Description

Drawing Sunflowers, Fun Flowers

A Botanical Illustration Workshop to Celebrate Summer’s Boldest Blooms

Join us for a two-day workshop!

Sunday, August 16, 2026: 2pm – 6pm ET

Wednesday, August 19, 2026: 6pm – 7:30pm ET

✏️ Instructors: Pam Thompson & Sam McWilliams
✅ Level: Intermediate & Advanced
🌱 Botanical Subject(s): Sunflowers

How to Draw Sunflowers Workshop Description:

There’s something almost magnetic about sunflowers. Maybe it’s the way they tilt toward the light, or the quiet geometry hidden in their spiraling centers, or simply the way their warm golden petals seem to hold all the brightness of summer in a single bloom. Whatever draws you to them, sunflowers are endlessly fascinating to observe and even more satisfying to draw. In this workshop, we’re celebrating their beauty through botanical illustration, using watercolor and colored pencil together to capture the bold shapes, vibrant color, and rich surface textures that make these flowers so captivating.

Whether you’re joining the live session or working through the recordings at your own pace, everything you need is included from the very beginning. Come ready to look closely, layer color thoughtfully, and enjoy the pleasure of learning together.

Why Illustrate Sunflowers?

The real question is… how can you not?!

Sunflowers may look simple at first glance, but close observation reveals a remarkable world of complexity waiting to be drawn. Their ray petals vary in shape, curl, and shadow from one to the next. Their seed heads follow a stunning Fibonacci spiral that rewards careful study. Their leaves introduce a whole new range of texture and form. And the color story alone is a gift: warm golden yellows shifting through burnt orange and deepening into the rich, velvety browns of the center disc. All of that layered detail makes sunflowers one of the most engaging subjects in botanical drawing. There is always something new to discover, and that is a big part of what makes them so much fun to illustrate again and again.

What We’ll Practice

This workshop is designed to take you through the full experience of creating a detailed botanical-style sunflower study, and the process is just as rewarding as the finished piece. Here is a look at what we will be exploring and practicing together:

• Combining watercolor and colored pencil, using the luminous transparency of watercolor as a foundation and building depth, detail, and dimension with colored pencil layering on top
• Developing form and volume through light and shadow, creating the kind of three-dimensional quality that makes realistic botanical illustration feel alive on the page
  •Techniques for rendering different textures that give sunflowers their visual richness, from the smooth sweep of ray petals to the intricate patterning of the seed head and the varied surface of the leaves.
  •Botanical accuracy and composition, so that the thinking behind your mark-making feels grounded and intentional throughout

This is a space for more experienced artists who love the meditative, detail-oriented nature of botanical art. Whether you are deepening your colored pencil technique, refining your approach to watercolor, or excited to explore how these two mediums complement each other so beautifully, this workshop is designed to stretch and inspire.

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 (~2 days) Monday-Wednesday: Rewatch the recording and work at your own pace
Class Day 2 (1.5 hours) Wednesday: 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.

Live Sessions and&/or Recordings — You Get Everything

Either way, you’ll receive the same full workshop content. Every step, every technique, every tip. No rushing. No missing out. No expiration date. Just art encouragement and improvement, at your own pace. 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.