Description
Rhododendrons & Azaleas: Fun with Flower Clusters
A Fun Online Botanical Art Workshop for Flower Fans
Join us for a two-day workshop!
Sunday, June 28, 2026: 1pm – 5pm ET
Thursday, July 2, 2026: 6pm – 7:30pm ET
✏️ Instructors: Vern Fannin with Emet Lipson
✅ Level: All levels*
🌱 Botanical Subject(s): Rhododendrons and Azaleas
Bring a cluster of flowers with a few leaves, plus another flower to dissect, if possible.
*Beginners may want to review basics beforehand.
Workshop Description
Inspirational inflorescences like rhododendrons and azaleas offer artists a beautiful challenge: how do we draw many flowers together without losing the magic of each one? Slow down and notice the delicate traits that showcase their uniqueness as individuals among the group. We’ll warm up with one petal, start small with a single flower, and keep practicing with a full cluster. By the end, we’ll be grinning with pride at the gorgeous compositions we created.
Seasoned instructor, Vern Fannin, will demonstrate the process from start to finish, teaching you how to combine watercolor and colored pencil techniques to create realistic, three-dimensional flower clusters. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to draw, and more importantly, you’ll learn how to see – the curve of a petal, the structure beneath the surface, the way a cluster holds together in quiet harmony.
Why Flower Clusters Are So Much Fun to Draw
No one can resist the radiance of rhododendrons or the allure of azaleas. We can’t help but be attracted to their bold blossoms gathered into dramatic clusters, hovering above green leaves. They invite us to create compositions full of contrast:
•Light, airy petals against dark, glossy leaves
•Matte textures beside subtle highlights
•Individual blooms coming together in one cohesive composition
Discover how studying a single flower closely can unlock your ability to draw the entire cluster with clarity and confidence, so your flowers feel intentional instead of like a blur of shapes.
What We’ll Practice
Enjoy the process of strengthening foundational botanical drawing skills:
•Observing, measuring, and sketching the structure of individual flowers
•Dissecting a bloom to understand it all, inside and out
•Creating delicate petal edges and subtle color transitions
•Layering watercolor washes for softness and light
•Using colored pencil to refine detail, contrast, and depth
•Composing a cluster of flowers with leaves as a rich backdrop
•Balancing highlights and shadows to bring your subject to life
You’ll come away with a deeper understanding of how to use simple forms to build complexity, an essential skill in botanical art and scientific plant illustration.
How the Workshop Flows
This class is designed to be flexible, supportive, and easy to fit into your week, whether you join live or learn from the recording later.
Pre-Class Practice (optional): Access to pre-recorded videos to supplement your learning and help you feel prepared before the workshop sessions.
Class Day 1 (4 hours) Sunday: Step-by-step drawing demonstrations, foundational techniques, and live Q&A
Inter-Class Practice (~3 days) Monday-Thursday: Rewatch the recording and work at your own pace
Class Day 2 (1.5 hours) Thursday: Student work sharing, personalized feedback, and additional demos as needed
Post-Class Practice: Rewatch recordings anytime to refine your technique. No expiration date! You can even receive personal, positive, and helpful feedback from an instructor by sending photos of your work to info+images@drawbotanical.com.
Take your time to absorb the process, practice on your own, and return with fresh eyes for deeper learning.
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.
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.
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.
