As a reference for our final project, I’ve chosen a Bird of Paradise Flower. I picked this beautiful professional photo reference here ( in the class I used flipped image). You are welcome to paint with me and to use this photo reference as well. But you can go further and choose your own reference and your own plant to paint!

In this class, our main class project is to create two botanical illustrations of the same plant using watercolor and acrylic. In case you found the most comfortable medium to use during our warm-up exercise, just go for it and create the illustration with your favorite medium. In this case, skip the lessons where I demonstrate the medium which is not your choice.

Please share your thoughts, the challenges you have faced, and what you’ve enjoyed most in the “Projects & Resources”. Attach photos of work in progress, exercise sketches, and ready illustrations. I can’t wait to see what you create!

Here is a list of materials that I use in this class:

1. The paper.

For completing both the warm-up exercise and the final class project I will use my watercolor sketchbook ( 25 by 25 centimeters or 10 by 10 inches). My sketchbook has 100% 300g cotton paper from an unknown brand. It’s up to you whether to use a sketchbook or just a few pieces of paper, you’ll need 4. Also, almost all techniques that I demonstrate in this class will work fine on regular cellulose paper.

2. Brushes.

In this class, I use 4 main brushes. Don’t worry if you don’t have all of them, let’s see which brushes are a must and which can be replaced with the others.

- The kolinsky hair brush number 3. This brush will be used for working with watercolors. It’s nice to try to work with a natural hair brush in watercolor technique, but it’s completely ok if you don’t have one - it can be replaced with a synthetic brush.

- The synthetic brush with pointed tip number 4, 5 or 6. I use this brush for working both with acrylic and watercolor. So, it would be great if you have a similar brush.

- The rounded synthetic brush number 6. I use this brush in the acrylic technique. It has a rounded tip and it’s suitable for creating nice smooth glazes with acrylic paint.

- The thin liner. If you don’t have it, it’s ok. You can use any other thin synthetic brush, number 0, 00 or 1 or synthetic brush with pointed tip number 4-6 that I’ve mentioned before.

3. Watercolor.

For the primary set that I use in the class I’ve chosen new gamboge as yellow, quinacridone rose as red (it’s ok to use pink instead of red) and cobalt blue.

4. Palette for Mixing Watercolor.

A plastic palette, a ceramic plate or any other that you have.

5. Acrylic Paints.

The extract colors that I use are - Cobalt blue, Carmine and Orange Yellow. But feel free to build your own color palette from any set of primary colors - blue, red and yellow.

Also, you'll need white and black.

6. A Palette for Mixing Acrylic.

I use a disposable palette. If you don't have one, you can use a piece of glass or even a disposable plastic plate. Old pieces of paper or cardboard will be just fine as well.

7. A Pencil and an Eraser.

8. Paper Towels.

I use them in acrylic and watercolor for wiping the brushes and removing excess water. You can use an old cloth or something that absorbs water from the brush nicely.

9. Water and Water Container.

10. A Spray Bottle with Water.

Christine Sheldon

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