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Fall Schedule at Lasdon Arboretum Includes Graphite & Colored Pencil Techniques

Posted in botanical art, drawing, Learning Opportunities on September 20, 2010|

New Fall classes at Classes Near You > New York:

Lasdon Park and Arboretum
Lasdon Park Brochure
Located in Somers, NY, the 234-acre Lasdon Arboretum is home to the botanical art program directed by botanical artist Laura Gould. Laura is a botanical artist who works primarily in colored pencil, graphite, and watercolor. Course descriptions, registration information, and Laura’s online gallery can be viewed at Barking Dog Studio. Additional workshops are taught throughout the year by visiting instructors. Please check back for updates.

Colored Pencil for Experienced Students – Wednesdays,
Oct. 3 – Dec. 15, 2010; 9:30-12:30. Prerequisite: Graphite Drawing (The graphite class is a foundation course taught on Thursday mornings. See below.) Cost: $250 Register
Graphite Drawing (All Levels) – Thursdays, Oct. 4 – Dec. 16, 2010; 9:30 – 12:30. For beginners and experienced students who love the beauty of graphite. This class prepares students for other courses in the program. Please join us. Cost: $250 Register
Graphite and Colored Pencil – Saturdays, Oct. 6 – Dec. 18, 2010; 9:30-12:30. Students of all levels are welcome to join the class. Learn at your own pace while enjoying the company of fellow artists. Cost: $250 Register

NOTE: To guarantee your space in class, please register two weeks before class begins. Course fees are not refundable after classes have begun and are not transferable to a future class. Make-up sessions must be completed within the 7-week term in which you are enrolled. You may carry make-up work over into the next 7-week term, but only if you have enrolled in this 7-week term. Course fees advance the construction of the beautiful glass conservatory.

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Drawing to Enhance Learning, Cartooning for Children

Posted in drawing, Drawing in Graphite, Drawing to Learn, Learning Opportunities on September 13, 2010|

Updates at Classes Near You > California:

Julie Schneider Ljubenkov, Art Nature Education
www.artnatureeducation.com
Julie is an artist, author, educator, naturalist, and native plant consultant. Read the Summer 2010 issue of Julie’s Art & Nature Newsletter to learn more Julie, her limited edition prints, and her projects.

Cartooning for Children (ages 8 to 13) – City of Escondido, Community Services Department and Department of Recreation. Thursday meetings, October 14 – November 4, 2010. Class hours are 3:30 to 5:00 PM. o register, call (760) 839-4691. . View course schedule for Community Services. Cost: $49
Gardening & Landscaping with California Native Plants – City of Escondido, Community Services Department and Department of Recreation. Thursdays, October 14 – Nov. 4, 2010. Class hours are 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. To register, call (760) 839-4691. View course schedule for Community Services
Drawing to Enhance Learning & More: University of La Verne Professional Development Courses, Independent, home study courses. Students have up to one year to complete their course(s). Julie’s courses include: Drawing to Enhance Learning; Integrating the Arts for Teaching and Learning; The Impressionists; The Music and Life of Mozart; Beethoven: His Life and Music; The Impressionists; Monet: Painter of Light and Color; The Art and Life of Georgia O’Keefe. Call 1-800-793-6533 or go to http://pdc.laverne.edu. Request a catalog or enroll. Cost: $285.00 (for 3-unit course)

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An Interview with Graphite Artist Diane Cardaci

Posted in ArtPlantae Books, botanical art, Drawing, drawing, Drawing in Graphite, Drawing to Learn, Education on September 6, 2010|

ARTPLANTAE TODAY (APT): How long have you been a professional graphite artist?

DIANE CARDACI (DC):
I have been working professionally as a graphite artist for about 25 years. Having attended medical school in Italy for several years, it was a natural that my first professional jobs were medical illustrations. I then developed my portfolio to include natural science subjects such as animals and plants so that I could work in the field of natural science illustration. After the birth of my daughter, I developed an interest in portraiture and began accepting portrait commissions. 

APT: Why have you chosen to work in graphite pencil? Why not watercolor, colored pencil, oil or some other color medium?

DC: Over the years I have worked with various color mediums as well. Since I am allergic to turpentine, I use water-soluble oils for color portrait commissions, and I like to use pastels for landscapes. For my earlier color illustration work I used colored pencils. But I have always had a fascination for using graphite pencils and find myself consistently returning to them. I love the sensitivity of pencils – when I draw with a pencil, I often feel as if I am “touching” the subject. I also love the simplicity of graphite pencils. Since I travel quite a bit, I can always have my “studio” in my pocket or bag.

