[New!] Bird of Paradise: A Watercolour Workshop

Our studio is lovingly shared with three resident cats who add to the creative atmosphere. 🐱🐱🐱 They might curl up nearby or come to investigate your work, and you're more than welcome to enjoy their company once we've finished painting.

Discover the beauty of botanical art through the striking Bird of Paradise flower. This introductory watercolour class is designed for beginners as well as those with watercolour experience and looking to try out painting botanical art .

The Bird of Paradise is an ideal subject for learning botanical painting techniques. Unlike many flowers with delicate, overlapping petals, its distinctive structure is more rigid and clearly defined, making it easier to observe, draw, and recreate in watercolour. This allows students to focus on essential artistic skills without being overwhelmed by complex floral forms.

The class begins with fundamental drawing techniques, including proportion, accurate observation, shading, and erasing methods. Students will learn how to identify and interpret light and shadow to create form, depth, and dimension in their drawings.

Once the drawing is established, we will move on to watercolour techniques, exploring transparent washes, colour mixing, and layering. Through guided demonstrations and step-by-step instruction, students will learn how to build colour gradually, capture subtle tonal variations, and bring the Bird of Paradise to life with confidence and precision.

Who this workshop is for

• Art lovers with an eye for botanical painting and illustration.
• Absolute beginners seeking a low-pressure creative start with watercolour
• Artists looking to loosen up, refresh their line work, or explore expressive techniques

What you’ll learn & do

• Build rich, warm colours using watercolour layering (glazing)
• Practice wet-on-wet for soft blends and wet-on-dry for more defined details
• Learn how to control water on your brush for better precision and effects
• Explore techniques to suggest texture
• Use colour lifting to create highlights and add dimension

What you’ll take home

• Your own finished flower-inspired painting
• At least one finished piece
• New confidence using brush and ink

Materials
All materials are provided for in-class use, including:

• Watercolour paints
• Watercolour papers
• Brushes, drawing materials, palettes, and water containers
• Bread illustration references and notes

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Meet your instructor!
Rachel (@studio_ruiimake) is an artist, art teacher and works as an art advisor at a Japanese art gallery. With over 16 years of experience in watercolour painting and five years of teaching experience working with children and adults, she enjoys sharing her passion for art with others and believes in self-expression through art. Rachel graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Arts in New Zealand, won a City College art award in painting (2015) and was shortlisted for art awards in New Zealand multiple times.
She had her first solo exhibition in 2016 and has been part of over 30 exhibitions since then. She is currently a member of the Botanical Art Society Singapore, where her illustrations were recently displayed at Gardens by the Bay and Woodlands Botanical Garden.