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Archive for the ‘Learning Opportunities’ Category

Observe the Shapes & Patterns of Gourds

Posted in Learning Opportunities on September 14, 2009|

The following class has been posted at Classes Near You > California:

Huntington Library, Art Collection and Botanical Gardens
http://huntington.org
Located in San Marino, CA, the Huntington Library, Art Collection and Botanical Gardens is a true gem. In addition to housing extensive collections of art and hosting scholars from all over the world, The Huntington is home to 120 acres of gardens. These gardens serve as inspiration to local botanical artists who enroll in the botanical art classes taught by Lisa Pompelli. To register, please call (626) 405-2128.

Botanical Watercolors: Gourds, Squash & Melons – October 31, November 7 & 14; 9 AM – 4 PM. Study the shapes and colors of members in the squash family (Cucurbitaceae) with instructor Lisa Pompelli. Prior drawing experience recommended. Members $275, Non-members $295.

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Drawing Plants in Pen & Ink

Posted in Learning Opportunities on September 7, 2009| 2 Comments »

©1992 Vera Ming Wong (Amerorchis rotundifolia)

Grab this opportunity to improve and polish your pen & ink technique with natural science illustrator Vera Ming Wong!

Vera will be teaching Plants in Pen & Ink at the Como Zoo & Conservatory in St. Paul, MN on September 29 – November 17, 2009 (8 weeks). Class meets on Tuesday evenings, 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM.

Pen and ink has long been a favored medium for scientific illustration because of its clarity and ease of reproduction. For the field naturalist, pen and ink is easy to carry and creates an smudge-resistant image. Explore both traditional and modern forms of pen and ink. Finesse your line, stipple, brush and scratchboard techniques to describe plant forms clearly, sensitively and accurately.

Prerequisite:
Botanical Drawing I or equivalent experience (contact instructor about a prerequisite waiver)

Cost: $175 for 8 wks

To register, or for a full listing of the many drawing and painting classes offered, go to Como Zoo Conservatory or call 651-487-8270.

About Vera Ming Wong:
Vera Ming Wong has illustrated numerous books and magazine articles, working in pen & ink, brush & ink, watercolor and cut-paper. As a botanical illustrator and illustrator of animals, both vertebrate and invertebrate, Vera particularly enjoys drawing from life. Her drawings of trees (from life) appear in Welby Smith’s most recent book Trees and Shrubs of Minnesota. Vera has taught botanical and zoological drawing at Como Zoo and Conservatory for many years, and has gained recognition among naturalists and teachers through her workshops on using drawing as a medium for learning biology and other natural sciences, and math. She is founder and coordinator of Project Art for Nature.

This class has also been posted to Classes Near You > Minnesota.

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Plant Identification & Sketching Techniques at Ghost Ranch

Posted in Learning Opportunities on September 7, 2009|

Artist Helen Byers and biologist Janet Darrow will lead a journaling class at the Ghost Ranch Education and Retreat Center in Abiquiu, New Mexico from October 5-11, 2009. Participants will receive instruction in drawing, watercolor sketching, and how to identify the local flora and fauna. All levels of students are welcome.

Go to the Ghost Ranch website to learn more or to register for this class.

This workshop has also been posted to Classes Near You > New Mexico.

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Start-up Guidance & A Fun Challenge for Botanical Artists

Posted in Learning Opportunities on September 7, 2009|

The classes below are taught by Marjorie Leggitt at the Denver Botanic Gardens (DBG). View the current class schedule for both Marjorie and DBG at Classes Near You > Colorado.

The Business of Art
Fri-Sun, Oct 2-4, 9am – 2:30 pm
Course #09CBI450

What’s next? Start with an assessment of your potential, personal direction and goals as an artist. Learn the skills and create the materials you’ll need to market yourself as a professional. Work step-by-step to organize and build a portfolio from the artwork you have and design an effective business card to present yourself professionally. Train your “left-brain” business manager to work with your “right-brain” artist as you gain information about contracts, paperwork, legal issues for artists and archiving your artwork. Visits to a paper store and a printer provide vital information for launching a professional future. You’ll develop the know-how to start out in the art world.

Fee: $185 member, $223 nonmember.
All students are welcome, with no prerequisites.