APT: When you were working primarily as a natural science illustrator, what type of work did you do? (i.e., textbook illustrations, museum work, etc.).

DC: I have never been a “niche” artist and have always enjoyed working on a variety of subjects. Because of this, while freelancing as a scientific illustrator, my work included medical, animal and botanical illustrations. I worked mainly in publishing, for textbook companies and some newspapers and magazines. I also did some illustrations for the Museum of Natural History in New York City.

APT: You have authored three books and co-authored two books through Walter Foster Publishing, Inc. How did you become an author?

DC: Walter Foster Publishing had seen my work and contacted me about authoring the book Realistic Textures. Although I had never authored a book before, I was thrilled to take on the project. It was exciting to have the opportunity to share the skills I have developed using graphite pencils with people all over the world. It was a successful collaboration, so I was happy to author additional books with this publishing company.

APT: Tell us about your next book and how it differs from your other drawing books.

DC: I’ve just finished working on another book for Walter Foster called Shortcuts and Artists’ Secrets, scheduled to be released in Spring 2011. The nature of realistic pencil drawing is that it is a “slow” medium—it takes a lot of time and patience to do a detailed drawing. In this book I focus on some of the shortcuts that artists use to “speed” things up a bit. Some of the tips that I discuss are: creating a dark background quickly, using thumbnail sketches, and choosing the right pencils and papers to “make the job easier”.

APT: When in Italy for the summer, you study the work of the Old Masters. How does one study the work of the Old Masters? What can be learned from Old Master drawings?

DC: This is a topic that is very dear to my heart. When I first began attending art classes, I had a wise teacher who advised me to make a lifelong habit of copying drawings from the Old Masters. By copying their drawings, you begin to notice details of their artwork, and really appreciate the training and knowledge that these artists had. I have also made it a habit that whenever I am doing a drawing, to take a look at some old master drawings of the same type of subject, and study how they approached the subject. When I am Italy, I particularly love to go to the small towns and search out the churches and museums. There is such an amazing artistic heritage Italy, it’s as if art is in the air you breathe. I always recommend to art students that they go to museums whenever possible. Today we are lucky because many museums have websites, so it is possible to do “virtual museum visits” if there are no museums close by.

APT: In your books, you use different forms of graphite, in addition to the traditional wooden pencil. How can botanical illustrators use graphite powder, graphite washes, and carbon pencil to enhance their illustrations?

DC: I always recommend experimenting with different techniques to see what “feels right”. The three techniques that you mentioned are fun to experiment with and can be very useful for the botanical artist. I like to use graphite powder as a quick way of creating a base tone. For example, to create a dark tone for some leaves, it is very easy to use a stump to apply graphite powder to develop quickly a dark base tone. Graphite washes are created using water-soluble graphite or watercolor pencils. These create watercolor effects and can be used as a base tone as well. Carbon pencils are great if you need to create a very deep black tone—the nature of graphite is such that you can only get a dark gray, but never a deep black tone. The important thing to remember when using carbon pencils is that carbon pencils have a matte finish, while graphite has a shinier “finish”. So if you use both types in a drawing, you must use the carbon as a first layer, you cannot draw with a carbon pencil on top of graphite. Another thing to be aware of is that when you combine these two mediums, they will reflect the light differently in your drawing.

ASK THE ARTIST WITH DIANE CARDACI
We are all fortunate to be able to learn from Diane who is currently studying the work of the Old Masters in Italy. Do you have questions about the drawing process, the different forms of graphite, or the Old Masters? Send your questions to education@artplantae.com. Your questions will be forwarded to Diane and her replies to your questions will be posted later this month. Please submit your questions no later than September 19, 2010.

Submit your question today!

Updated 9/30/10: Diane Cardaci Answers Your Questions

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Graphite Artist Writes About Techniques to Achieve Realism in Botanical Art

Posted in ArtPlantae Books, botanical art, drawing, Education on September 3, 2010|

This month we will learn from graphite artist, author, and teacher, Diane Cardaci. Diane began her professional career as a natural science illustrator. She now focuses on portrait work and is a Signature member of the American Society of Portrait Artists. Diane has authored three books for Walter Foster Publishing, Inc. Two books are dedicated to rendering realistic forms and textures in graphite. Her most recent book, How to Draw from Photographs, is a handy reference about how to use reference photos to create detailed illustrations. Diane is also a co-author of two titles in Walter Foster’s Step-by-Step Studio Series. The books she co-authored are Drawing Concepts and Drawing Lifelike Subjects.

