BOTANICAL ART & ARTISTS
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  • HISTORY
    • What is Botanical Art?
    • What is Botanical Illustration?
    • Botanical Art History Books >
      • The Art of Botanical Illustration (Blunt)
      • Book Review: Treasures of Botanical Art
    • Herbals
    • Florilegia and Flora
    • Patrons of Botanical Art >
      • About Leonhart Fuchs
      • About Basilius Besler
    • Past Masters - Botanical Art and Illustration >
      • About Maria Sibylla Merian
      • About Elizabeth Blackwell
      • About Georg Dionysius Ehret
      • About Franz Bauer
      • About Sydney Parkinson
      • About Pierre-Joseph Redouté
      • About Marianne North
    • Famous Asian Botanical Artists (600-1900)
    • 20th & 21st Century Botanical Artists >
      • About Arthur Harry Church
      • About Margaret Mee
      • About Mary Grierson
      • About Raymond Booth
      • About Rory McEwen
      • About Pandora Sellars
    • Botanical Photographers
    • Botanical and Herbal Art Online
  • ARTISTS
    • Botanical Artists in the UK
    • Botanical Artists in North America
    • Botanical Artists in Europe
    • Botanical Artists in Australia and New Zealand
    • Botanical Artists in Asia
    • Botanical Artists in Africa
    • Botanical Artists in Latin America
    • Botanical Printmakers, Photographers, Sculptors et al
    • The Jill Smythies Award
    • Botanical Artists on Facebook
    • Botanical Art Blogs
  • Exhibitions
    • Calls for Entries - OPEN exhibitions
    • Online Exhibitions >
      • ARCHIVE: Online Botanical Art Exhibitions
    • RHS Botanical Art & Photography Shows >
      • ARCHIVE RHS Botanical Art Shows 2007-2023
      • Exhibit Titles at RHS Botanical Art Shows
      • RHS Portfolio Photography (Botanical / Horticultural)
    • The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art >
      • ARCHIVE: Shirley Sherwood Gallery Exhibitions
    • Hunt International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration
    • UK >
      • Permanent Collections (UK)
      • Botanical Art Exhibitions at Major UK Galleries & Museums >
        • ARCHIVE: Major Gallery Exhibitions
      • Botanical Art Exhibitions in England and Wales >
        • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in the UK
        • ARCHIVE: Reviews of Annual Exhibitions by the Society of Botanical Artists
      • Botanical Art Exhibitions in Scotland >
        • ARCHIVE: Scotland - Botanical Art Exhibitions
    • North America >
      • Permanent Collections (USA)
      • ARCHIVE Past ASBA Exhibitions in the USA
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in the USA
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Canada
    • Europe >
      • Permanent Collections (Europe)
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Europe
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Exhibitions in Germany
      • ARCHIVE: ​Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Ireland
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Exhibitions in Russia
    • Australasia >
      • Margaret Flockton Award
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Australasia
    • Asia >
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Asia
    • Africa
    • ARCHIVE: World Wide Exhibition of Botanical Art 2018
  • Education
    • NEW BOOKS about Botanical Art and Illustration >
      • NEW in 2020: Books about Botanical Art & Illustration
      • NEW IN 2019: Books about Botanical Art & Illustration
      • NEW in 2018: Books about Botanical Art & Illustration
    • Best Botanical Art Instruction Books >
      • Best Instruction Books by Botanical Art Societies >
        • The Art of Botanical Painting - review
        • The Botanical Palette - review
        • Botanical Sketchbook - review
      • Best Instruction Books about Botanical Illustration >
        • Botanical Illustration - Books by Bobbi Angell
        • Botanical Illustration (Oxley) - review
      • Best Instruction Books by top Artists / Teachers >
        • Books By Billy Showell
        • Books - the Eden Project
      • Best Botanical Drawing Instruction Books (Pencils) >
        • Botanical Painting with Coloured Pencils - review
      • e-Booklets / digital guides
    • Tips and Techniques >
      • Tips from RHS Gold Medal Winners
      • Preparation and set-up
      • Botanical Sketching and Sketchbooks
      • Design and composition
      • Colour
      • Pen and Ink
      • How to draw and paint trees and leaves
    • Botanical Art Video Tips >
      • Video Tips: Watercolour Painting
      • Video Tips Coloured Pencils
      • Video Tips: Pencil drawing
      • Video Tips: Painting Flowers
      • Video Tips: Painting Leaves & Trees
    • Online Botanical Art Instruction >
      • CHECKLIST: FAQS about Online Learning
      • ONLINE TIMELINE
    • International Directory: Botanical Art Teachers
    • International Directory of Botanical Art Courses >
      • UK: Botanical Art Courses
      • North America: Botanical Art Courses
      • Europe: Botanical Art Courses & Holidays
      • Australasia: Botanical Art Courses
    • Artist Residencies, Scholarships and Bursaries
    • Diplomas and Certificates >
      • SBA Diploma Assignments
    • Distance Learning Courses
    • Talks, Lectures & Tours
    • Botanical Education on Facebook
  • Materials
    • Paper
    • Vellum
  • Groups
    • National & Regional Botanical Art Societies
    • Florilegium Societies & Other Groups
    • Finnis Scott Foundation: Botanical Art Prize
    • Botanical Art Groups on Facebook
  • Botany
    • Why botany matters to artists
    • Botany Books for artists >
      • Botany for the Artist (Simblet)
      • The Art of Plant Evolution
      • The Concise British Flora in Colour (1965)
    • Scientific botanical illustration
    • Plant Forms and Anatomy
    • Plant Evolution and Taxonomy
    • Plant Names and Botanical Latin
    • Botanical Dictionaries
    • How to Identify Plants
    • Recording a Plant / Sketchbooks >
      • Plant Pressing for your own Herbarium
    • Botanic Gardens & Herbaria >
      • Global and National Networks
      • Herbaria, Seed Banks and Fungaria
      • Old Botanic & Physic Gardens in London
      • Botanic Gardens in the UK
      • Botanic Gardens in Ireland
      • Botanic Gardens in Europe
      • Botanic Gardens in the USA
      • Botanic Gardens in Canada
      • Botanic Gardens in Asia
      • Botanic Gardens in Australia
    • Blogs about Plants and Flowers
  • Contact
    • About Katherine Tyrrell
    • About Reviews
    • Privacy Policy