The Illustrated Recipe
Mon., Oct. 19, 26, Nov. 2, 9, 16, 1 – 4 p.m.
Course #09CBI351

Just when you thought you might have to buy another scarf for your mother-in-law…this workshop is perfect for creating holiday gifts: recipe cards, a label for your favorite salad dressing, a framed picture of your sister’s beef bourguignon complete with the calligraphed recipe! What a GREAT idea!!!

Apple Pie? Borscht? Herbed muffins? Choose a favorite recipe and create an illustration as the perfect companion. See how other artists have illustrated recipes in cookbooks, old and new. Composition is key as you arrange fruits, vegetables, herbs and cooking tools to enhance the text. A demonstration will show you how an artist might use a computer to approach layout for a project of this kind, though you will do your work with traditional artist materials. Working in the color medium of your choice, create a piece that would be a delicious holiday gift or card.

Fee: $185 member, $223 nonmember.
Prerequisites: Pencil I, entry-level color media of choice.

To register go to the web page of the Botanical Illustration Certificate Program at Denver Botanic Gardens.

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New Botanical Art Workshop Focuses on Butterflies

Posted in Learning Opportunities, scientific illustration on August 17, 2009|

The following information has been added to CLASSES NEAR YOU > CALIFORNIA.

Butterflies in Watercolor:
Combining Butterflies within Botanical Art
Saturday, October 3, 2009

Sharon Belkin, Illustrator
9:00am – 3:30pm / Oak Room
$95 members/$105 non-members; pre-registration required
$10 supply fee due to the instructor in class
Supply list available upon registration

How do you make choices about which butterfly to include in a flower painting?

Scientific illustrator, Sharon Belkin, will address the many issues of combining butterflies with plant material as well as how to compose with flowers and insects. Topics that will be covered include:

Butterfly anatomy and the importance of wing position
Handling insect specimens and how to obtain them
Using reference materials to extract the details most useful to the artist (such as size of wingspan and season of activity)
Host plants
How to use photographs

Sharon will also discuss the many interesting insect-plant relationships found not only in California native plants but also insect-plant relationships found in the Tropics. For example, passionflower vines are host to a whole family of colorful butterflies. She was trained at UCLA and has been a member of The Guild of Natural Science Illustrators since 1976 and is a former member of the American Society of Botanical Artists. Throughout her career, Sharon has specialized in insect illustration, collaborating with museum and university scientists. Recently, she illustrated a series of 10 habitat studies of plants, animals and insects found in the various plant communities of the Ballona wetlands, located in Southern California. In 2009, she completed a series of 13 watercolor studies of native Guatemalan orchids. Because of her travels in the Amazon and in Central America, Sharon has developed a particular interest in rainforest ecology.

To register, please call 626.821.4624 or email jill.berry@arboretum.org

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A New Session Annoucned for “Focus on Flowers”

Posted in Learning Opportunities on August 17, 2009|

Through engaging lectures, painting demonstrations and hands-on exercises, Julie Schneider Ljubenkov will teach you to create beautiful watercolor flowers and foliage using the four key steps of composing a painting. In addition to traditional favorites like roses and sunflowers, you will discover the unique beauty of San Diego’s indigenous wildflowers. By the end of this class, you will have mastered the techniques needed to create hundreds of vibrant colors using a limited palate.

Focus on Flowers: Beginning Watercolor
Mira Costa College
$109.00; Non-credit, adult course at the San Elijo Campus
Wednesdays, September 30 to November 18, 2009.
Register for this class here.

Note: Please bring paper and pencil to the first class meeting. A supply list will be available from the instructor. A $3 materials fee will be collected in class. Plan to spend an additional $40-$65.

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Popular Botanical Painting & Illustration Classes Continue

Posted in Learning Opportunities on August 17, 2009|

TheLos Angeles Arboretum & Botanic Garden offers courses in introductory botanical drawing, beginning and intermediate watercolor, colored pencil, and sketching throughout the year. All courses are taught by Olga Eysymontt. Check the listings below for upcoming Fall and Winter classes.

Basic Watercolor & Graphite Pencil
Application and Techniques for Botanical Illustration (Ongoing Series)
In this class, students will render all plant forms in graphite and then use their graphite drawing as a model to create the same form with transparent watercolor. This ongoing series will cover the basic application and techniques of watercolor painting and drawing in graphite. Cost: $180 members / $195 nonmembers.