Today’s post will focus on the books Realistic Textures, How to Draw from Photographs, and Flowers & Botanicals, with a special emphasis on how botanical illustrators can benefit from these resources.

In Realistic Textures, Diane leads readers through a progression of exercises involving mark making and the creation of pencil washes using water-soluble graphite and smudging techniques. Diane’s demonstrations illustrate clearly that a pencil is more than a simple note-taking tool. While it may seem you’re playing around with pencil marks that will never be used on botanical subjects, Diane demonstrates otherwise when she shows artists how to apply tonal values and pencil marks to create form. Eight pages of Realistic Textures are dedicated to the creation of botanical textures. In this section, artists learn how Diane creates…

The hard surface and pattern of croton leaves
The glossy surface of holly leaves
The thickness and textured surface of cactus pads
The polished surface of an apple
The bumpy texture of orange peel
The achenes and shiny surface of a strawberry
The rough texture of a cantaloupe
The patterned surface of gourds

Of special interest to botanical illustrators is Diane’s eight-step demonstration in which she develops an illustration of a bellflower from line drawing to finished pencil painting. Illustrators will also find the sections about wildlife textures, landscape textures and animal textures helpful to their work.

In this book, Diane provides many helpful tips, exercises, and pencil drawings to demonstrate how digital cameras can assist artists with their drawings. Diane shows artists how to recognize distortion, how to create distortion intentionally in their photographs, and how to correct for distortion in a drawing. She also demonstrates how to set up a value scale and how to identify a subject’s core value. Instruction in composition, lighting, how to work with several photo references, and how to capture details is also provided.

In this book about our favorite subject, Diane explains how botanical illustrators can use different techniques to create texture and values. Botanical artists will learn about graphite powder, graphite washes, and carbon pencil — tools not normally discussed in a botanical art class. Artists will also learn the value of creating a reference collection of flowers, flower heads, stems, leaves, leaf attachments, and reproductive parts for each specimen before combining these elements into a single composition. Eleven projects are presented by Diane, each one bringing attention to a different aspect of drawing. The projects and the key skills learned in each are as follows:

Calla Lily – Blocking geometric shapes, the process of shading to create form
Tulip – Blocking shapes, working with ellipses
Hibiscus – Using graphite powder to create dark accents
Heliconia – How to translate color as a tone in graphite, use of water-soluble graphite pencils
Ornithogalum – How to approach drawing an inflorescence
Water Lily – Using horizontal strokes to depict flatness
Clematis – Drawing a vining plant & trellis
Hydrangea – Using texture to create the illusion of many small florets
Window Box Exercise – How to make plants a focal point in a scene
Sunflower – How to simplify a drawing
Mixed Media Exercise – Using ink washes and graphite

These titles are available at ArtPlantae Books.

Diane has so much more to teach us. Be sure to stop by on Monday!

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Capture Autumn’s Rich Colors

Posted in botanical art, drawing, Learning Opportunities on August 9, 2010|

New at Classes Near You > Washington:

Kathleen McKeehen, Scientific Illustrator
Kathleen is a teacher and freelance illustrator. Her work has appeared in Organic Gardening Magazine and The Herb Companion. View Kathleen’s artwork in the ASBA Members’ Gallery or at the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators’
Science-Art.com.

Gage Academy, Seattle
www.gageacademy.org

Painting Roses – August 14, 15 (weekend)
Basics of Botanical Watercolor – Fridays, August 6 – September 3;
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM. An introduction to classic techniques in botanical illustration. Learn how to observe, measure, draw, and paint botanical specimens. Open to all levels of artist. Continuing students will work on new projects under supervision. Cost: $205
Botanical Watercolor: Autumn Cornucopia – Fridays,
September 17 – November 19; 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM. Capture the colors, textures, and shapes of Fall. Learn watercolor techniques such as wet-on-wet and color-intensifying dry brush. All levels of artist are welcome. Cost: $420
Leaves of Autumn in Watercolor – October 9 – 10 (weekend);
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM. Learn a variety of watercolor techniques while studying the colors and forms of autumn leaves. Beginners to botanical illustration will learn how to observe and measure leaves. All levels of artist are welcome. Cost: $195

Center for Urban Horticulture, University of Washington
http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg

Botanical Drawing I – Thursdays, September 30 – October 28,
7:00 PM – 9:30 PM. Contact Jean Robins 206-685-8033 or jrobins@u.washington.edu

Poulsbo Parks & Recreation
www.cityofpoulsbo.com/parks/parks.htm

Botanical Drawing – Mondays, October 18 – November 29, 2010

Studio Classes
Botanical drawing and watercolor classes in Kathleen’s Indianola studio. Contact Kathleen for more information. (360) 297-8858

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Wendy Hollender To Discuss “Botanical Drawing”

Posted in botanical art, Drawing, drawing, Learning Opportunities, Special Announcements, Special Events on July 16, 2010|

Wendy Hollender’s new book, Botanical Drawing in Color: A Basic Guide to Mastering Realistic Form and Naturalistic Color, is a book for all artists. To celebrate the release of this wonderful guide to drawing plants, ArtPlantae will host a live Ask The Artist session with Wendy on
August 18, 2010.

