Outlined below are all the tools you need to be prepared to attend a Draw Botanical workshop.
Please note that the listed products are what we recommend, but you can follow along with any supplies you have (your result may just end up looking a little different). Our lessons are about a combination of fundamental 3D art concepts and colored pencil and watercolor technique, so you can skip the supplies-specific tips and still learn a lot about perspective, light source, composition, etc. One of the main points we teach is colored pencil and watercolor technique for slow, continuous toning, but as long as you are able to achieve the same blending result with your chosen materials, we think you can still benefit from our course lessons.
Get Started
We have spent countless hours testing supplies to find what works best for us. Below, we’ve outlined all of our favorite art materials based on their excellent quality, low price, and effectiveness of use.
To get started with the Draw Botanical Method, you’ll need the following basic supplies:
– Hot Pressed Watercolor Paper
140 lb, Stonehenge Aqua (7″x10″ block or 22″x30″ sheets)
Tan Kraft Paper (for Kraft Paper specific workshops)
Find out Wendy’s favorite things about Kraft Paper here.
– Colored Pencils
Professional-grade, Faber-Castell Polychromos oil-based colored pencils
*For full recommended list of colors, scroll to bottom or click here
– Graphite Pencil
Tombow Mono Professional Drawing Pencil – H
– Erasers
Tombow Mono Zero Refillable Eraser (Round Size 2.3 is perfect for fine details)
Kneaded Eraser
Dust-Free Vinyl Eraser
– Watercolors
Professional-grade, Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencils
**For full recommended list of colors, scroll to bottom or click here
– Ruler
See-through rulers provide more accurate measuring
– Pencil Sharpener
Sharp points are crucial to our method!
Muji Desktop Pencil Sharpener (auto-feed hand-crank sharpener)
Faber-Castell F582800 Double Hole Sharpener (hand-held)
– Watercolor Brushes
Our favorite watercolor brushes are Interlon Brushes from Japan. We use these sizes:
#1026 Interlon size 6 Watercolor Brushes at DRAW BOTANICAL
#1026 Interlon Brushes from Japan: order size 6, 2, 0/3
#417 size 3/0 Interlon Brushes from Japan: order size 0/3
Alternatively, we also like the Princeton Velvetouch watercolor brushes, and have those in our Blick-U Other Supplies List in the following sizes:
Princeton Velvetouch Series 3950 Synthetic Brush – Round, Size 6
Princeton Velvetouch Series 3950 Synthetic Brush – Round, Size 2
Princeton Velvetouch Series 3950 Synthetic Brush – Round, Size 3/0
Princeton Velvetouch Series 3950 Synthetic Brush – Chisel Blender, Size 4
– Palette for watercolor pencils
Caran d’Ache Aquarelle palette
or Grafix Dura-Bright White Pad
Grow Your Practice
Beyond the bare necessities of paper, pencils, and essential tools, here are some other useful tools we recommend for the Draw Botanical Method:
– Embossing Tools
Different sizes allow for use in creating patterns and subtle light tone variations on fine details such as veining, roots, and numerous stamens. We recommend the following sizes:
Kemper Double Ball Stylus Embossing Tool – Small
Kemper Double Ball Stylus Embossing Tool – Large
– Tracing Paper
Inexpensive roll or sheet, for sketching rough thumbnails and arranging compositions
Blick Studio Tracing Paper Pad – 9″x12″, 50 Sheets
– Wax Paper
For embossing technique. It’s similar to parchment paper, but clear, and has one side waxed. (Here’s a link to one common brand of wax paper.)
– Frog Prong Flower Holder
To hold your flower steady as you draw. Place in a bowl of water to prevent your flower from wilting!
Frog Prong Flower Holder
– Magnifying Glass / Jeweler’s Loupe
To study botanical details
Carson FreeHand Lighted Magnifier – 2.5X/5X, 3-1/2″ Dia.
