ASBA 2025 - Julia Trickey - Celebrating Imperfection

Celebrating Imperfection with Julia Trickey

Tuesday and Wednesday, October 14-15, 2025
9am – 5pm

Though apparently past their best, less-than-perfect specimens can have a fragile elegance and fading beauty of their own. In this workshop, we will look at the features of fading flowers, fall leaves and bulbs and how we can celebrate them in watercolor. Through a series of exercises on the first day, we will explore ways of reproducing these features, moving on during the second day to put these ideas into practice with a specimen of choice. The class will be delivered using presentations, demonstrations, handouts, discussion and one-to-one tuition.

Supplies:

• Pencils - HB, 2H as a minimum
• Sharpener and Eraser
• A few sheets of tracing paper and/or cartridge paper (for initial drawings)
• Tracedown transfer paper (optional - for transferring drawing onto watercolor paper).
• Any Artist quality paints in a range of colors will do, either half-pans or tubes (I prefer the latter). My primary colors are Winsor and Newton: Winsor Blue (green shade), Permanent Rose, Transparent Yellow. [Daniel Smith similar colors - Phthalo Blue (green shade), Quinacridone Red and Hansa Yellow medium.] Other colors I favor are: Daniel Smith - Quinacridone Gold, Sap Green, Mayan Dark Blue. Winsor and Newton - Winsor Red, Winsor Violet.
• A larger brush (size 4,5 or 6) for washes and a fine brush (size 0 or 1) for veins and detail. A large brush with an excellent point can work for both e.g. Winsor and Newton Series 7 size 6.
• A small stiff brush, such as Billy Showell’s Eradicator, for lifting out.
• Smooth Hot Pressed paper is the usual choice of botanical artists, though Cold Pressed paper (also known as NOT) is good for practicing certain techniques. I favor Arches or old stock (pre-2016) Fabriano Artistico Extra White - minimum weight 140lb (which I would stretch on a board to minimize buckling). In less damp climates than the UK, heavier paper 200lb or 300lb seems to be a better choice. Other good quality papers are available - it’s a personal choice!
• Water jars
• Mixing palette or white china plate
• A cloth or paper towel
• Masking Fluid (optional). I recommend Pebeo Drawing Gum and a ruling pen or
  traditional dip pen.
• White gouache (optional)
• A drawing board, if preferred
• A battery-operated or rechargeable lamp (Advisable, as we are in a hotel function room, which may have limited daylight or plug sockets.)

Though I can supply reference photographs nearer the time, I would suggest you collect some specimens such as fading petals and fall leaves, desiccated flowers, seedheads or other subjects e.g. bulbs. Flowers that dry well are roses, hydrangeas and anemones. Check my website for ideas of subjects that I favor https://www.juliatrickey.co.uk/portfolio