Painting Indoor Botanicals: Light & Shadow
11 Week Class | This course is currently not open for registration.
In this course, we’ll explore the quiet beauty of indoor botanical still life through the lens of light, shadow, and composition. Working from live arrangements of houseplants, cut flowers and potted greens, you’ll learn to observe and paint the subtle effects of both natural and artificial light as they fall across leaves, petals, stems, and vessels. This class will help you build confidence in painting form, depth and atmosphere using botanical subjects. We’ll focus on tonal values, colour temperature and the balance of light and shadow to help bring still life scenes to life. Each session includes demonstrations, guided exercises, presentations and personal feedback to support you as you move toward more refined, expressive botanical paintings.
Note: Previous painting experience is recommended for this course. This course is not suitable for beginners.
Base Tuition: $505 + Material Fee: $10 = $515 Total
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- What You Will Learn:
- How to observe and capture natural and artificial light in still life scenes
- How to use value, shadow and reflected light to describe form
- Ways to work with colour temperature to create depth and mood
- How to mix natural-looking greens and botanical tones
- How to develop a still life painting from initial sketch to final layers
- Techniques for layering and brushwork to create texture and atmosphere
- Strategies for composing multiple elements into a cohesive composition
Leila Refahi
Leila is a visual artist, researcher, and educator working across painting, installation, and digital media. Her practice explores environmental issues such as climate change, ecological loss, and endangered species, with a strong focus on socially engaged and participatory art. Through her work, she is interested in how art can raise environmental awareness and contribute to shared knowledge within communities. Refahi has presented six solo exhibitions and participated in over 60 national and international group exhibitions and festivals.