May Mini Course: Illustrated Butterflies

Information and Materials (click 'read more)

A four week course which you can attend live on Zoom or enjoy the recordings: May 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th 7-9pm BST

Throughout this four week course we will be studying and sketching beautiful British butterflies (although all the skills are transferable to all different species of butterfly and moth). We will study the shape and form and how to tackle the anatomy whilst still wearing an illustrators hat and giving yourself lots of artistic license! I will share loads of tips and tricks so on how to create butterflies that will be expressively rendered and full of life rather than a dull scientifically correct drawing!

• Session 1 (4th May): Sketching basic shapes, experimenting with materials, Large/Small White and Orange Tip
• Session 2 (11th May): Blues and Brimstone
• Session 3 (18th May): Speckled Wood and Marbled White
• Session 4 (25th May): Peacock and Red Admiral

The aim of these classes is to sketch quietly and peacefully with opportunities to chat and ask questions inbetween each of the sketches. With regular drawing practice, you will grow in confidence and ability really quickly and your sketchbook will fill up in record quick time! 

All experience levels are welcome xx

What do I get when I buy?

• You will receive a Zoom link, materials list and printable downloads the day before the class.
• A recording of the class will be sent out the following day. You don't need to be there live and can watch the workshop in your own time
• Unlimited access. The recording will be added to your Wild Ink library in the first week of June. 
• If you don't yet have an account, you can create an account with this free doodlebird workshop

What do I need to take part?

You will also be sent a printable materials list the day before the class. 

• A sketchbook or cartridge paper pad
• Some scrap paper
• Water soluble coloured pencils (I like Derwent Inktense and Caran D'ache Supracolor II Soft)
• Some watercolour paint
• An eraser
• Pencil sharpener
• Paint brushes (pointed size 2, 4, 6, 10) Rosemary and Co. Red Dot Series are great!
• Kitchen roll
• Graphite pencil 2B
• Water pot
• Mixing Palette
• Scissors
• Glue Stick
• Some sort of white media is essential for this workshop. This could be: a good quality coloured pencil (I like Caran D’ache Luminance pencils and Neo Colour Crayons, Prismacolor pencils and Faber Castell PolyChromos Pencils), Gouache, a gel pen or and Ultra Fine Posca Paint Pen etc.
• A thin, black or brown fine liner pen

Optional but recommended:

• Neocolour II Crayons (water-soluble) in colours: white, black, orange, flame red, yellow, light blue.

We will use these to add really bright and vibrant pops of colour. You could also use coloured pencils for this job or gouache. Whatever you use needs to be highly pigmented and opaque. If you only buy one Neocolour crayon make it a white one!

• This paper pad of beige paper is also nice to use and gives the butterfly illustrations muted and aged appearance: Hahnemuhle Toned Watercolour Paper 200gsm.

If you would like to trace the butterflies you will also need:

• Some Tracing Paper
• A hard pencil (HB) and a soft pencil (2B, 3B, 4B)