Fall Harvest Drawing & Painting Workshop at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
September 22–26 | 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
All Levels Welcome | Ages 14+
Autumn is a spectacular time for artists, and what better way to capture the season than with a week-long fall art workshop surrounded by blazing leaves, vibrant dahlias, and the playful textures of pumpkins and gourds? Join us Monday through Friday, September 22–26,2025 at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens for an immersive, hands-on art retreat celebrating the beauty of the fall harvest.
Whether you join us for one day or all five, this botanical art class is designed for nature lovers and artists of all skill levels. Teens aged 14+ are welcome! All levels welcomed.
Day 1: Fall Foliage in Blazing Color: Start the week with the rich hues of autumn leaves. We’ll gather leaves from the grounds of the Gardens to create intricate leaf rubbings, focusing on capturing their vein structure and color transitions.
Explore watercolor mixing techniques using granulating pigments
Add textures and glowing layers with watercolor pencils and transparent watercolors
Learn impressing and lifting techniques to bring leaves to life on paper
Finish the day with a complete, radiant fall leaf study
Days 2 & 3: Pumpkins and Gourds- Dive into the quirky, textured world of gourds and pumpkins, a seasonal favorite for artists.
Day 2: Pumpkins & Gourds in Graphite
- Rough gesture sketches to loosen your hand
- Tracing paper overlays to refine form
- Build contour drawings and structure the lumpy textures of the Cucurbitaceae family
- Use tonal shading to create depth and light
Day 3: Pumpkins & Gourds in Color
- Compare different types of drawing paper and color mediums
- Learn transfer methods for accurate composition
- Create color swatches and extend your palette
- Apply layers and refine details for a full-color rendering
Days 4 & 5: Dahlias: Fall wouldn’t be complete without the show-stopping dahlia, blooming in dazzling shapes and colors. Spend two days exploring its elegance in graphite and color.
Day 4: Dahlia in Graphite
- Draw the dahlia’s components: bud, bloom, stem, and leaf
- Refine your sketches using tracing overlays
- Create a composition and build volume with tonal shading
Day 5: Dahlia in Color
- Learn transfer techniques using a lightbox or transfer paper
- Dissect color and expand your swatch palette
- Apply rich color and build layered detail for a finished botanical illustration
Why Join This Workshop?
- Hands-on botanical art instruction with expert techniques in watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite
- Draw directly from nature in one of Maine’s most beautiful fall gardens
- Flexible registration – join us for one, two, or all five days
- Perfect for beginners, experienced artists, and curious teens (14+)
Register Today and embrace the magic of Maine’s autumn colors!
Spots are limited…… to secure your place.
Need a place to stay while in Maine? Boothbay has a great number of places you can stay at. Email Mindy for a list