ArtPlantae Today

Denver Botanic Garden Offers Comprehensive Program in Botanical Art

November 15, 2010 by Tania Marien

New schedule of classes now at Classes Near You > Colorado:

Denver Botanic Gardens School of Botanical Art and Illustration
Denver Botanic Gardens
A complete program offering classes in pencil drawing, colored pencil, watercolor, sketching, botany, art history, scratchboard, and classes dedicated to specific techniques and plant groups. See a complete course listing here. This program now works collaboratively with El Charco del Ingenio, a nature reserve and botanical garden in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico. To download the Winter/Spring 2011 DBG catalog or the brochure for El Charco, visit the program’s blog at http://botanicalillustration.blogspot.com/. This blog is maintained by Program Coordinator, Mervi Hjelmroos-Koski.
The 2011 schedule includes:

GUEST WORKSHOPS

Drawing on Tradition: Women’s Painted Furniture (1790-1830) – Jan. 21-22; 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Instructor: Betsy Krieg Salm, scholar, artisan and teacher of the long-lost art of women’s painted furniture. Cost: $170 member, $192 non-member.
Discover Scratchboard: Ink and Graphite – April 15-17; 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Instructor: Trudy Nicolson, freelance medical and scientific illustrator. Cost: $210 member, $257 member
Natural Colors and Science of Art – Feb. 18-19; 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Instructor: Rebeccah Cope, Manager & Program Director of the Historic Yates Mill County Park, Raleigh, NJ. Cost: $210 member, $257 member

INTRODUCTORY COURSES (Cost: $192 member, $245 non-member):

Introduction to Botanical Illustration

REQUIRED COURSES ($192 member, $245 non-member):

ELECTIVE COURSES (prices vary):

A Special Note from Program Coordinator, Mervi Hjelmroos-Koski:
Please tell your readers about the Arts and Archives tour we’ll be organizing next spring. We’ll be leaving March 31 from Denver and returning April 11, there is an option to stay longer if that would be the preference. We travel to London first (April 1-6) and spend the later part of our of tour in Madrid. We’ll start with Hampton Court Palace Archives and Florilegium and enjoy the Royal School of Needlework’s archives tutor of their Floral treasures. We visit the Natural History Museum, Kew Gardens with Shirley Sherwood Gallery, the Linnean Society, and the Lindley Library. We will be visiting Ann Swan at her studio in Wiltshire and Stonehenge alt. Avebury. We are hoping to see the 2011 SBA exhibit before leaving to Madrid where we will visit the Royal Botanic Gardens, National Library and Archives; Museo den Prado, L Reina Sofia, Tyssen-Bornemisza and the Royal Palace. I have three spots left (the tour is limited to 13 participants only).

For more information about this exciting travel opportunity, contact Mervi Hjelmroos-Koski.

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Posted in botanical art, Learning Opportunities |

Sierra Club Trails Added to “Nature Near You”

November 8, 2010 by Tania Marien

Looking for new trails to explore? Try the Sierra Club’s directory of trails for hiking, cycling, walking, and many other outdoor activities. Trails can be searched by keyword, city, state, and zip code. Trails are sorted according to activity level (easy, moderate, strenuous), features (hiking, canoeing, etc.), and river class for those who enjoy whitewater adventures.

Are you a birder? A fan of Yosemite? Be sure to search the group directory to locate individuals with similar interests. The Sierra Club’s Trails website has a lot of information, so you’ll want to take your time when you visit. If you have a favorite trail that is not listed, add it to the directory!

Be sure to read the blog too. Of particular interest is the Nature Art column, a weekly column written by Sue Fierston. Recent articles highlight sketching and stamping (nature printing).

Posted in Education, Reference, sketchbook |

UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley Announces Botanical Art & Exhibition News

November 8, 2010 by Tania Marien

New at Classes Near You > California:

University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/
This 34-acre garden was established in 1890 and is now a non-profit research garden and museum. The classes below are taught by Lee McCaffree and Catherine Watters . Download a detailed schedule for October 2010 – January 2011 here.