Video TIPS:
​Painting in Watercolour

VIDEO Tips and techniques about using watercolor media to create botanical paintings
​- plus commentary on associated tools and studio set-up


The Botanical Art Video Tips tutorials below are on YouTube and are by botanical artists. I've organised videos in this section by the artist producing the video. 

​If you want to see a larger version of the video:
  • click the bottom right hand corner of the video
  • you'll see an option to go to either full screen or view the video on YouTube.
  • I suggest you open the video in a new tab so you don't lose this page!

Video Tutorials by....

Botanical artists whose videos can be found below include:
  • Julia Trickey
  • ​Billy Showell
  • Krzysztof Kowalski 
  • David Reynolds
  • Jarnie Godwin

More Botanical Art Video Tips

  • ​Video Tips - Painting Flowers
  • Video Tips - Painting Leaves
  • Video Tips - Coloured Pencils
  • Video Tips - Pencil Drawing
Banner Image: This is a facsimile of a watercolour painting by Ferdinand Bauer. It comes from Illustrationes Florae Novae Hollandiae and shows the habit, colour, form and exploded details of Stylidium violaceum

Watercolour Painting Tips and Techniques
​

The videos on this page focus on tips and techniques specifically relevant to watercolour.

Anybody wanting to produce botanical paintings in watercolour is well advised to master the necessary skills in watercolour painting first.

There are lots of books and videos available teaching people about:
  • watercolour media
  • supports for watercolour media
  • equipment for watercolour painting
  • how to paint in watercolour.

