workshop Archives - Lizzie Harper

Illustrating Butterflies Workshop

Posted on 10th January 2020 in Painting workshops

Illustrating butterflies is wonderful, but has its challenges. I recently taught a two day workshop to Northamptonshire Botanical Artists’ Society which focused exclusively on painting these gorgeous insects. Introduction to Butterflies We began with handouts and an introduction to the variety of insect life. Touching on complete and incomplete life cycles, we also learnt their […] Read more

Foraging with Kids at Hay Festival

Posted on 28th August 2019 in Painting workshops

Foraging with Kids Workshop at Hay Festival: Setting up Back in May, Adele Nozedar and I ran a workshop at Hay Festival. We aimed the workshop at children and their parents, and included foraging and drawing activities. We were also there to promote out book, Foraging with kids, and had a lovely banner that […] Read more

Autumn Illustration workshop at Cambridge Botanic Gardens

Posted on 2nd January 201810th January 2019 in Painting workshops

In the autumn I was lucky enough to do two day’s teaching at Cambridge University Botanic Gardens teaching a botanical illustration course with a focus on drawing autumn fruits, berries, and leaves, to a class of twelve adults who varied from quite experienced to complete beginners. The first day we looked at leaves, and collected a wonderful assortment from […] Read more

Flower Anatomy workshop

Posted on 1st September 20179th January 2019 in Painting workshops

Why learn botany? I recently taught a workshop at the wonderful Walled Garden in Treberfydd on flower anatomy. I think it’s vital for botanical illustrations to be well-informed about their subject matter. To this end I think botanical illustrators need to learn some of the basics of how flowering plants are put together. One of the best […] Read more

Slugs: Workshop on slug identification

Posted on 7th July 20179th January 2019 in Scientific Illustrator out and about

Why slugs? As a botanical illustrator who does lots of natural history illustrations too, it’s important to learn about the animals and plants I get asked to draw. I realised recently that not only did I know almost nothing about slugs, but I also had never done a decent illustration of one. One of only […] Read more

Illustration workshop at Cambridge Botanic Gardens

Posted on 10th March 20174th January 2019 in Painting workshops

This week I had the good fortune to be asked to teach a course of botanical illustration for beginners, at the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens. I planned the day’s course, taking elements from past sessions of painting workshops. Preparing for the class I was so impressed by the classroom preparation and friendly welcome from the staff. […] Read more

Leaf painting workshop

Posted on 9th December 201630th December 2018 in Illustration techniques

I recently taught a day-long session on how to do botanical illustrations of leaves, focusing on mixing greens and leaf form. The workshop was at The Walled Garden in Treberfydd. We set ourselves up in an airy glass house, and had ready access to the enormous variety of beautiful plants Alison grows and sells at the […] Read more

Botanical Illustration Workshop: The Walled Garden

Posted on 31st May 201619th December 2018 in Painting workshops

Every now and then I run botanical illustration workshops, teaching the accuracy, drawing, and observation skills required in natural history illustration. Recently I led a one-day course at The Walled Garden in Treberfydd. All the admin was done by the wonderful Alison (who also provided delicious cakes decorated with sweet cicely as the students arrived, and […] Read more

Botanical Illustration Workshop drawing leaves

Posted on 9th January 20157th December 2018 in Painting workshops

When I ask Hereford Botanical Art society what they would like to learn, they suggest basic drawing skills. They ask for autumn leaves to be the subject matter. I relish the challenge! Collecting autumn leaves of every shape and size, I set up the workshop. (Here’s a link to blogs on other workshops I’ve taught.) […] Read more

Llandrindod, art workshop, flowers, workshop, art equipment,

Botanical Illustration Workshop in Llandrindod

Posted on 11th October 201323rd November 2018 in Painting workshops

Teaching a workshop Scientific illustration, natural history illustration, botanical illustration; call it what you will, but it’s a solitary job. So when the opportunity to lead a workshop arises; I not only enjoy the teaching, but also the company of fellow artists. Last week I was asked to lead a flower painting workshop by the […] Read more

Fungus, lichens, and dragonflies

Posted on 15th October 20123rd December 2018 in Current projects and news

This week has been a treat; although I’ve been working in the studio, I also got to be out in the countryside looking at fungus. First was a day studying Lichen and fungi with Ray Woods, a mycological expert, at Gilfach. Organised by Radnorshire Wildlife Trust; we got to search for fungus, learn about their […] Read more