Botanical Illustration in Watercolor: Spring Native Plants

The forests and meadows surrounding Portland hold a rich collection of native flora in the spring, including plants such as common camas, trillium, and pacific dogwood.

Artist Jenna Lechner will open class with a series of exercises covering materials, tools, and essential color-mixing concepts for capturing accurate hues, before moving into painting from plant specimens. Along the way, she’ll discuss ideas around what makes a plant "native," and where to find scientifically reliable information about local flora and their biology. Students will build observational drawing skills alongside the artistic foundations of botanical illustration — color, shape, and form — with inspiration drawn from historic botanical illustrators including Maria Sibylla Merian, Elizabeth Blackwell, and Pandora Sellars.

Students will leave with completed botanical studies and a detailed handout of terms, techniques, and trusted resources for continuing the practice at home — covering both native plant identification and botanical illustration. All skill levels welcome.

Students will be sent a materials list for paints and paint brushes upon registering. All other materials will be supplied.