You'll find more videos on my other Video TIPS pages:
  • Painting flowers in watercolour
  • Painting leaves in watercolour
Basic Watercolour Skills required for botanical art

  • the properties of different watercolour media e.g. opaque and transparent paint; other paints used eg gouache and egg tempera
  • best brushes for different techniques - one size does not fit all - the type of brush used very often varies according to the technique
  • How to apply paint: wet on dry paper; wet on wet paper, dry brush on a dry support - and variations inbetween
  • How to create special effects: e.g. how to control a wash; how to paint fine lines;  how to create hard and soft edges
  • glazing - layering transparent colours in such a way as to create an optical effect
  • lifting watercolour pigment - requires knowledge of pigments and the support used (e.g. paper or vellum) as well as methods for lifting
  • PLUS knowledge of how your watercolour paper works is essential - not all papers are the same. Some suit some watercolour techniques better than others and you need to get to know a paper to know how to exploit it

Julia Trickey GM SBA ASBA
​

Julia Trickey is a very experienced botanical artist who paints in watercolour. She has four Gold Medals and four Silver Gilt Medals from the RHS and has exhibited at the Hunt, with ASBA (winning an award) and the SBA (also winning awards). She is also a Fellow of the Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society​
  • This is her website
  • ​This is her teaching website
  • ​This is her YouTube Channel
The video below explains the following techniques:
  • wet on dry
  • wet on wet - can cause problems with pigments bleeding into one another and paper cockling if you don't know what you're doing
  • damp brush - a technique used to build up and strengthen areas of the painting
  • dry brush - used for very precise lines and details; also used a lot by those painting on vellum
  • masking out - to retain the original paper
  • lifting out - to produce areas which are lighter than the surrounding painte
  • PLUS basic tips for effective watercolour painting

​Running time: 7 minutes
Remember the golden rule - never fiddle with drying paint!
Julia Trickey - in the video tutorial below.

Understanding Colour Mixing

This is a video by Julia Trickey about mixing colours using watercolour paint. 

​Running Time: 4 minutes
See more videos by Julia on the relevant Video TIPs pages on this website and also on her teaching website, her YouTube Channel.

Billy Showell
​

Billy Showell is a Past President of the Society of Botanical Artists and has been teaching people how to paint botanical art for many years. 
  • ​This is her teaching website
  • ​This is her YouTube Channel (27.9k subscribers) - where you can see Taster Videos - of her new videos released every two weeks

How to paint a cherry - using lifting preparation

This video by Billy Showell demonstrates how lifting preparation can be used to bring out highlights.

Running Time: 45 minutes

This is a full length tutorial which is an example of the sort of tutorial Billy releases every two weeks for those who have subscribed to her site.

Jarnie Godwin
​

Jarnie Godwin is a practising botanical artist and teacher of botanical art. 
This is her teaching website
​This is her YouTube Channel

Painting Wet into Damp Watercolor

This video by Jarnie Godwin provides static and video images of the results and "how to" aspects of painting wet into wet.

Krzysztof Kowalski 
​

To demonstrate WHY mastering watercolour techniques is so important, I'm including a video by an artist who is very experienced in painting flower paintings in watercolour - but NOT as botanical art

This is Krzysztof Kowalski who is trying his very first botanical painting.
At the beginning, it shows how you can protect your painting - while painting - using tracing paper with cutouts.

It's also very good for close-ups showing how wetting the paper and adding in colour with some finesse creates the base colour prior to the use of dry brush painting.  

​Also 
how the use of a brush with water can soften edges.

David Reynolds

How to lay a tea wash

​This video by David Reynolds illustrates how to lay a flat "tea wash" without creating brush marks.
​

It's a basic technique of watercolour painting much used by botanical artists.

