Description
How to Draw Anthuriums, Calla Lilies, & More Spectacular Spathes
An Online Botanical Illustration Workshop Using Watercolor & Colored Pencil
Join us for a two-day workshop!
Sunday, June 7, 2026: 2pm – 6pm ET
Thursday, June 11, 2026: 6pm – 7:30pm ET
✏️ Instructors: Pam Thompson & Vern Fannin
✅ Level: All levels
🌱 Botanical Subject(s): Plants with Spathes
Examples: Jack in the Pulpits (found on the woodland floor), Anthuriums (often sold as houseplants), Calla Lilies (often found in the floral section of grocery stores), Peace Lilies, Flamingo Flowers, Caladiums, and other plants in the Araceae family (also known as the arum or aroid family)
Workshop Description
Calla lilies, jack in the pulpits, and anthuriums are just a few examples of popular plants with spathes. A spathe may seem like an elegant petal, but it’s actually a stylish bract, gracefully wrapping around a central spike of tiny flowers called the spadix (where all the action happens). We invite you to slow down, study fascinating flowers, and enjoy the process of illustrating spectacular spathes with us.
In the first 4-hour live session of step-by-step drawing demonstrations, we’ll learn how to draw anthuriums and similarly structured plants by building form with watercolor and adding clarity and detail with colored pencil. Take a few days to rewatch the recording and practice at your own pace before we meet again for a 1.5-hour follow-up session focused on discussing student work, sharing positive feedback, and additional demos.
Why Are Spathes So Much Fun to Draw?
Spathes offer the perfect blend of bold simplicity and intricate detail:
–Their sweeping curves and folds invite expressive, fluid watercolor work
–Their smooth surfaces are ideal for practicing subtle color transitions
–Their central spadix is packed with tiny, rhythmic floral structures
Plants like calla lilies and jack in the pulpits are just the right combo of approachable and complex, making them an exciting subject for everyone, from art enthusiasts building foundational skills to seasoned professionals refining their scientific illustrations.
What We’ll Practice
•Understanding the botanical structure of spathes and spadices
•Observational drawing techniques for accuracy and proportion
•Capturing a full range of tones from whitest highlights to darkest shadows
•Combining watercolor and colored pencil for depth and realism
•Refining edges, contrast, and fine botanical details with patience and precision
Whether you join live or work from the recording later, this class is an invitation to look a little closer, draw a little slower, and discover just how spectacular spathes can be.
Why Join?
Our workshops are not just about learning but also about community and collaboration. Here’s what makes our Zoom Workshops special:
✨ Step-by-Step Live Demos – Follow along with clear, approachable guidance from friendly instructors.
🌱 Supportive Learning Environment – Engage with instructors and fellow participants, ask questions, and share your progress in a supportive and encouraging space.
🖼️ Constructive Feedback – Receive personalized feedback from experienced educators to help you improve and gain confidence in your artistic abilities.
Even if you can’t join the live sessions, you still get unlimited access to:
🎥 Recorded Sessions – Rewatch anytime to refine your technique. (Recordings are sent a few hours after the live session ends.)
📹 Pre-Recorded Videos – Access to pre-recorded videos to supplement your learning and practice at your own pace to help you feel prepared before the class sessions.
📧 Email Support – If you watch the recordings after the live workshop has ended, you can still receive personalized feedback! Just send photos of your progress to info+images@drawbotanical.com, and an instructor will reply with compliments and constructive critiques.
IMPORTANT: Add info@drawbotanical.com to your email contacts! All workshop details will arrive in your inbox, including links to the Zoom meetings, pre-recorded videos, and slideshow.
After purchasing this workshop, you will receive an email with Registration Details. If you don’t see this email in your inbox a few hours after purchasing, search your inbox for our email address and check your spam/junk/quarantine folders. If you still can’t find it, email info@drawbotanical.com, and we will assist you.
Recommended Art Supplies:
Find all of the supplies that we recommend here. Feel free to 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 art basics including 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, you can still benefit from our course lessons.
Cancellation Policy: Due to the virtual nature of this product, we cannot issue a refund. You will still receive all recordings from the workshop, and you can watch them at your convenience.
By purchasing this workshop, you agree to the following Media Release: I hereby give permission to Draw Botanical LLC to use photographs, videos, and/or audio recordings in which my picture or image appears for all purposes and in all media and formats now known or later created including, without limitation, all promotional materials. I hereby waive any right that I may have to inspect or approve the finished product or products or advertising or printed matter that may be used in connection with this video, audio or photographs or the use to which it may be applied.
I hereby irrevocably release and discharge Draw Botanical LLC and personnel from all claims, demands, and causes of action that I now have or in the future may have relating to the permitted use of my likeness.
I agree that Draw Botanical LLC will be the sole owner of all rights in the above-mentioned recordings. (Note: I maintain all rights to the work I create. Draw Botanical maintains all rights to the recorded content.) This release is governed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
