Zoom Workshop 133: The Art of Artichokes

The Art of Artichokes: Botanical Illustration Drawing Workshop

Painting Nature’s Spiral Staircases in Green & Violet

Join us for a two-day workshop!

Sunday, March 8, 2026: 1pm – 5pm ET*

Thursday, March 12, 2026: 6pm – 7:30pm ET*

*Note: Daylight Savings

✏️ Instructors: Pam Thompson & Emet Lipson
✅ Level: All levels
🌱 Botanical Subject(s): Artichokes

Workshop Description

Artichokes are a wonderfully strange and unexpectedly elegant example of how plants build complexity from simple repeating patterns. Part flower bud, part architectural sculpture, and part mathematical marvel, they’re one of nature’s most delightful designs. Perfect for botanical art beginners and experienced plant admirers alike, this workshop will expose the beautiful secrets hiding behind every bract. 

Learn how to render a realistic artichoke using a combination of watercolor and colored pencil. Along the way, we’ll strengthen our observational skills, deepen our understanding of plant structures, and practice techniques to use in future botanical illustrations.

What We’ll Practice

In this guided botanical art class, we’ll practice techniques to use again and again:

-Drawing complex plant forms with clarity and confidence
-Building smooth, natural color transitions with watercolor
-Adding depth and crisp detail using colored pencil
-Creating realistic overlaps with tiny, thoughtful shadows
-Placing highlights to enhance form and guide the viewer’s eye
-Noticing and truly seeing the patterns and structure within a plant

These skills apply beautifully to flowers, seed pods, leaves, and many other botanical subjects—making this workshop both a creative delight and a valuable addition to your… Learn more