Beauty in the Detail: Plant Studies for Botanical Art

Event Details

Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 July | 10.30am to 4pm

£260 per person (two-day workshop)
Including garden entry and lunch

About the workshop

Join acclaimed botanical artist and illustrator Lucy T. Smith in this two-day botanical art workshop. You will learn how to see and draw like a botanical artist, making plant studies which capture the essence, detail and beauty of plants on paper. 

Using a wide variety of examples from her collection of botanical sketchbooks, Lucy will teach you the techniques needed to examine and draw plants accurately. You will work from loose sketches through to careful measured drawing of both whole plants and selected botanical details, adding watercolour to our drawings where needed to enhance their content and beauty.

You will have the opportunity use specimens and plant materials directly from the Chatsworth Garden as inspiration. 

If you would like to use this course to start keeping a botanical sketchbook, we recommend bringing a book (spiral or case-bound, minimum A4 size) containing good quality cartridge paper (160gsm minimum), smooth but with some tooth to hold pencil; or one with hot press watercolour paper. 

Important information

Please bring a ceramic white saucer or side-plate to use as a palette. All other materials will be provided but you are welcome to bring your own pencils and watercolour paints. 

Meeting point & refreshments

Please meet at 10.20am at the top garden gates (near the Stables). The workshop includes tea, coffee and a delicious lunch prepared by the team at Chatsworth Farm Shop. This consists of a freshly made sandwich, a traybake, a piece of fruit, crisps and a drink. Please be aware our produce is made in an environment where all allergens are present. Please note any dietary requirements during checkout.

About the Artist

Lucy T. Smith is a professional botanical artist and illustrator with over 30 years of experience creating botanical works for publication and exhibition. She leads the teaching of botanical art at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and has taught in many places locally and internationally.  Lucy has recently published her first book, "Botanical Sketchbooks, An Artist's Guide to Plant Studies," and her illustrations have been published in scientific books and papers worldwide. She has received many awards for her work, and was part of the team which described a new species of giant water lily (Victoria boloviana) to science in 2022.

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