Botanical Drawing: Summer Specimens (online, five-session workshop)

Adult Summer Online | This program is completed

All levels welcome.

6/21/2023-7/19/2023

6:30 PM-8:30 PM EDT on Wed

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$195.00

$175.00

$15.00

Let’s take a closer look at some of the wonderful natural elements that make up our summer outdoor world! We’ll draw (or paint) a new specimen each week. Not only will we learn about that botanical object, like a flower, herb, bulb, fruit, vegetable, fungi, or leaf, but we’ll see how these subjects fit into the broader realm of contemporary botanical art. We’ll be exploring each of the summer subjects by way of a study sheet, combing graphite, Micron pen, and watercolor (or whatever the student prefers) in order to thoroughly understand our plants. Study sheets can be on a sketch pad, a spread in a sketchbook (most likely what I’ll demonstrate) or even a cut sheet of watercolor paper, one for each class. Some drawing experience helpful but not necessary.

What you will learn:
1. An overview of botanical art
2. Drawing and painting techniques specific to botanical art
3. An understanding of the materials typically employed to create botanical art
4. Observation skills necessary to depict botanically-correct drawings or paintings
5. How to move from a sketch through to a finished drawing or painting

  • This is an online class hosted through Zoom. We recommend that you download the free Zoom application on your computer, phone, or tablet in advance of the first class.

    You will receive a confirmation email containing a link to join the course via Zoom. The same link will be used each week.

  • Please work with any of the materials listed that you feel comfortable using to create a working study sheet, diving into the world of plants subject by subject:

    • Drawing paper: 9” x 12” spiral-bound pad, Strathmore 400 series; or Stillman & Birn, Zeta series sketchbook; or any sketchbook with better quality paper
    • Canson tracing pad, 9” x 12”
    • Graphite mechanical or regular pencils, 2H, HB, and 2B, with sharpener (Faber-Castell 9000, Staedlter Mars Lumograph, or Caran D’Ache)
    • Tuffstuff eraser stick, and a kneaded eraser
  • • Magnifying lens or magnifying glass
    • Ruler
    • Tape, roll of white graphic

    Optional:
    • Drawing board or hard surface to use as a portable easel. Would be great to be able to prop it up at a slight angle.
    • Notebook/sketchbook for preliminary drawings and general research, notes
    • Camera, iPhone or iPad

    Midway through the term:
    • Viva paper towels (a few...very absorbent)
    • 2 water vessels (one for working water, one for clean).
    • Plastic or white porcelain palette, with room to mix colors
    • Brush suggestions: If you are going to invest in one art supply, please let it be your brush. I like the DaVinci Maestro Kolinsky Brush, long tapered round or round: #4, or #6. I love these, especially the #4, because it has a super-sharp needle-like point that has great spring and tension. OR Raphael #4 #8408, tan- tipped handle. They both clean easily and last a long time.
    • A good set of six paints:
  • French Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Lemon Yellow, Permanent Magenta, Scarlet Lake.

    A great addition to the list:
    • Perylene Maroon, Quinacridone Gold, Winsor Violet