Discover the disciplined and rewarding art of botanical watercolour illustration. In this workshop, you will learn to observe and draw plant specimens directly from life, master essential colour theory, and build realistic illustrations through careful layering of colour and detail.
By the end of these sessions, you will have a solid understanding of the medium and the practical techniques needed to create your own beautiful botanical illustrations.
MATERIALS TO BE SUPPLIED BY THE STUDENT
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Paper: 4 sheets A4 watercolour paper (200gsm), hot-pressed.
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Pencil: HB pencil
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Eraser: Monolith (or kneaded) eraser
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Kitchen towel: 4 sheets
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Palette: Watercolour paint palette (or mixing wells)
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Water jars: 2 glass jars
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Brushes (Prime Art or KUM Memory Point recommended):
- Prime Art Bianco Round – Sizes 00 to 4
- KUM Memory Point Rounds – Sizes #00, #0, #1, #2 (or similar)
Watercolours (tubes or half-pans) – focus on warm and cool primaries:
- Lemon Yellow
- Cadmium Yellow (or New Gamboge)
- Permanent Rose
- Scarlet Lake
- Ultramarine Blue
- Cerulean Blue
- Phthalo Blue
- Burnt Sienna
- Yellow Ochre or Raw Sienna
- Burnt Umber or Van Dyke Brown
Optional / Useful additions:
- Sap: Green or Phthalo Green
- Payne’s Grey
Materials Supplied
- Fresh plant specimens and flowers
- White background stand / specimen setup
- Desktop easels
Lecturer
Kate Scharf
Duration of course
2 lessons totaling 12 hours-14 and 15 July 2026
Time 9:00 am – 3:30 pm (30 minutes for lunch)
ABOUT THE LECTURER
Kate Schärf is a fine artist and lecturer at Ruth Prowse School of Art. She studied at Stellenbosch University, where she attained a Masters in Visual Art in 2021. She specialises in drawing and painting, and participates in exhibitions throughout the Western Cape.
NOTICES
If you have registered and your payment has been accepted by the site, you have been accepted to the class and will be added to our class register. The response from the site is your proof of registration and we look forward to seeing you on the first day and time of the class at RPSA.
If no payment is accepted, we regret that the class is full.
