ArtPlantae Today

Botanical illustrator, Deborah Kopka, has launched a new quarterly newsletter for her design studio DK Designs. It is through her studio that Deborah licenses her artwork, creates illustrations for publishers, and teaches botanical art classes. The inaugural issue of Botanically Speaking is provided here for your convenience. To receive future issues, please contact Deborah.

The following workshops have been added to Classes Near You > Ohio. They will be taught at Edgerton Art, an atelier in Perrysburg.

• Botanical Drawing I: Graphite – Mondays (10 weeks); April 12-June 21, 2010 (no class May 31); 6:30-9:30 PM. Learn natural science illustration techniques and create graphite drawings with graceful compositions. Demos and lots of practice during each class meeting. Special projects will be discussed. Limit: 7. Registration Form (PDF)
• Botanical Drawing II: Colored Pencil – Fridays (10 weeks), April 16-June 18, 2010; 9:00 Am – 12:00 PM. Learn how to shade, blend, and create layers of color using colored pencils. Complete a colored pencil painting by the end of this ten-week workshop. Limit: 7. Registration Form (PDF)
• Private Lessons – Receive personalized attention in a customized learning environment. Request Information
• Schedule a Workshop for Your Organization! Request Information

Also See:
Edgerton Art Spring 2010 Schedule

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Scotland has been added to Classes Near You > International!

Glasgow Botanic Garden
www.glasgow.gov.uk

• Three-day Summer School in Botanical Painting – July 7-9, 2010; 10 AM – 4 PM; Hopkirk Building. Artist Elaine Woo MacGregor will discuss drawing and painting techniques and guide workshop participants through the completion of two botanical drawings. Limit: 16. For more information, contact instructor.

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New to Classes Near You > Virginia:

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
www.lewisginter.org
In 1884, Lewis Ginter purchased some property and built a gathering place for Richmond bicyclists. One hundred years later, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is established on this same piece of property and soon became one of the top five destinations in Virginia. It is also home to Artbase a searchable database containing 2,500 botanical watercolor paintings by Alexandre Descubes. The Adult Education program at the garden includes workshops in botanical drawing and painting. Complete course descriptions and registration information are available here. Courses include:

• Color Theory for Botanical Artists – Wednesdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24; 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM. Color harmony, watercolor techniques, and special effects will be discussed. $215 non-members / $175 members
• Basic Botanical Illustration with Cindle Kollman – March 8-12, 2010; 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM. Beginning illustration class includes a historical look at botanical art and the use of techniques required to draw nature accurately. Most materials are provided. $220 non-members / $175 members
• How to Draw (More) Stuff in the Garden – Thursday evenings April 8, 15, 22 (6 – 8 PM) and Saturday mornings April 10, 17, 24 (9:30 AM – 12:30 PM). A continuation of “How to Draw Stuff”. Also for artists with previous drawing experience. Saturday classes will be held in the garden. $165 non-members / $135 members
• Botanical Illustration Workshop with Juliet Kirby: Spring Blooming Bulbs – Tuesdays & Thursdays, April 20, 22, 27, 29; 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM. Prerequisite: Completion of one botanical illustration course. Participants will draw and paint bulbs from the garden. $210 non-members / $170 members
• Anatomy of Flowers for Botanical Artists – Wednesdays, April 21, 28; 10:00 – 2:30 PM. Disect and draw flowers to understand their structure. $115 non-members / $96 members.

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New at Classes Near You > Washington:

Kathleen McKeehen, Scientific Illustrator
View Kathleen’s artwork in the ASBA Gallery or at the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators’ Science-Art.com.

Gage Academy, Seattle
www.gageacademy.org
(206) 323-GAGE
• Blooming Botanicals – Fridays, April 16-June 18, 2010; 1:30-4:30 PM. Learn or practice classic botanical watercolor skills of wash and dry-brush, portraying the flowers of spring and early summer. Beginners and more experienced students welcome. All participants will receive plentiful in-class instruction and informational handouts.
• Basics of Botanical Drawing – Thursdays, July 1-29, 2010; 1:30-4:30 PM. Introduction to measurement, gesture sketching, observation, and other skills vital to botanical drawing, along with use of line and shading to render realistic and accurate drawings of plant subjects.
• Basics of Botanical Watercolor – Fridays, August 6 – September 3, 2010; 1:30-4:30 PM. Introduction to portraying the botanical subject in watercolor, using controlled washes and dry-brush technique to render tight, accurate, and realistic images.
• Workshop: Portraying the Rose -Saturday & Sunday, August 14-15, 2010; all day. Focus on roses to learn the classic watercolor techniques used for centuries to render this popular and lovely flower.


Creativity Center with Oil & Water Art Store, Bainbridge Island
www.oilandwaterarts.com
(206) 842.0477

• Continuing Botanical Watercolor – April 6 – May 11, 2010; 12:45 – 3:15 PM. Beginners can learn the basic skills of washes and dry-brush technique. Continuing and intermediate students will practice their skills on new subjects.
  (Check website as summer approaches to see additional classes and to view examples of Kathleen’s paintings)


Poulsbo Parks & Recreation
Poulsbo Activity Brochure website (see Adult Programs)
(360) 779-9898

• Beginning/Continuing Botanical Watercolor – Mondays, April 12-24, 2010; 7:00 – 9:30 PM. Beginners can learn the basic skills of washes and dry-brush technique. Continuing and intermediate students will practice their skills on new subjects.
• Introduction to Botanical Watercolor – Mondays, July 12, 19, 26, 2010; 6:30 – 9:00 PM. Basic wash and dry-brush skills will be taught. Students will apply their new skills using simple botanical subjects.
• Field sketching – Mondays, August 9-23, 2010; 6:30 – 9:00 PM. Learn to sketch the plant world around you during visits to various gardens and sites in the Poulsbo area.


Studio Classes
Botanical drawing and watercolor classes in Kathleen’s Indianola studio. Contact Kathleen for more information.

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The U.S. Botanic Garden is now listed at Classes Near You > Washington DC.

United States Botanic Garden (USBG)
www.usbg.gov
The U.S. Botanic Garden was established in 1820 and is managed by the U.S. Congress. The garden serves as a living plant museum. The Corcoran College of Art & Design has partnered with the USBG and offers a certificate in botanical art and illustration through the garden. An example of the types of botanical art classes available at the garden are listed below. For details about exhibits, lectures, tours, and workshops at USBG, visit their Events page.

Painting Orchids in Oils – Saturday & Sunday April 10-11, 2010; 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM. Learn the techniques of the Dutch Masters. Apply your new skills as instructor Jean Brinton Jaecks guides you through the drawing and painting of an orchid from the USBG collection. $150 non-members/$140 Friends

• Drawing Plants in Water-soluble Colored Pencil – Saturday & Sunday May 22-23, 2010; 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM. Learn how to create botanical illustration with water-soluble colored pencils. Instructor Charlotte Staub Thomas will discuss drawing techniques and color theory. Participants will draw a plant from the garden.

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