An Introduction to Botanical Illustration

What you'll learn

Botanical illustration is all about looking at plants in a traditional but exciting way. Here's what you'll be doing...

A piece of card in a hand with lots of different coloured flower leaves stuck to the card

Introduction to botany

You will be given a half-day introduction to learn or refresh the basic botany that is useful to the botanical illustrator, delivered by a member of the Eden Horticulture Team.

A view of the wall of vegetalistas paintings set in the rainforest biome

An introduction to the history of botanical illustration

How the traditional methods of watercolour, pen and ink and graphite have been used for centuries and cannot be replaced by photography alone.

Accurate drawing techniques

We’ll introduce you to accurate line-drawing and tonal shading to make your subject appear three-dimensional, as well as helping you arrange your subject on the paper.

Previous course participant

“ Thank you for your patient guidance and encouragement... We enjoyed every minute, and surprised ourselves with what we were able to achieve. ”

In a nutshell

You will have three days to concentrate on drawing and tonal shading, focusing on accuracy – the key to a beautiful illustration. Whilst attention to detail is important, botanical illustration is a very relaxing and enjoyable art form.

Who it's for

The course is suitable for both beginners and improvers. There will be a maximum of 12 people in this group.

What's included

Three days of expert tuition (10am – 4pm)
Materials*
Tea and coffee on each day (Please note participants will need to bring their own lunch)
Entrance to the Eden Project

*We will provide drawing and tracing paper. Pencils, erasers, blenders, rulers and dividers will be available to borrow for the duration of the course. A notebook may be useful.

How to book

For more information and to book, please get in touch via our enquiry form.

Previous course participant

“ Best botanical workshop I’ve been to in terms of proper constructive instructions and criticism. Brilliant plus friendly atmosphere. ”

Further information

Laura Silburn started botanical painting in 2008 after moving to Cornwall, where she was taught botanical watercolour technique by Mally Francis FLS, at Mally's studio in Heligan Gardens. Laura has been contributing to the Eden Project Florilegium Society archive since 2010 and is now a Fellow of the society and an active member of the society's committee. She has attended workshops, and taken inspiration from, many of the visiting lecturers at Eden including Rosie Sanders and Gillian Barlow.

Laura has three times received a prestigious RHS Gold Medal for her botanical artwork, firstly at the RHS London Orchid and Botanical Art Show in 2013, then in 2014 at the RHS Shades of Autumn Show for six paintings of Aristolochia species, which also received the Best in Show award, and most recently in 2018 for her series on ferns. Laura now has work in the RHS Lindley Library and the Shirley Sherwood collection, which shows at the gallery in Kew Gardens, and has had work published in the RHS Plantsman, Cornwall Today and Eden Friends magazines.

In 2014 and 2016 Laura was invited to take part in the prestigious Transylvania Florilegium presently being created under the aegis of the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts to record in a permanent way the flora of Transylvania. Laura travelled with a group of artists to Romania to study the flora there and has since submitted seven paintings which have been accepted into the Transylvania Florilegium.

Laura continues to take inspiration from the diverse flora of Eden and considers herself lucky to have such a botanical treasure trove to work from.

Visit Laura's website .