Introduction to botanical illustration

Painting course at the Kalthaus of the Botanical Garden of the University of Vienna

All you need is a pencil, a piece of paper and a magnifier – and a fabulous world will open up to your inquiring eye. We will study, dissect and draw plants, and finally capture them, using watercolours or crayons. You will learn the basic techniques of botanical illustration. We will address the issue of painting plants accurately, get to know botanical illustrators from various periods and study their techniques, and enjoy our own successful botanical illustrations. Drawing cross sections of essential plant parts using a binocular microscope helps us improve the understanding of the structure of plants.

The intensive observation of nature and the meditative task of painting make for a highly fulfilling personal experience.

The detailed representation of plants, as it is possible using drawing ink and watercolours, has always had a significant impact on science. Until the invention of photography, botanical illustrations were the only possibility for accurate documentation and still today, they are highly valued for plant identification and their detailed representations of plant characteristics.

Course information

All courses for 2025 are fully booked. For registration and question about the course please contact the ZooBot-Society.