Singapore 

In recent years Dianne has created a sketchbook dedicated to painting white or pale coloured subjects onto coloured or tinted paper, and in this workshop she will share this beautiful technique with participants. 

The approach, which also allows other coloured subjects to be painted, and can be used for full scale paintings too, creating beautiful ethereal effects. 

Dianne will share her approach, which involves the use of gouache and watercolour applied in light layers upon   underlying colours. This approach maintains an element of translucency by gradually building these layers. The painting finishes with a dry brush technique to build the highlights and brightest areas of the subject.

She will also share some of the approaches to photography that she uses in order to create dramatic light and shade on the subjects.  

Dianne firmly believes that keeping a sketchbook offers countless benefits, including the development of essential skills such as drawing, colour mixing, painting, and composition through hands-on experimentation. Additionally, it enhances botanical knowledge—an invaluable asset for any botanical artist.

In this workshop, participants will first be introduced to Dianne’s approach to maintaining a sketchbook before creating their own sketch page.

A variety of small botanical subjects will be provided, and Dianne will guide the class through each stage of creating a composite page with a selection of different or related subjects - From observing and recording key written details about the live subject to sharing her techniques for measured sketching, colour swatches and arranging the plant parts on the page and painting. She will offer valuable insights to help participants refine their artistic process in order to successfully complete a sketchbook page.