Wendy will discuss her artistic journey from surface designer to botanical artist. She will discuss her favorite botanical paintings and how they inspired her to learn about botanical illustration. She will also explain the “well-kept secrets” of realism she was not taught in college as a Fine Arts major. Find out how this detailed guide to botanical drawing and color was created for artists at all levels.

DID YOU KNOW…

Our April 2008 “Ask The Artist” with Wendy Hollender is the most read article of all time at ArtPlantae Today?
Botanical Drawing in Color sky-rocketed to the #2 position on the Nielsen Bookscan Ratings during its first week?
Botanical Drawing in Color is already in its second printing?

Learn from Wendy during a special Web broadcast.
Reserve Your Seat Today!

Event

Date

Time

Where

Cost

Bonus

Can’t attend the live event because you’ll be in rush-hour traffic on a freeway somewhere? No problem. Registered attendees will be able to view a recording of this event.

Please note these system requirements:

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

REGISTER HERE

Updated: August 13, 2010

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Nature Studies in Williamsburg

Posted in botanical art, drawing, Learning Opportunities on July 14, 2010|

Now at Classes Near You > Virginia:

Linda C. Miller
http://lindacmiller.blogspot.com
Based in Virginia, Miller is a talented, experienced botanical artist and a member of The American Society of Botanical Artists. Visit Linda’s blog to view examples of her work and to learn how she began her career as a botanical artist.

Nature Studies Workshop – Saturdays, August 7 & 14, 2010; 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM. This is equivalent to a life painting course, only you choose your “nature” subject. Workshop participants are welcome to work from photographs or actual objects. Learn how to “set up” your nature finds to create a library study painting depicting all the wonderful details. Each student will create a contour drawing on tracing paper and then move on to create an original watercolor painting or pen and ink rendering. This workshop will include drawing and watercolor demonstrations. Cost: $50, limited to 10 students (children over 14 may attend upon speaking with the instructor). Instructor will provide tracing paper and 300 lb. Hot press watercolor paper (11″ x 14″). This workshop will be taught at the Human Services Center Multipurpose Meeting Room located at 5249 Olde Town Road, Williamsburg, VA 23188. To register please contact instructor, Linda C. Miller.

Art in the Park: Three-Day Nature Sketching and Journaling Workshop – Saturdays, September 25, October 2 and 9, 2010;
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Develop your own approach to drawing in this workshop that will help you observe and draw the natural world. The first day of class will be at the Quarter Path Recreation Center. The remaining two days will be out in the field at Waller Mill Park. Open to artists of all levels of experience (18 years & older; children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult). Cost: $75. Registration closes April 14, 2010. Please register at Waller Mill Park or by calling (757) 259-3778. View course itinerary and materials list here.

Materials List for Nature Studies Class:

(1) Kneaded eraser, medium size
(1) .05 HB mechanical pencil or 2B wood pencil/sharpener and (1) fine point black marker
Unlined paper the size of your painting, your printer’s copy paper is perfect if you do not have sketching or drawing paper.
(1) Raphael 8404 Series Round No. 3 brush or No. 4 brush or other new round sable brush of artist quality
(1) Small cellulose sponge
(1) Watercolor Palette of choice for mixing or a 8” white porcelain/ceramic plate works great!

Watercolor “Starter” Paints: Prussian Blue, French Ultramarine Blue, New Gambouge, Lemon Yellow, Permanent Rose, Burnt Umber by Winsor Newton or any other well balanced palette. Please note that Artist Quality paint is best, student quality may contain opaque white paint which does not allow for transparency. The starter paints will get you started – and you can make great browns and grays from this group too!

(1) Large plastic container for water
Paper towels — a good handful of sheets
Old brushes for mixing!!!!!!!!
Optional – .05 Micron Pen for Pen and Ink

Materials can be purchased online from Dick Blick Art Materials or Jerry’s Artarama. Art supplies can also be purchased at Walls Alive in Williamsburg.

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