Chichester: Floral Letters

Spend a creative day in our light, airy studio exploring the beautiful combination of lettering, masking techniques, and watercolour florals.In this full-day workshop, you’ll design a bold serif letter, learn how to protect it with masking fluid, and paint delicate flowers and foliage flowing around it. Once the painting is complete, you’ll reveal the hidden letter and finish your artwork with a fine metallic outline, creating a striking piece ready to frame or gift.Along the way, you’ll learn simple techniques for constructing serif letters, painting small florals and leaves, choosing harmonious colour palettes, and building a balanced composition.This workshop is designed to be relaxed and encouraging, giving you the space to enjoy the process of creating something by hand. Whether you’re new to lettering or already enjoy calligraphy and painting, the combination of bold letterforms and delicate florals creates a beautifully satisfying project to spend the day exploring.All materials are provided, including:

• Watercolour paper
• Watercolour paints and brushes
• Masking fluid
• Metallic paints
• Letter reference sheets
• Practice papers and worksheets

You are very welcome to bring your own paints or brushes if you prefer to work with familiar materials.The flow of the dayMorning - Designing the LetterWe’ll begin by exploring serif letterforms and looking at how letters are constructed. Using reference sheets and simple grid techniques, you’ll sketch and refine a large letter that will become the focus of your artwork.We’ll look at how serifs create clear start and end points within a letter and how weight and spacing influence the overall balance.Once your design is refined, you’ll transfer the letter onto your final watercolour paper ready for the painting stages later in the day.Late Morning — Painting Flowers & LeavesBefore working on the final piece, we’ll spend time practising small watercolour florals and foliage. You’ll learn simple brush techniques for creating:

• Small flowers
• Loose petals
• Simple leaves
• Layered foliage

We’ll also look at how to mix greens and build a limited colour palette that feels harmonious and natural.This part of the session is about building confidence and developing a small set of floral shapes you can repeat easily when painting the final artwork.Afternoon — Masking & Painting the CompositionAfter lunch, we’ll apply masking fluid over your letter to protect it while we paint.Once the masking fluid has dried, you’ll begin painting florals and leaves around and across the letter area, allowing colour and movement to flow across the page while keeping the letter hidden beneath.This stage focuses on composition, balancing flowers, leaves, and colour so that the artwork feels lively but not overcrowded.The Reveal!The most satisfying moment... gently removing the masking fluid to reveal the crisp white letter beneath the painting. Finish the piece by adding a fine metallic outline around the letter, giving it definition and a subtle sense of luxury that contrasts beautifully with the soft watercolour florals.By the end of the workshop, you will have:

• A finished floral letter artwork ready to frame
• Confidence designing serif letters
• Practical techniques for painting small florals and leaves
• Experience using masking fluid creatively
• Ideas for applying these techniques to cards, artwork, and stationery

Lunch BreakWe will provide you with a delicious lunch, so please do let us know if you have any dietary requirements when booking.Additional informationParking is available directly outside the building. All materials and a delicious lunch will be provided. Read more details