Mastering Botanical Drawing with Graphite Pencil Techniques
A course by Penny Brown , Illustrator
Master the art of graphite pencil drawing: learn to observe, make marks, and achieve tonal shading to bring flowers to life.
Discover the art of botanical drawing with graphite, where you'll explore the beauty and complexity of flowers through observation and skillful pencil techniques. Develop your ability to make expressive marks, draw in line, and apply tonal shading to bring your floral subjects to life. You'll learn to study the features of your chosen flowers, capture them in photographs, and translate these images into a detailed graphite composition.
This journey is perfect for beginners eager to delve into the world of botanical art, as well as for those with some drawing experience looking to refine their skills. Gain insight into the structure of flowers, learn to compose with creativity, and master the art of detailed line work. You'll also explore the finishing touches that make a drawing special, ensuring your graphite creations are both botanically accurate and visually captivating. Embrace the opportunity to create stunning floral artworks while deepening your appreciation for nature's intricate designs.
What will you learn in this online course?
18 lessons & 28 downloads
- 100% positive reviews (3)
- 297 students
- 18 lessons (3h 29m)
- 28 additional resources (11 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, German, Spanish (Latam), French, Indonesian, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish
- Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create a botanically accurate and visually appealing graphite pencil drawing of a flower arrangement. Learn observation, mark-making, and tonal shading techniques while designing a composition from photographs to achieve a richly toned, three-dimensional artwork.
Who is this online course for?
Ideal for budding artists and nature enthusiasts eager to explore graphite pencil drawing, this course welcomes beginners keen to observe and depict flowers, as well as intermediate students seeking to refine their skills in botanical illustration.
Requirements and materials
No extensive prior knowledge is required. You'll need graphite pencils, erasers, sharpeners, and good-quality paper. A camera or mobile phone for taking reference photos is helpful. A desk easel or drawing board can enhance your drawing experience.
Reviews
Penny Brown
A course by Penny Brown
Penny Brown is a professional artist and illustrator with a background in theatre design and a long-standing passion for drawing and painting. She began her career designing scenery and costumes for productions across Great Britain, while simultaneously exhibiting and selling her oil paintings through the Portal Gallery in London. Over time, her growing love for illustration led her to work on craft and lifestyle books, creating detailed diagrams, decorative elements, and later writing and illustrating design source books on subjects such as Art Nouveau, Celtic Art, and Māori design.
Her practice gradually evolved toward botanical art and natural history, a field in which she has gained international recognition. After graduating with distinction from the Society of Botanical Artists in 2011, she became a full member and has since exhibited regularly in London, Frankfurt, and beyond. Penny has worked with major publishers including DK, Reader’s Digest, and Search Press, with her artwork appearing in nearly 100 books. Working in watercolor, graphite, and mixed-media collage, she continues to balance illustration and botanical painting, and is also the author of Botanical Drawing, published in 2018.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Getting Ready
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The Materials
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Botany
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How to Take or Choose a Photo
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Composition
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U3
Let’s Practice
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Line Work
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Tonal Work: Perfecting Smooth Transitions in Tonal Shading
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Tonal Work: Creating Depth with Tonal Shading
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Textures and Patterns
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U4
Drawing a Flower
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Racing and Refining the Line
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Initial Layer of Tone on Top Flower
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More Tonal Work on Top Flower
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Initial Layer of Tone on the Bud
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Finishing the Tonal Work on the Bud
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Tonal Work on the Leaf
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U5
Texture and Details
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Details of the Stamens and Sepals
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The Finishing Touches
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FP
Final project
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Flower Drawing with Graphite Pencil
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
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FAQs
What are Domestika's online courses?
Domestika courses are online classes that allow you to learn new skills and create incredible projects. All our courses include the opportunity to share your work with other students and/or teachers, creating an active learning community. We offer different formats:
Original Courses: Complete classes that combine videos, texts, and educational materials to complete a specific project from start to finish.
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When do the courses start and when do they finish?
All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
What do Domestika's courses include?
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
Have you been given a course?
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
awesome
Ho apprezzato molto questo corso condotto da una artista ed illustratrice professionista. Si coglie la sua esperienza ( pur essendo il corso di poche ore) , è diretta e competente.
I love your piece of art on hibiscus flower.It looks natural to me. Pencil scatching is great.bye....