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Flowers: Painting from Sketches (Online Workshop) Fall 2026 w/ Michelle Lewis
October 6 to October 20 (Tuesdays), 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, Eastern Time
**All sessions are live and will be recorded, students do not have to be present. All recordings will be available to students for 3 months after the final session, after 3 months the recording will be deleted.
Please check your email spam/junk folder for your Zoom invite. Our business hours are 10:00 AM through 5:00 PM. All course information and email correspondence will be sent during business hours. If students purchase a course, workshop, demo or recording outside business hours or during the weekend the course information or recording will be sent the following business day.
DEMO: https://youtu.be/MDqoriKKrc8
Workshop Description
In this workshop, we’ll discuss how sketches can be used to plan and execute a well-thought-out composition while staying loose and exploring creative liberties. In our sketchbooks, we'll examine our subject through both quick and more refined studies as we layer a variety of mediums—capturing flowers with blocks of color and loose, energetic marks. Learning to simplify our subject by breaking it down into a collection of shapes, we’ll discuss the importance of value, color, and other aspects of composition as we use these sketches as reference to create a final painting in acrylic.
Each day will include lectures and demos, as well as in-class work using photographs provided as reference. Q&A and instructor feedback will also be available during each class.
Workshop Outline
Week 1 -
We’ll begin by examining how various artists throughout history incorporate sketches into their creative process, as well as how sketches play a significant role in my own creative practice. Focusing on layout, we will discuss what to consider when composing our image as we sketch our subject using both line and masses of value.
Week 2 -
In our sketchbooks, we’ll experiment with layering different mediums and mark making as we translate our black and white sketches into color. By doing so, we will gain a greater understanding of value contrast, saturation, and color temperature.
Week 3 -
Taking all the information we’ve collected in our sketchbooks, we’ll use our sketches as a reference to create a final painting in acrylic.
Workshop Materials
I will be sketching in mixed media and painting in acrylic. You may sketch and paint with whatever medium you prefer. I recommend choosing a variety of mediums that you are already comfortable with. Although not required, a list of specific supplies I will be using is listed below:
SKETCH
- Markers: Tombow Markers, Faber-Castell Watercolor Markers, Fudebiyori Brush Pen Markers
- Colored Pencils: Derwent Lightfast, Caran d'Ache Luminance
- Wax Pastels: Neocolor II (I also use the Caran d'Ache Palette Aquarelle when creating washes with Neocolor II Pastels)
- Ink: Higgins Ink Black Magic Pump Marker (Brush Nib)
- Sketchbook: Talens Art Creations
PAINT
- Acrylics: Liquitex Professional Soft Body
- Medium: Liquitex Professional Matte Medium
- Paper: Strathmore 400 Series Printmaking Paper
OTHER HELPFUL MATERIALS
- Brushes
- Paper Towels
- Water
- Pencil Sharpener
October 6 to October 20 (Tuesdays), 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, Eastern Time
**All sessions are live and will be recorded, students do not have to be present. All recordings will be available to students for 3 months after the final session, after 3 months the recording will be deleted.
Please check your email spam/junk folder for your Zoom invite. Our business hours are 10:00 AM through 5:00 PM. All course information and email correspondence will be sent during business hours. If students purchase a course, workshop, demo or recording outside business hours or during the weekend the course information or recording will be sent the following business day.
DEMO: https://youtu.be/MDqoriKKrc8
Workshop Description
In this workshop, we’ll discuss how sketches can be used to plan and execute a well-thought-out composition while staying loose and exploring creative liberties. In our sketchbooks, we'll examine our subject through both quick and more refined studies as we layer a variety of mediums—capturing flowers with blocks of color and loose, energetic marks. Learning to simplify our subject by breaking it down into a collection of shapes, we’ll discuss the importance of value, color, and other aspects of composition as we use these sketches as reference to create a final painting in acrylic.
Each day will include lectures and demos, as well as in-class work using photographs provided as reference. Q&A and instructor feedback will also be available during each class.
Workshop Outline
Week 1 -
We’ll begin by examining how various artists throughout history incorporate sketches into their creative process, as well as how sketches play a significant role in my own creative practice. Focusing on layout, we will discuss what to consider when composing our image as we sketch our subject using both line and masses of value.
Week 2 -
In our sketchbooks, we’ll experiment with layering different mediums and mark making as we translate our black and white sketches into color. By doing so, we will gain a greater understanding of value contrast, saturation, and color temperature.
Week 3 -
Taking all the information we’ve collected in our sketchbooks, we’ll use our sketches as a reference to create a final painting in acrylic.
Workshop Materials
I will be sketching in mixed media and painting in acrylic. You may sketch and paint with whatever medium you prefer. I recommend choosing a variety of mediums that you are already comfortable with. Although not required, a list of specific supplies I will be using is listed below:
SKETCH
- Markers: Tombow Markers, Faber-Castell Watercolor Markers, Fudebiyori Brush Pen Markers
- Colored Pencils: Derwent Lightfast, Caran d'Ache Luminance
- Wax Pastels: Neocolor II (I also use the Caran d'Ache Palette Aquarelle when creating washes with Neocolor II Pastels)
- Ink: Higgins Ink Black Magic Pump Marker (Brush Nib)
- Sketchbook: Talens Art Creations
PAINT
- Acrylics: Liquitex Professional Soft Body
- Medium: Liquitex Professional Matte Medium
- Paper: Strathmore 400 Series Printmaking Paper
OTHER HELPFUL MATERIALS
- Brushes
- Paper Towels
- Water
- Pencil Sharpener