Floral Flight
A botanical watercolour series exploring tenderness, vulnerability and the desire to rise.
The Story
Floral Flight is a two-part series exploring tenderness, vulnerability and the desire to move beyond what holds us.
The series grew from my interest in creating recognisable silhouettes using realistically painted botanical elements. I wanted to explore how flowers, leaves and branches could form the shape of a bird without losing their individual botanical details. The peonies remain peonies, and the leaves retain their natural forms, yet together they create something new.
The two paintings describe a change in the bird’s posture. In Peony Plumage, its shape is gathered and still. In Peony Plumage Taking Flight, the composition begins to open, suggesting the first movement towards flight. I am interested in this moment of transition, rather than freedom as something already achieved.
I initially chose the black background for its visual effect. It intensified the colours of the flowers and gave the silhouette greater definition. As the series developed, I began to see another meaning in it: a space that can feel both protective and restrictive. The contrast between the dark background and the delicate botanical forms became an important part of the story.
My process combines traditional botanical painting with a more contemporary approach to composition. I develop the silhouette through sketches and colour studies, then gradually build the flowers and foliage with transparent layers of watercolour, paying close attention to natural form, texture and subtle changes in colour. Black gouache creates the surrounding dark space.
For me, Floral Flight is not about leaving vulnerability behind. It is about the possibility of movement while remaining delicate.
Behind the Work
From the first sketch to the finished silhouette.
Developing the Composition
Each painting begins with a pencil sketch. I arrange flowers, leaves and branches to create the overall shape of a bird, carefully balancing the silhouette while allowing each botanical element to retain its natural form.
Choosing the Colours
Before painting, I test different watercolour mixes to establish a balanced palette. These colour studies help me explore how soft pinks and purples work alongside the muted greens of the leaves and branches.
Building the First Layers
I begin with the smaller botanical details, gradually adding colour to the leaves, stems and delicate flowers. Working with transparent layers of watercolour allows me to build depth while preserving the natural textures of each element.
Painting the Main Flowers
The peony and anemone become the focal points of the composition. I build their colours gradually, adding shadows, subtle variations and fine details to capture the individual structure and texture of each flower.
Creating the Black Background
The final stage involves carefully painting the surrounding space with black gouache. This brings the bird’s silhouette into focus and strengthens the contrast with the delicate botanical details. What began as a visual decision gradually became an important part of the series’ meaning.
In the Studio
A Closer Look at the Process
A short glimpse into my painting process, from delicate watercolour details to the final black gouache background.
More painting videos, sketches and behind-the-scenes moments are available on my Instagram.
About the Artist
I’m Oksana Abdukadyrova, a botanical watercolour artist based in London.
I create detailed botanical illustrations alongside contemporary compositions in which flowers, leaves and branches form recognisable silhouettes. My work is rooted in close observation of plants, with a focus on natural form, colour and fine detail.
Working mainly in watercolour on paper, I gradually build colour through transparent layers. Alongside traditional botanical painting, I explore a more contemporary approach through my Botanical Silhouettes series, combining realistic botanical elements to create new forms while preserving their individual details.
I am currently studying for a Botanical Painting Diploma with London Art College.
My work has been featured in Artists & Illustrators magazine, where I have contributed botanical painting features and step-by-step demonstrations. In 2025, my painting Garden Rose was selected for Inspiration, the annual Open Exhibition of the Association of Botanical Artists. I am also a member of the British Art Club.