Zoom Workshop 117: Simple Leaves

Sunday, May 11, 2025: 3pm – 7pm EST

Wednesday, May 14, 2025: 4pm – 6pm EST

Instructors: Sam & Vern
Level: All levels (perfect for beginners and beyond!)
Botanical Subjects: Green leaves – easy to access houseplant, neighborhood, or grocery store leaves (i.e. spinach) of your choice 

We will focus on how to draw leaves that are relatively “simple” (oblong, elliptic, or lance-shaped with a clear mid-vein that splits the leaf into two distinct planes). For the best beginner experience, bring leaves with a smooth/entire margin (leaf edges without “teeth”).

Workshop Description

Leaves are everywhere in botanical art—but how do you make them look realistic and full of life? In this beginner-friendly workshop, we’ll break down the process step by step, making it fun and easy to draw beautiful, dimensional leaves using watercolor and colored pencil.

What We’ll Practice

🍃 Blending Natural Greens – Mix colors to achieve rich, realistic greens that match any leafy subjects.
💡 Creating Depth & Dimension – Practice continuous toning and how to use light and shadows to describe the shape and form of your leaf to make it pop off the page.
🎨 Combining Watercolor & Colored Pencil – We’ll share techniques to blend loose watercolor washes and detailed pencil work to build texture and depth.
🌿 Adding Leaf Details – Learn how to draw subtle veins, graceful margins, and delicate shadows to breathe life into your leaves.

Why Join?

Our workshops are not just about learning but also about community and collaboration. Here’s what makes our Zoom Workshops special… Learn more