Lured in
Enticed by folds of foliage and dark pools, I get lost in painting pitcher plants. All those reds blending into greens and purples. Tiny hairs leading downward into open mouths. It’s not hard to see how these plants work their magic. Once lured in, leaving is difficult—and for some, impossible.
Tips and Techniques– When you are working with a complicated subject, take time to study it closely and record enough information in the drawing stage before you start painting. This is especially important if you will be painting it later. I spent nearly an hour drawing these plants and then painted them over the course of several evenings. While my reference photos were helpful, it was my underlying drawing that kept me from getting completely lost in these remarkable plants. Learn more about purple pitcher plants here.
New workshops! I’m excited to announce a new online class, Savoring Summer Sketchbook Series, starting in May, and an in person workshop, Creative Nature Journaling, next January in Tucson, Arizona. Learn more on the Workshops page or directly on the class links.
Drawn In 
Hi Jean!
What a beautiful page, I’ve never seen this plant before! I wanted to say I really enjoyed your demo @winslowartcenter Springfestival: your sketchbooks are so inspiring! I was really looking forward to your next online workshop and what the subjects would be. Being in Europe, makes it a bit of a challenge: our magnolia’s are almost finished with flowering and although our neigbour had a trumpet vine, there are no hummingbirds here. I’ve decided to joint anyway, because I like your workshops, your style and I learn a lot every time! One question: will the harvest one be similar to your workshop last year (farmer’s market)? I hope you’ll do one in the future about landscapes and trees (I know that was part of the january one, but I could not join at the time).
Ilse