Drawing from house plants and flowers
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
Course Code: VO133
Choose a start date
Duration: 5 sessions (over 5 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Center for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
Knowing where to start can be daunting - in this practical course each week we will explore different approaches and techniques for drawing from plants and flowers. From simple line drawings to looking at the contours of plant forms and how to really explore the structure of different species. We start with black and white materials then progress to using colour through pastel work and trying out a variety of pastel techniques to build rich jewel-like colours and surface textures.
Demonstrations of techniques and examples of artists work will be included in this course.
This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.
What will we cover?
Session 1: Mark-making and contour line drawing
Session 2: Tone – exploring plant and flower structure using tone
Session 3: Colour and Composition – using either oil or chalk pastels to build rich colour
Session 4: Colour and line – experiment with ways of combining colour and line.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Make drawings that explore qualities such as line, tone and texture
- Analyse the basic structure of flowers and their foliage and simplify complex forms
- Explore pastel techniques including blending, overlaying and scumbling
- Use colour theory to modify colour
- Develop a larger scaled composition using compositional elements.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is designed for all levels, some drawing experience is useful.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Learners will be expected to join and participate in activities posted on the shared Google Classroom. Full details of this will be provided on enrolment and a reminder email sent out 3 days before the course starts.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Please do use whatever you can find at home, plants from around your house and/or you may wish to purchase some flowers if you don’t have access to a garden.
You will need some basic drawing materials. Please use whatever you have to hand already and there are some suggestions below.
- Graphite pencil HB/B or 2B, eraser, charcoal sticks, oil or chalk pastels (basic colour range), cartridge paper A3 or an A3 sketchbook, masking tape or clip, scissors
- PENCILS: https://www.greatart.co.uk/gerstaecker-pencils.html
- OIL PASTELS: https://www.greatart.co.uk/faber-castell-goldfaber-oil-pastel-sets.html
- CHALK PASTELS: https://www.greatart.co.uk/jaxell-soft-pastel-sets.html
- CHARCOAL: https://www.greatart.co.uk/jax-art-charcoal.html
- SKETCHBOOK: https://www.greatart.co.uk/daler-rowney-heavyweight-cartridge-pads.html
- You will be taught using Zoom for the live sessions with your tutor. You will receive an email 2.5hrs before your session starts with details of the live session link. Please be aware you will need to check your email address associated with your account within this window. Please amend and delete as suitable
- We use Google Classroom E-learning platform which will store all tasks/notes/resources/ demo videos. You will need to login into our Google classroom before each sessions starts.
- You will need a computer or laptop. Ideally with a fully updated google Chrome browser.
- Using headphones with microphones will block out all room noise in sessions.
- If you are using a tablet or mobile device you will need a microphone, and optionally a camera.
- You will require a good broadband connection as mobile data 3G/4G or a mobile dongle will not provide sufficient Bandwidth for live sessions.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Have a browse of our other drawing and painting classes above.
Mario Lautier Vella is a cross-disciplinary, award-winning artist who began his art career at City Lit. After completing a number of short courses in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture and textiles, Mario went on to do the two-year City Lit Fine Art course before going back to university to gain his Masters degree. Mario regularly exhibits in the UK and abroad and his work can be found in private collections around the world. Mario has enjoyed teaching at City Lit since 2011. For more info go to mariolautiervella.com
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
