Flowers in Indo-Persian Paintings
4-week online art series with Lubna Zahid
Oct 2-23, 2025 (Once a Week on Thursdays) | 10 am - 1 pm ET
Fee: $180 Full Course | $90 per workshop
Recordings will be available | Open to all levels, ages 16 and up
Course Description:
Naturalism in flora in the arts of the book: Learn to draw and paint flowering plants found in the illuminated folios of Indo-Persian paintings. Follow in the footsteps of Mughal-era artists who decorated lavish borders with naturalistic blossoms, painted in gold and opaque watercolors. Their floral compositions reflected the Mughals’ deep interest in gardens and flowering plants.
Recordings will be accessible for 3 months after the course ends.
Course Schedule
Workshop 1: Halkari: Drawing and Painting realistic flowers in gold water
Date: Oct 2 & 9 | Time: 10 am -1 pm ET
The Halkari technique involves creating a shading effect using different brushstrokes. In this workshop, the students will learn to draw and paint realistic flowers using this technique.
Workshop 2: tarama: Drawing and Painting realistic flowers in opaque watercolor
Date: Oct 16 & 23 | Time: 10 am - 1 pm ET
This painting technique involves one to learn to paint in a naturalistic way. In this workshop, students will learn to draw and paint realistic flowers in opaque watercolor.
Supplies List
These supplies are for both classes. Those attending only the Halkari workshop may omit item #3 from the list.
1. Paper:
Any Sketchbook or Practice paper.
Watercolor Hot Pressed paper, 140lbs, 9” X 12”. Fabriano or Arches Artistico. You may get a pad or just a full sheet and cut it to your size.
Graphite paper to transfer images (Saral Transfer Paper-Wax Free).
2. Brushes: Watercolor brushes, good quality, round, pointed # 00, 0,1, 3, 6, or closer numbers: Natural hair (Squirrel or Sable) or Synthetic blend.
3. Gouache Paints: Red, Pink, Deep Blue, Green, Yellow, Black, White, and other colors of your choice.
Any good quality tube paints, suggested brands (Winsor & Newton, Holbein, Daniel Smith). Note: make sure they are NOT acrylic gouache.
4. Gold Watercolor Paint: 1st choice Schmincke (pan), 2nd choice Finetec (Arabic gold), 3rd choice Winsor & Newton (Gold gouache).
5. A palette or a white ceramic dinner plate.
6. Graphite pencil, HB.
7. Soft white eraser, recommended Factis OV12.
8. An eye dropper.
9. Two small containers for water.
SOURCES FOR SUPPLIES
Online:
https://www.jerrysartarama.com/
Art Stores:
Our Instructor
Lubna Zahid
Lubna Zahid is a classically trained fine artist who works in mixed media.
Strongly influenced by contemporary and classical calligraphy in Urdu, Arabic, and Persian, her pieces include texts in these languages. She experiments with bold renditions of Islamic decorative forms such as the Shamsa.
Lubna has exhibited her work in the United States and Pakistan. She teaches classes, workshops and seminars on art and art history in various venues including the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries. She lives in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area.
Lubna received calligraphy and illumination training from master calligrapher Abbas Baghdadi. She works with a variety of media including transparent watercolor, gouache, graphite, charcoal, ink, acrylics, gold leaf, and clay. Her techniques include glazing, pouring, layering, splashing, spattering, textural writing, and gilding.
For more information about Lubna, please visit her website: https://www.lubnazahid.com/ | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubnazahidart/