Botanical Illustration with Watercolors (Spanish, Multisub)

Discover the techniques to create illustrated compositions with plants and flowers
When two passions come together, the results can transform a creative project into something exceptional. The work of designer and illustrator Paulina Maciel is a clear example. She seamlessly combines the unpredictable results of watercolor with her love for nature. According to Paulina, by making the act of observation a part of our daily lives, we can learn to value it. And, perhaps more importantly, understand the importance of holding onto it.

In this course, Paulina teaches you each step of her creative process for making botanical illustrations with watercolors. Using real flowers and plants as a model, learn how to digitize your work, make edits, and apply your creativity to any product. And if you decide to further your learning path, discover Paulina’s other course Botanical Watercolor Sketchbook, where you learn how to combine watercolor with other techniques.

About this course
Begin your course by getting to know the work of your instructor, Paulina Maciel. She introduces you to some of her influences and goes through the materials needed in this course, including some of the more technical aspects.

Next, start painting with some watercolor exercises. Learn some different ways to apply your paint and practice creating different textures that are found in nature.

Learn to apply light and shadow to add extra volume to your illustrations. Discover some ways to identify the geometric shapes of different plants and flowers so they are easier to draw. Take a closer look at the different parts of a plant and determine the ones essential to your illustration.

Paulina explores botanical illustration with two different methods: by painting directly with watercolors, and applying a grisaille technique with graphite.

After creating your final illustration with the techniques laid out, Paulina teaches you how to digitize and retouch your illustration in Photoshop so it can be applied to just about anything.

What is this course’s project?
Create an illustration of a botanical arrangement, based on a real flower, as a starting point for designing a stationery set.

Who is it for?
Designers, illustrators, cartoonists, or anyone interested in exploring the botanical world using watercolor illustration.

What you need
No prior knowledge is necessary, but basic skills in Adobe Photoshop are useful for digitizing and applying your final illustration.

Materials include: watercolor paint in tubes, tablets, or liquids, watercolor paper, some round brushes, and a selection of leaves, plants, and flowers that will serve as models.