours to create depth in shadows whilst maintaining vibrant colours so that your work will come to life on the page. You will be able to put all this into practice on a more finished piece with guidance on composition and full support from your tutor.

On the first evening, your tutor will give you a short presentation to illustrate some of the techniques and rich colour blends you will be tackling during the course, with updates about new materials and a short discussion of your expectations. You need to have a basic knowledge of working with coloured pencils or to have attended one of the tutor’s beginner courses.

This course is for having a go and trying out the techniques which, when mastered, will add depth, realism and interest to your finished colour pencil work and help you attract an audience to your pictures. You will leave with a page or two of studies, some colour templates and lots of notes, plus the start of a finished project, which you will be able to complete at home with the knowledge you have acquired.

Included

• Fruit and vegetables from West Dean Gardens. Please bring along fruit and vegetables of your choice if you prefer.

What students need to bring

• Layout paper – thin paper used like tracing paper or tracing paper if preferred.
• Good quality, hot pressed watercolour paper 300gsm – good makes are Fabriano Classico 5, Winsor & Newton Aquarelle 100% cotton, Strathmore Bristol Vellum 300 and 400 series, Bockingford HP watercolour paper, Arches HP watercolour paper.
• A range of graphite pencils: B, HB, or H plus 9H if possible
• A blender pencil - good makes are Lyra Splender Blender, Prismacolor and Caran D’Ache
• Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils - a good selection for all improvers classes; these are the basics:
• 168 Earth Green Yellowish, 174 Chromium Green Opaque, 278 Chrome Green Oxide, 170 May Green, 172 Earth Green, 274 Warm Grey V, 230 Cold Grey 1, 139 Light Violet (discontinued but very useful if you have one or similar), 103 Ivory, 102 Cream, 101 White, 194 Red Violet, 193 Burnt Carmine, 135 Light Red Violet
• Plus a selection of other colours oranges, yellow, red and browns – see Ann’s website
• Prismacolor good colours include: Poppy Red, Scarlet Lake, Permanent Red, Limepeel, Black Cherry, Pale Sage
• (Ann will endeavour to have some of these available for purchase on the day or from her website prior to the course.)
• Other good makes: Caran D’Ache Luminance, Derwent Lightfast (Forest, Foliage), Caran D’Ache Pablo, Tombow Irojiten (good for fine details, not so lightfast) (Sea Fog, Mulberry, Eggshell)
• Pencil sharpener, preferably with a spiral metal sharpening core
• Eraser – battery and kneadable (soft)
• Fine 0.5 embossing tool or similar fine embossing tool
• Magnifying glass
• The following are not essential but are very useful and inexpensive to buy online:
• A small UV LED torch (blue light)
• A small LED torch
• Most equipment in the students to bring section above is available on the tutor’s website: www.annswan.co.uk. If you email your order, she will bring it along on the day to save postage costs.
• Colour swatches – blanks can be downloaded from your tutor’s website. You will find them in the members area under ‘Tips and Tricks’ and they can be coloured in with your selection of colours. These are really useful for colour matching and building up your colour mixes.

Available to buy

• Available from shop:
• The shop holds a range of general-purpose art materials including pencils, sketchbooks, erasers, layout paper and good quality watercolour paper.
• Available from tutor:
• Most equipment in the to bring section is available on the tutor’s website. If you email your order, she will bring it along on the day to save postage costs.

Additional information

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).

Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above

Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.

6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).

8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.

Daily timetable

Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.

From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).

Evening working - students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Last day

Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.

Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.

(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)

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