The Edwardian Lady's Garden in Colored Pencil
A FREE botanical drawing course to take you back to a gentler age. Enjoy!
Get to know Edith Holden, explore techniques for using a dip pen and sepia ink, then create a colored pencil plant study. Lesson 1 is designed as a multi-part warmup.
I recommend watching a video all the way through and printing the accompanying pdf pages before you start to draw.
LESSON 1
THE PASSWORD FOR VIDEOS IN THIS COURSE: Edith
Click to watch Meet Edith Holden
Click to watch Video 1: Sepia Ink
Click to watch Video 2: More Sepia Ink
Click to watch Video 3: Colored Pencil Study
Printable pdf pages for Lesson 1:
LESSON 2
Practice the 4-step method for sketching botanical subjects. Transfer your own pencil sketch of a long-stemmed wildflower bouquet to a sheet of cream paper, create a shaded foundation drawing and then add color layers. This week, we are working from one of Edith Holden’s watercolor flower studies. (We’ll talk more about her unusual, creative family, too!)
THE PASSWORD FOR ALL VIDEOS IN THIS COURSE: Edith
Click to watch Video 1: The Four-Step Sketching Method
Click to watch Video 2: Wildflower Bouquet
Click to watch Video 3: More Wildflower Bouquet
Printable pdf pages for Lesson 2:
LESSON 3
Learn a helpful trick for accurately drawing a butterfly specimen. Sketch a butterfly and nectar flowers, add an umber foundation and then a color layer working from Edith Holden’s nature notes. We’ll pay special attention to layering color and pattern on the butterfly’s wings - colored pencils are the perfect butterfly drawing medium! Also, we’ll follow Edith into her mid-20s as she works toward her goal of illustrating books.
THE PASSWORD FOR ALL VIDEOS IN THIS COURSE: Edith
Click to watch Video 1: How to Draw a Butterfly
Click to watch Video 2: Butterfly & Flowers
Click to watch Video 3: Coloring
Printable pages for Lesson 3:
LESSON 4
Letter a heading for a set of “mottoes” (Edith Holden’s proverbs, which she included in her nature diary at the start of each month). Explore drawing decorative banners and expressive little ink vignettes to complement your mottoes. Draw a colored pencil study of two very invasive botanicals, inspired by Edith’s page - or by your own weeds, if you wish!
THE PASSWORD FOR ALL VIDEOS IN THIS COURSE: Edith
Click to watch Video 1: Edith’s Mottoes
Click to watch Video 2: Drawing and Lettering
Click to watch Video 3: Coloring
Printable pdf pages for Lesson 4:
LESSON 5
Learn a handy trick for starting a bird sketch, then practice drawing birds in Edith Holden’s style. In our main project, draw a bird among flowers using a partial monotone technique.
PASSWORD FOR ALL VIDEOS IN THIS COURSE: Edith
Click to watch Video 1: Drawing Edith’s Birds
Click to watch Video 2: Partial Monotone
Click to watch Video 3: More Partial Monotone
Printable pdf pages for Lesson 5:
LESSON 6
In our final lesson, use the techniques we have explored to create a full-page monthly cover with botanical and bird elements. Thank you for drawing with me. :)
PASSWORD FOR ALL VIDEOS IN THIS COURSE: Edith
Click to watch Video 1: Preliminary Drawing
Click to watch Video 2: Foundation Drawing
Click to watch Video 3: Coloring the Leaves
Click to watch Video 4: Coloring the Bird
Printable pdf pages for Lesson 6:
Thank you for providing this for free! My children and I are going to have so much fun. My 15 year old has an artistic gift and is very introverted, I think that she'll find your unique career path inspirational. ❤
I remember buying this book just as soon as it was released-I had asked my local bookseller to call as soon as it came in. I fell in love with everything in it. After many moves and downsizings I no longer have that copy but I think I might try to find another. It’s one of my all time favorite books.