Watercolour Painting at Home: Australian Plants and Birds

videocamLIVE STREAMING

Learn to paint beautiful Australian native plants and birds with watercolours!



4 x 2 hours Class size 1 to 20 guests       $145
Come learn how to paint with watercolour and channel your inner nature lover with this fun online painting course!
Guided by friendly and experienced teacher Fran, based in the Blue Mountains, you'll get to grips with the techniques behind basic watercolour painting and brushwork.
In each session, you'll work on a range of exercises to prepare you for painting a new piece. The drawing for the painting is sent before the class and a recording of the class is sent after with an example of the finished artwork.
The Australian birds and plants covered in the course include for each series:
  • Starting in May: Magpie, Tree fern, Spotted pardalote, Wildflowers
  • Starting in October: Billy Button, Rainbow bee eater, Scarlet honey eater, beetle
This online painting course is a great place to explore watercolour art, no matter your skill level. Anyone can learn how to paint with watercolours, and this class caters to both beginners and those with some painting and illustration experience.
This unique watercolour series of classes is also a lovely way to connect with other like-minded creatives with a glass of wine or cuppa in one hand and a paintbrush in the other!

Upcoming dates for Watercolour Painting at Home: Australian Plants and Birds

Times are Sydney time. Dates and prices as of 4 Oct 2026, 12:23pm; availability and price are confirmed live when booking on this page.

1 upcoming date between 11 Oct 2026 and 11 Oct 2026.

  • Sun 11 Oct 2026, 4:30pm-6:30pm (then the same time every 2 weeks, for 3 more sessions)
Knowledge required
This class is perfect for beginners - no prior experience is needed.
What to bring
  • A4 sheets x 10 of smooth textured 180gsm or higher grade (sometimes called g/m2) watercolour paper (you can purchase this at any art supplies store or some office suppliers)
  • Watercolour paints: green, white, yellow, orange, blue, red, brown, black, pink. Suggest 'cake/pan' style instead of tubes. You can often buy them in a 'set' with a range of colours. (Please message if you would like brand suggestions, for this workshop high quality paints are not necessary)
  • Brushes: no.6 round tip (medium tip brush) and no.0 or no.1 round tip (fine tip brush for detail). Additional brushes medium flat would be good
  • An pencil and eraser
  • Two cups or glasses half filled with water to wash your brushes (Recommend access to water, in case you need to change it during the class OR have a jug of water clean water and a container for dirty water
  • Paper towel (a few sheets) and cotton buds
  • Hairdryer (optional)
  • Apron or old top to protect clothes
Session repeats

This class series runs over 4 consecutive sessions, at the same time every 2 weeks.

Suitable for

Suitable for adults, and kids (minimum 12 years old).

Adult accompaniment is not required.