– Draftsmen Mini Duster
Brush for wiping away debris without smudging your work
Westcott Wooden Dusting Brush
– Eraser Shield
For precise and controlled erasing
Westcott Erasing Shield
– Container / Cup
Holds water for watercolors
Faber-Castell Collapsible Water Cup
– Prismacolor Premier “White” Colored Pencil
Good for getting deep whites on Kraft Paper
Prismacolor Premier White Colored Pencil
– Prismacolor Verithin Pencils
For fine linework
Prismacolor Verithin Pencils Set of Black & Grey
– Schminke Aqua Masking Fluid
To keep small areas and thin lines white when painting on watercolor paper. (Note: All other brands of masking fluid we’ve tried do damage to the Stonehenge Aqua watercolor paper that we use, but Schminke Aqua Masking Fluid does NOT cause damage.)
Schminke Aqua Masking Fluid, 19 ml Bottle
– Speedball Hunt 513EF Nib
For applying thin lines of masking fluid
Speedball Hunt Globe Bowl Pointed Dip Pen #513 Extra Fine Nib
– Speedball Standard Pen Holder
To hold 513EF nib
Speedball Straight Pen Holder
– Portable Lamp
To light your subject, even a small goose neck lamp works
Recommended Text
Only need one of these:
– Botanical Drawing in Color, A Basic Guide to Mastering Realistic Form and Naturalistic Color by Wendy Hollender
– The Practice of Botanical Drawing by Wendy Hollender
– The Joy of Botanical Drawing by Wendy Hollender
Can’t find some of the products we listed? Don’t worry! Our recommendations are guidelines, but you can follow along with any supplies you have (your result may just end up looking a little different). Our lessons are about a combination of fundamental 3D art concepts and colored pencil and watercolor technique, so you can skip the supplies-specific tips and still learn a lot about perspective, light source, composition, etc. One of the main points we teach is colored pencil and watercolor technique for slow, continuous toning, but as long as you are able to achieve the same blending result with your chosen materials, we think you can still benefit from our course lessons.
*Polychromos Colored Pencil Color Suggestions
Easily buy all of the colors listed below from this Blick list.
Primary & Secondary Colors
Cadmium Yellow Lemon 205
Cadmium Yellow 107
Pale Geranium Lake 121
Middle Purple Pink 125
Madder 142
Ultramarine 120
Cobalt Turquoise 153
Dark Cadmium Orange 115
Purple Violet 136
Earth Green Yellowish 168
Permanent Green Olive 167
Earth Green 172
Darks to Mix for Deep Shades
Dark Sepia 175
Dark Indigo 157
Chrome Oxide Green 278
Red Violet 194
Olive Green Yellowish 173
Lights for Tints, Highlights, and Burnishing
Warm Grey IV 273
White 101
Ivory 103
Salmon 130
Earth Tones
Burnt Ochre 187
Venetian Red 190
Light Yellow Ochre 183
Burnt Sienna 283
Additional Colors
These colors are not necessities, but we often use these colors in our workshops, and you may want to buy them if your budget allows. These are at the bottom of our Blick-U Polychromos Colored Pencils List, with the priority “Recommended”.
Bistre 179
Cream 102
Cadmium Orange 111
Paynes Grey 181
Naples Yellow 185
Juniper Green 165
**Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencils Color Suggestions
These watercolor color pencils have the same color names and pigments as the Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencils, so combine nicely together. You can buy them here – Blick U Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencil List, or use the following list to find them at your favorite art supply store:
Cadmium Yellow 107
Permanent Green Olive 167
Pale Geranium Lake 121
Middle Purple Pink 125
Purple Violet 136
Dark Sepia 175
Dark Cadmium Orange 115
Burnt Sienna 283
White 101
Light Yellow Ochre 183
Warm Gray IV 273
Earth Green 172
Ultramarine 120
Add Cobalt Turquoise 153 & Cadmium Yellow Lemon 205 if taking a color theory class.