MORE VIDEO TIPS
  • ​Video Tips - Painting Flowers
  • Video Tips - Painting Leaves
  • Video Tips - Coloured Pencils
  • Video Tips - Pencil Drawing
Resources about  Botanical Art and For Botanical Artists
ABOUT: About the Author | Contact | Testimonials | Privacy Policy                  COPYRIGHT 2015-22: Katherine Tyrrell  all rights reserved.
NEWS 
News Blog about artists, awards, exhibitions etc.
HISTORY
- Best Books about Botanical Art History
- History of Botanical Art 
- Herbals
- Florilegia
- Patrons
​
- Past Masters - Botanical Art and Illustration
​- Famous Asian Past Masters (600-1900
- 20th & 21st Century Botanical Artists
- Botanical Art Online
CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS
- Botanical Artists around the world 

EXHIBITIONS
-
Calls for Entries
- Exhibitions around the world
- Online Exhibitions
- RHS Exhibitions
- Hunt Exhibitions
​
ORGANISATIONS
- Botanical Art Societies - national / regional / local
- 
Florilegium & Groups
- Botanical Art Groups on Facebook

EDUCATION
- Tips and Techniques
- Best Botanical Art Instruction Books
- Directory of Teachers
- Directory of Courses
- Online Botanical Art Courses
- Diplomas and Certificates
​
- Talks, Lectures and Tours

ART MATERIALS (Paper / Vellum)

BOTANY FOR ARTISTS
-
 Scientific Botanical Illustration
- Best Botany Books for Artists
- Plant Names & Botanical Latin

BOTANIC GARDENS & Herbaria
​​​FEEDBACK 
Please send me . 
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- any suggestions for what you'd like to see on this website 

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Contact me if you'd like to promote workshops and courses on this site.