Verified reviews

ClassBento loader icon

Recent reviews of Watercolour Painting at Home: Australian Plants and Birds

  • 5/5 from Anastasia Joseski, attended Apr 2026: Fun classes with lots of new things to try. Good group of people. Recording of classes is handy when you can’t make it or want to try again in your own time.
  • 5/5 from Rezwana Bashir, attended Apr 2026: I’ve been taking classes with Fran for over two years, and she is a wonderful teacher. Her instructions are always clear, encouraging, and easy to follow, whether you’re a beginner or have more experience with watercolours. I really enjoyed the Watercolour Painting at Home: Australian Plants and Birds class. Fran creates a relaxed and supportive learning environment, and I always come away having learned new techniques while enjoying the creative process. I highly recommend her classes to anyone interested in watercolour painting.
  • 5/5 from Megan, attended May 2025: Fran's classes are always fantastic and love how she always sends students templates to help with their work, some are very detailed such as this one, which for those like me can't draw is a bonus. Thanks, Fran, for always thinking of your students, we love and appricate you for it.
  • 5/5 from Rezwana Bashir, attended May 2025: I've been learning watercolor with Fran for the past two years, and it’s been an absolute joy. She’s incredibly patient, encouraging, and knowledgeable. Her classes are not only informative but also really fun and inspiring. My skills and confidence have grown so much thanks to her guidance. I always look forward to our sessions and I will be joint her next series
  • 5/5 from Rezwana Bashir, attended Oct 2024: Fran is an incredible teacher! I have been doing her classes for 2 years now and I will sign up again next year! These series was one of the best yet!
  • 5/5 from Rezwana Bashir, attended May 2024: This is a wonderful class/ series and yet again I learnt soooo much! Also the final artworks are incredible Fran really is one of the best watercolour teachers on ClassBento and she make the whole experience rewarding! I cannot wait till the nexts series!
  • 5/5 from Anastasia Joseski, attended May 2024: Excellent watercolour series. Fran is a great instructor and guides the group with patience and good humour. Friendly group dynamic. I look forward to next series.
  • 5/5 from Megan, attended May 2024: Today we learnt to paint the Sturt Desert Pea, Fran's paintings are really amazing as is her teaching, there is a total of 4 classes in this series which is great as there is a nice break between classes and the recordings are fantastic and so convenient too in case life gets in the way.
  • 5/5 from Rezwana Bashir, attended Oct 2023: Fran is one of the best watercolour teachers! I have learnt so much from her and these series are some of the best classes! I can’t wait to do more classes with her next year!
  • 5/5 from Megan, attended Oct 2023: These classes are just the best, always learn sooo much and Fran is the best teacher, love getting the templates which are a huge help. Can't wait for the next one.
  • 5/5 from Bianca Villani, attended Oct 2023: Today we had our first of four watercolour classes with Fran. Our first project, the banksia was a fun introduction to painting Australian birds and flowers. As always Fran provided handouts and a template via email before the class. Then online she explains each step and provides practice time before starting on the final artwork. I haven’t painted in a few months, so it was lovely to wet the pallet and get painting with Fran once again. I am always surprised at what I can achieve with Fran’s guidance and look forward to next fortnight’s class.
  • 5/5 from Carissa Bonner, attended Oct 2023: Really enjoyed this series of watercolour classes learning different techniques for native flowers and birds. Thank you!
  • 5/5 from Claire Cooke, attended May 2023: This class is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I have really enjoyed getting my paints out and trying new techniques. Fran gently guides the class through a relaxed and compassionate approach. She also takes the time to get to know everyone and foster a welcoming environment.
  • 5/5 from Rezwana Bashir, attended May 2023: This is a great teacher who explains the techniques very well! Also the final artworks are also beautiful! I highly recommend this class
  • 5/5 from Alex, attended May 2023: It was a great lesson with a lot of information. I have learnt a lot of watercolour techniques and managed to end up with a painting that I really liked. The teacher was excellent. Will drop the photo of the painting next time. Thank you Fran.
Your teacher

Fran Cane
Fran Cane
(Lady Bird Design)

5.0 (442)
female Women-owned

Fran is an artist; an educator, neither overshadows, they simply entwine and enrich one another.
At a young age Fran discovered the value of creating art in her daily life. The act of art helped Fran express her identity. The process of developing an idea, especially with jewellery, seeing that idea come to completion by Fran's own hand filled her with satisfaction and accomplishment.  Fran began to see how creating art helped other aspects of my life and learning.
Fran is inspired by nature, patterns, form and texture. Each created piece portrays a slice of life, a perspective of the world in which we all live. Her mediums span painting and jewellery to collage and stitching. They all bring joy, though not everything turns out how she envisaged.
In particular Fran sees the unique design and individually handcrafted nature of bespoke jewellery as an ornamental way of extending personal self-expression. During the creative process, she is mindful that someone will be wearing the piece and it will come alive only when it finds its owner.
Fran is most comfortable in the studio classroom teaching art than in any other place or endeavour. It fills her soul to help others learn by exposing them to tools, materials and techniques of Fran's trade and then develop their skills and confidence in the creative medium.
Through support, conversation and laughter, I set a welcoming scene of free expression.
Ladybird Design Creative Studio is the culmination of creating a life around my passions of art, jewellery and teaching. It frees Fran to take a piece of silver, blank canvas or paper, turn it into a beautiful thing and share it with the world every day. Fran believes now more than ever that pursuing one’s passions makes life more colourful and vibrant, gives us pleasure and purpose, but most of all it reminds us of who we are.
Fran would love to share the joy of creating and making with you.
class 0 V48I01Z33L 34c052b7f77f35dccea660a6ce51910d 1 production sydney Sydney NSW AU sydney