Sketch in the Garden to Begin a Botanical Art Painting – Saturday and Sunday, November 13 and 14, 2010; 10 am-4 pm each day. We invite you to participate in our Fall series of classes in botanical illustration with the talented instructor Lee McCaffree. Students will create detailed pencil sketches while observing plants in the garden. They will get to know their subject in its natural habitat by recording details such as size, posture, morphology, color, and growing environment. These field notes will be used to compose a painting in the classroom. A materials list will be posted on the website. Cost: $160 non-members, $150 members. Register for two or more classes and receive $10 off each.
Winter Botanicals as Paintings – Friday and Saturday, December 10 & 11, 2010; 10 am-4 pm each day. We invite you to participate in our Fall series of classes in botanical illustration with the talented instructor Lee McCaffree. Take a break from the busyness of the holidays to explore the colors of winter through the painting of botanical subjects. Berries, evergreens, cones and dried plants are exciting subjects from the Garden. Use paint or colored pencils to capture the beauty in a painting of your own. Each student will work at his/her own level. A materials list will be posted on the website. Cost: $160 non-members, $150 members. Register for two or more classes and receive $10 off each.
Introduction to Botanical Art – Saturday and Sunday, February 12 &13, 2011; 10 am-4 pm each day. We invite you to participate in our Fall series of classes in botanical illustration with the talented instructor Catherine Watters. This two-day class will teach you to observe, measure and draw plants in great detail with botanical accuracy. Work with graphite, colored pencils and watercolor. A materials list will be posted on the website.Cost: $160 non-members, $150 members. Register for two or more classes and receive $10 off each.
2nd Annual Plants Illustrated Exhibition – Saturday, January 8, 2011- Thursday, January 27, 2011. Display of botanical artwork sponsored by the Northern California Association of Botanical Artists. Free with garden admission.
Succulent Wreath Making – Wednesday, November 17, 2010; 6 pm-9 pm. Create a gorgeous succulent wreath to enjoy all year round. You’ll
select among a variety of succulents and receive instruction on how to plant and care for your wreaths. All materials provided. $60 non-members, $50 members.
Evergreen Wreaths and Garlands – Wednesday, December 8, 2010; 6 pm – 9 pm. Make a beautiful and festive wreath or garland to add to your holiday decorations. Greens from the Garden and other materials are included, but be sure to bring your own hand pruners! $30 non-members, $25 members.

Posted in botanical art, Learning Opportunities, Special Events |

Distance Learning Opportunities in Botanical Art at London Art College

November 8, 2010 by Tania Marien

New at Classes Near You > International > England:

London Art College: Distance Learning Art Courses
www.londonartcollege.co.uk
Distance learning is this school’s specialty. In this program, students have the opportunity to engage in many types of art. Students are required to complete regular exercises and assignments. Homework is scanned and uploaded for critique or sent to tutors through traditional mail.

Botanical Illustration 1 – An introduction to botanical illustration, painting, and plant morphology. Students will learn about the history of botanical illustration, as well as how to collect and use reference material. Instructor: Lynette Conway. For more information, including sample pages from this course, click here.
Botanical Illustration 2 – Watercolor techniques are the focus of this course. Detailed step-by-step demonstrations are included in this course taught by Sandrine Maugy. Details and sample pages can be viewed here.

Other courses include drawing, painting, sketching landscapes, oil, colored pencil, cartooning, portraits, and children’s book illustration. There are even long distance courses for kids!

Posted in botanical art, distance learning, Learning Opportunities |

Florilegium Director Leads Class About Fall Colors & Textures

November 2, 2010 by Tania Marien

Now at Classes Near You > California:

The Gardens at Heather Farm
Walnut Creek
www.gardenshf.org
The Gardens at Heather Farm are comprised of twenty demonstration gardens. This six-acre garden is also an outdoor classroom. The garden offers many classes and has its own florilegium. The florilegium project is managed by botanical artist, Catherine Watters.