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  • Home
    • Site Index
  • NEWS
    • NEWS blog subscription
  • HISTORY
    • What is Botanical Art?
    • What is Botanical Illustration?
    • Botanical Art History Books >
      • The Art of Botanical Illustration (Blunt)
      • Book Review: Treasures of Botanical Art
    • Herbals
    • Florilegia and Flora
    • Patrons of Botanical Art >
      • About Leonhart Fuchs
      • About Basilius Besler
    • Past Masters - Botanical Art and Illustration >
      • About Maria Sibylla Merian
      • About Elizabeth Blackwell
      • About Georg Dionysius Ehret
      • About Franz Bauer
      • About Sydney Parkinson
      • About Pierre-Joseph Redouté
      • About Marianne North
    • Famous Asian Botanical Artists (600-1900)
    • 20th & 21st Century Botanical Artists >
      • About Arthur Harry Church
      • About Margaret Mee
      • About Mary Grierson
      • About Raymond Booth
      • About Rory McEwen
      • About Pandora Sellars
    • Botanical Photographers
    • Botanical and Herbal Art Online
  • ARTISTS
    • Botanical Artists in the UK
    • Botanical Artists in North America
    • Botanical Artists in Europe
    • Botanical Artists in Australia and New Zealand
    • Botanical Artists in Asia
    • Botanical Artists in Africa
    • Botanical Artists in Latin America
    • Botanical Printmakers, Photographers, Sculptors et al
    • The Jill Smythies Award
    • Botanical Artists on Facebook
    • Botanical Art Blogs
  • Exhibitions
    • Calls for Entries - OPEN exhibitions
    • Online Exhibitions >
      • ARCHIVE: Online Botanical Art Exhibitions
    • RHS Botanical Art & Photography Shows >
      • ARCHIVE RHS Botanical Art Shows 2007-2023
      • Exhibit Titles at RHS Botanical Art Shows
      • RHS Portfolio Photography (Botanical / Horticultural)
    • The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art >
      • ARCHIVE: Shirley Sherwood Gallery Exhibitions
    • Hunt International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration
    • UK >
      • Permanent Collections (UK)
      • Botanical Art Exhibitions at Major UK Galleries & Museums >
        • ARCHIVE: Major Gallery Exhibitions
      • Botanical Art Exhibitions in England and Wales >
        • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in the UK
        • ARCHIVE: Reviews of Annual Exhibitions by the Society of Botanical Artists
      • Botanical Art Exhibitions in Scotland >
        • ARCHIVE: Scotland - Botanical Art Exhibitions
    • North America >
      • Permanent Collections (USA)
      • ARCHIVE Past ASBA Exhibitions in the USA
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in the USA
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Canada
    • Europe >
      • Permanent Collections (Europe)
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Europe
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Exhibitions in Germany
      • ARCHIVE: ​Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Ireland
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Exhibitions in Russia
    • Australasia >
      • Margaret Flockton Award
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Australasia
    • Asia >
      • ARCHIVE: Past Botanical Art Exhibitions in Asia
    • Africa
    • ARCHIVE: World Wide Exhibition of Botanical Art 2018
  • Education
    • NEW BOOKS about Botanical Art and Illustration >
      • NEW in 2020: Books about Botanical Art & Illustration
      • NEW IN 2019: Books about Botanical Art & Illustration
      • NEW in 2018: Books about Botanical Art & Illustration
    • Best Botanical Art Instruction Books >
      • Best Instruction Books by Botanical Art Societies >
        • The Art of Botanical Painting - review
        • The Botanical Palette - review
        • Botanical Sketchbook - review
      • Best Instruction Books about Botanical Illustration >
        • Botanical Illustration - Books by Bobbi Angell
        • Botanical Illustration (Oxley) - review
      • Best Instruction Books by top Artists / Teachers >
        • Books By Billy Showell
        • Books - the Eden Project
      • Best Botanical Drawing Instruction Books (Pencils) >
        • Botanical Painting with Coloured Pencils - review
      • e-Booklets / digital guides
    • Tips and Techniques >
      • Tips from RHS Gold Medal Winners
      • Preparation and set-up
      • Botanical Sketching and Sketchbooks
      • Design and composition
      • Colour
      • Pen and Ink
      • How to draw and paint trees and leaves
    • Botanical Art Video Tips >
      • Video Tips: Watercolour Painting
      • Video Tips Coloured Pencils
      • Video Tips: Pencil drawing
      • Video Tips: Painting Flowers
      • Video Tips: Painting Leaves & Trees
    • Online Botanical Art Instruction >
      • CHECKLIST: FAQS about Online Learning
      • ONLINE TIMELINE
    • International Directory: Botanical Art Teachers
    • International Directory of Botanical Art Courses >
      • UK: Botanical Art Courses
      • North America: Botanical Art Courses
      • Europe: Botanical Art Courses & Holidays
      • Australasia: Botanical Art Courses
    • Artist Residencies, Scholarships and Bursaries
    • Diplomas and Certificates >
      • SBA Diploma Assignments
    • Distance Learning Courses
    • Talks, Lectures & Tours
    • Botanical Education on Facebook
  • Materials
    • Paper
    • Vellum
  • Groups
    • National & Regional Botanical Art Societies
    • Florilegium Societies & Other Groups
    • Finnis Scott Foundation: Botanical Art Prize
    • Botanical Art Groups on Facebook
  • Botany
    • Why botany matters to artists
    • Botany Books for artists >
      • Botany for the Artist (Simblet)
      • The Art of Plant Evolution
      • The Concise British Flora in Colour (1965)
    • Scientific botanical illustration
    • Plant Forms and Anatomy
    • Plant Evolution and Taxonomy
    • Plant Names and Botanical Latin
    • Botanical Dictionaries
    • How to Identify Plants
    • Recording a Plant / Sketchbooks >
      • Plant Pressing for your own Herbarium
    • Botanic Gardens & Herbaria >
      • Global and National Networks
      • Herbaria, Seed Banks and Fungaria
      • Old Botanic & Physic Gardens in London
      • Botanic Gardens in the UK
      • Botanic Gardens in Ireland
      • Botanic Gardens in Europe
      • Botanic Gardens in the USA
      • Botanic Gardens in Canada
      • Botanic Gardens in Asia
      • Botanic Gardens in Australia
    • Blogs about Plants and Flowers
  • Contact
    • About Katherine Tyrrell
    • About Reviews
    • Privacy Policy