ArtPlantae Today

How do you grade a sketch?

January 12, 2009 by Tania Marien

Topinka, Lorie and Diane T. Sands. 2005. Sketching as a science tool. Connect. 19(1): 4-7.

Illustrators Lorie Topinka and Diane T. Sands answer this question in their article, Sketching as a Science Tool (2005). They discuss how biologists use sketches and diagrams in their field journals and explain how some initial observations are more easily captured as sketches instead of as words. They then explain how they develop observational skills in their students through sketching exercises and explain the procedure they use to grade student sketches.

Topinka and Sands’ checklist provides structure to any sketching activity and assigns points according to met criteria instead of the quality of art a student produces.

This article is accessible online through Synergy Learning.

Purchase a back issue of Connect, Vol. 19(1), September/October 2005 ($6, incl. postage).

Posted in teaching & learning, Teaching & Learning |

Workshop Updates

January 12, 2009 by Tania Marien

California Classes Near You

Nina Antze – Drawing Nature (colored pencil)

Kathy Dunham – Beginning Watercolor, Intermediate Watercolor, Sketching & Drawing, Plein Aire (Springtime in the Desert), Create Dynamic Paintings in Watercolor, Painting & Sketching in France

UC Davis Center for Plant Diversity – Botanical Illustration

International Classes Near You

Kathy Dunham – Painting & Sketching in France

Mike Sibley – Graphite Pencil Techniques (UK). Mike will also teach this class in New York, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Texas, and Tennessee. Keep up with Mike’s teaching schedule here.

Posted in Learning Opportunities |

ArtPlantae Now on Twitter

January 9, 2009 by Tania Marien

ArtPlantae establishes a botanical art presence on Twitter.
Follow us and read our tweets! See what we’re tweeting about!

What are words like “tweet” and all of that other annoying lingo?

Annoying.

However these bird words also represent enlightening energy, knowledge, and a glimpse of the background hum powering ArtPlantae. A glimpse is all you’ll get because each tweet (i.e., post) is limited to 140 characters. The funny short links you see are longer links that have been shortened to satisfy the 140-character limit. Do not hesitate to click on these links. They will not take you anywhere weird, we promise. They only look suspicious.

Why are we tweeting? We’re conflicted. We have spurts of lots to say, but hesitate to post frequently for fear of thoroughly annoying those of you who receive automatic updates via email. As far as we can tell, you all prefer moderate contact. If we are wrong here, please post a comment and correct our thinking.

In the meantime, are you ready?

Posted in Blog News |

Rare Books & Botanical Art at Cornell University’s CyberTower

January 6, 2009 by Tania Marien

Cornell University’s CyberTower enables Web visitors to learn from Cornell faculty any time of the day or night. The CyberTower website is located at www.cybertower.cornell.edu. Upon entering this site, visitors can choose to enter any number of rooms. Each “room” actually refers to a special topic taught by a faculty member. Visitors can learn about any topic from autism to marketing to nutrition to English garden design. Of particular interest to botanical artists is Marcia Eames-Sheavly’s presentation of rare botanical books and still life floral paintings. Click on the Fine Art and Horticulture room to learn how botanical illustrations and botanical motifs have been used through the centuries.

When you arrive at the Fine Art and Horticulture room, click on the Introduction video to begin the sequence of short video clips. There are nine clips, however Clip #7 is not functioning at the moment. To watch all video clips in one sitting, you’ll need about 47 minutes of quiet time.

Many thanks to Marcia Eames-Sheavly, librarian Linda Stewart, and curator Cathy Rosa Klimaszewski for taking botanical art history out of the library and making it accessible to a wider audience.

Posted in botanical art books, Special Articles & Interviews | 2 Comments »

Art Meets Science in Washington

January 5, 2009 by Tania Marien

The University of Washington Libraries and the UW Botanic Gardens’ Elizabeth C. Miller Library will have artwork from their respective collections on view at the University of Washington Suzzallo Library (Rm. 102), January 9 – February 27, 2009. This exhibit is free and open to the public.

Instructor and artist Louise Smith will discuss the history of botanical illustration on Friday, January 9th. See the exhibit website for details.

Learn from Louise Smith and other artists here.

Posted in botanical art, Special Announcements, Special Events |

Plant Portraits “Made in California”

January 4, 2009 by Tania Marien

The 24th annual Made in California exhibition will be held March 22 – May 1, 2009 at the City of Brea Art Gallery. This juried exhibition is open to all artists living in California. Entries must be original and have been created within the past two years. Eligible media are oil, watercolor, acrylic, drawings, mixed media, graphics, photography, video, and sculpture (up to 50 lbs.). Please no crafts or functional art.

Approximately 80 works will be on view for five (5) weeks. Botanical art has been featured at this exhibit in the past, so don’t be shy!

Download an application at www.breagallery.com.

Posted in Special Announcements, Special Events |

New Classes in New York & Washington

January 3, 2009 by Tania Marien

See what Roberta Rosenthal will be teaching in New York and what Kathleen McKeehen will be teaching in Washington. Click on the Classes Near You! tab above.