Painting Pumpkins and Gourds

click here

The Botany and Ecology of How Plants Grow

click here

Posted in botanical art, botany, gardening, general botany, Learning Opportunities |

Learn Fundamental Graphite Techniques from Katie Lee

November 1, 2010 by Tania Marien

The moment you open Fundamental Graphite Techniques by Katie Lee, you know you are holding something different in your hands. Something you’ve never seen before. Something you know you need.

Whether you view a graphite pencil as a mere stepping stone to a watercolor painting or you view a graphite pencil as the specialized tool of your preferred medium, by the time you finish this book, you will have fresh new insight into what can be accomplished with a simple pencil.

Katie leads artists carefully through thirty-three exercises. Each exercise is presented as a worksheet. Katie provides detailed instruction, helpful visual aids, and encouragement every step of the way. Through very patient instruction, Katie instructs artists how to think about their subject, how to see their subject, and emphasizes the importance of using both written words and illustrations during the preliminary stages of a drawing. Without much effort, Katie demonstrates how simple geometric shapes are really simplified natural forms. She makes it easy for artists to see how cones can be flower buds and apical meristems; how cylinders can be petioles, pedicels, branches, and stems; how spheres can be fruit; how cubes can be square stems; and how multiple cylinders, when viewed above and below eye level, can serve as the foundation for florets in an inflorescence.

What will you be able to do upon completing the exercises in this book?

Worksheet 1 – Draw lines
Worksheet 2 – Draw outlines & contour lines
Worksheet 3 – Create expressive lines
Worksheet 4 – Create continuous tone
Worksheet 5 – Create value scales in continuous tone
Worksheet 6 – Create hatched tone
Worksheet 7 – Create value scales in hatched tone
Worksheet 8 – Create continuous tone on a cylinder
Worksheet 9 – Create continuous tone on multiple cylinders
Worksheet 10 – Create continuous tone on cylinders both above and below eye level
Worksheet 11 – Create continuous tone on a sphere
Worksheet 12 – Create continuous tone on multiple spheres
Worksheet 13 – Create continuous tone on a cone
Worksheet 14 – Create continuous tone on multiple cones
Worksheet 15 – Create three-dimensional cubes
Worksheet 16 – Render convex and concave surfaces on a single subject
Worksheet 17 – Create continuous tone on a subject composed of connected surface areas
Worksheet 18 – Use line to create surface contours
Worksheet 19 – Create convex and concave contour lines
Worksheet 20 – Draw a sphere using contour lines
Worksheet 21 – Draw folds
Worksheet 22 – Draw the twisting/folding features of plants
Worksheet 23 – Draw the twisting and graceful features of grass
Worksheet 24 – Draw a pumpkin
Worksheet 25 – Draw a raspberry
Worksheet 26 – Draw grapes
Worksheet 27 – Draw a pinto bean and its pigment pattern
Worksheet 28 – Sketch using different sketching techniques
Worksheet 29 – Measure a specimen with your eye
Worksheet 30 – Create a line drawing of a folded leaf
Worksheet 31 – Draw a stem with leaves
Worksheet 32 – Draw a head of garlic and its roots
Worksheet 33 – Draw a flower

Order Fundamental Graphite Techniques from Katie Lee at www.katieleeartist.com.

Updated November 2013

Posted in botanical art, drawing, Drawing in Graphite, Drawing to Learn, Education |

Shadow Sculptures Will Have Nightime Glow

November 1, 2010 by Tania Marien

The exhibition Radiant Light: Shadow Sculpture of California Native Plants will become Radiant Nights on select dates through November and December. The twelve sculptures created by artist Pamela Burgess will be illuminated to create a new viewing experience. Pamela will lead evening tours during which she will explain how her sculptures were created.

Radiant Nights at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
The Garden will be open from 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. on the following Fridays and Saturdays. Please bring a flashlight for your walk to and from the exhibit trail. Admission: $8 non-members / Members Free

November 12-13, 19-20, 26-27
December 3-4, 10-11, 17-18

Evening Tours with Pamela Burgess
Meet the artist. Find out how this unique exhibition was created. Enjoy light refreshments. Members $15 / Non-members $18