1 week with Giacomina Ferrell
June 21st to 27th 2026
"Botanical Sketching. How to create rich and harmonious pages that study and talk about nature."
A week of drawing Alpine flora with Giacomina Ferrillo, learning the ink pen technique, and an introduction to botanical watercolor in the beauty of Swiss Alps.
Limited to 10 participants
CHF 2985.- per person in an individual room
What's included:
• 6 nights of accommodation in your own room
• 3 meals a day
• visit of the alpin botanical garden with a local botanist
• guided walk harvest wild edible plants
• special lunch in a century old barn
• Daily art classes
What's not:
• International flights
• transfer from and to the airport
• Travel/Medical Insurance
• Soft and alcohol drinks
• Personal expenses
• Art materials (see below)
Giacomina's Recommended Material List:
A sketchbook with a hard outer casing. I recommend the following:
A sketchbook containing cartridge (drawing) paper of at least 150gsm paper weight, smooth but with some tooth so that it can take repeated erasure plus some paint; AND/OR
A sketchbook containing smooth watercolour paper; this will allow greater flexibility for use with watercolour as it is designed to take more wet media.
Size of your sketchbook is a personal choice, but I like a larger book, e.g. size A3 as it is more comfortable for my hand. You may prefer a smaller book!
Pencils of at least two hardnesses. She uses:
2H and HB lead holders containing 2mm-sized leads. You can also use a clutch pencil with a fine lead, or wooden pencils. If using lead holder or wooden pencil, a good sharpening device is essential, for example a knife or blade (not to be carried in airline hand luggage of course!).
Eraser which is gentle on you paper, e.g. a white plastic Staedtler eraser. Some students like to use a putty eraser also.
Coloured media I use half-pan watercolours in a portable enamelled tin which contains a built-in palette. Other suitable palettes includes ceramic palettes, plastic palettes specifically designed for watercolour. You will need two jarsfor holding water when using watercolour paint.
If you prefer to use colour pencils this is also acceptable, although I will primarily demonstrate using watercolour.
Paintbrushes Round watercolour brushes such as Winsor & Newton Series 7 sable. In this range I use a number 1 – 4 in my sketchbook; there are plenty of more affordable synthetic equivalents available. Whilst my size 1 is a good all-rounder paintbrush for washes and fine detail, remember: the larger the area you wish to cover with watercolour, the larger sized brush you will need, so it is useful to have a range. Apart from the application of one or two washes, we will be working fairly dry.
Measuring equipment for use in measured drawing: a clear plastic ruler or set square; dividers if you have them.
Any other media? While I will primarily demonstrate techniques of pencil and watercolour, you may also wish to try pen and ink. For this I recommend waterproof and lightfast fine liner pens in a variety of sizes. Black ink is basic; you can also try fine liners in light and dark grey ink.
How to reach the place
By public transport:
The nearest airport is Geneva (GVA). There is a train station directly inside the airport. The closest train station to Whitepod is Monthey. The interregional train takes you to Aigle, than a regional train from Aigle to Monthey. Timetables and prices can found on www.cff.ch.
From Monthey train station (CFF), the bus n° 63 goes all the way up to Les Cerniers. We are located at the final stop «Les Cerniers Restaurant». Count approximately 45 minutes for the bus ride up. (Bus n°63)
By car:
Highway A9, exit n°19 Bex – Lavey. Drive direction Monthey. Arriving at the roundabout at entrance of Monthey, follow Choëx. Drive up up up, follow Les Giettes, Les Cerniers. The chalet Les Cerniers will be on your right when you arrive.
Parking is right in front of the chalet Les Cerniers.
Taxi pick up options
Prices per trip, not per person
Pick up from Geneva airport CHF 450
Pick up from Aigle train station CHF 115
Pick up from Monthey train station CHF 60
1
Meet Giacomina Ferrillo
Giacomina Ferrillo is an Italian artist with a rich and versatile background. She has a degree with honour in Scenography, Art of Printing Techniques, Graphic Design and a Master in Illustration. During her career, she has held various professional positions in
the theatrical field, interior design and publishing. As an illustrator and author she has published a dozen children's books, translated into several languages.
Since many years she has been completely dedicated to botanical art, in love with the discipline itself and the continuous sense of amazement that it is capable of arousing. She is ASBA member,
for which she exhibited in 2024 at the Society of Illustrators in New York. Four times SBA exhibition attended, she was awarded the RHS Silver-Gilt Medal in 2024.
Giacomina has drawn every project, large or small, throughout her career in the pages of a sketchbook before bringing them to life. Recognizing the enormous power of this tool, both professionally and personally, she shares her knowledge about it through
workshops and classes, promoting the benefits of the botanical sketching practice as a space to cultivate one's own creativity.
2
What the week will look like
In this week of observing alpine flora, Giacomina will introduce you to the ink pen
technique and the basics of botanical watercolor.
The central themes of the lessons will be:
- ink drawing on rough paper
- how to choose the subject
- the composition of a page
- how to add lettering, color, carried shadows and small geometric studies in sketchbook pages
- introduction to the botanical watercolour technique
Through studio lessons and outdoor practice but above all how to create pages that tell stories and capture the poetry of natural forms.
We will also visit the alpine botanical garden of La Thomasia in Bex, which is one of the oldest alpine Botanical gardens in Europe still functional. And one day we will also go for a short hike around the hotel with a local guide to discover the edible plants around us. Don't forget your sketchbooks for this one!
3
The botanical garden you will visit
La Thomasia Alpine Botanical Garden is located in the heart of the Vaud Alps at an altitude of 1260 meters, where it occupies part of the vast Pont-de-Nant pasture, at the foot of the imposing Grand Muveran wall, which rises to more than 3000 meters. Founded in 1891, La Thomasia, which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2016, is one of the oldest Alpine gardens that has never ceased operations. The 2,000 alpine plants cultivated come from the mountains of all continents. Special emphasis is placed on species from the Vaud Alps, for example the Alpine pulsatilla.
4
The place you will stay at
The week will be spent in an eco-responsible village in the beautiful valley of Valais, at 1200 meters altitude. You will stay in small wooden chalets, made of local larch wood where you will immediatly feel at home. Each chalet has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms distributed in generous volumes and flooded with light. A private terrasse with a breathtaking view of the Rhone valley with lake Geneva in the horizon completes your cosy cabin.
