SCIENTIFIC, NATURE AND BASIC DRAWING COURSES AND WORKSHOPS OFFERED

Note: all courses can be adapted to shorter workshops and all workshops expanded to longer courses. New classes and workshops may be designed to meet your needs.

Scientific Illustration Distance Learning Program-Four 10-week classes offered on-line. Students may take one or all four, culminating in a certificate of completion. Further details.

Technique classes-private and group lessons in: basic drawing; graphite; pen and ink; watercolor

Pen and Ink Illustration- 6-12 week course. Become proficient in the age old media of pen and ink. This class is dedicated to technique, composition and producing portfolio quality artwork. Using crow quill, brush and technical pens on film, bristol board and scratchboard, students learn the techniques of varying line weight, stipple, cross-hatching and washes to create drawings of precision, depth and beauty. Compositions are inspired from direct observation and published references. Tools for developing dynamic and subtle value ranges coupled with strong compositions and interesting subject matter prove invaluable for the illustrator. Previous drawing experience is helpful.

Scientific Illustration -6-12 week course. Scientific illustration combines science and art and requires proficiency in both fields. With loose field sketches, keen observations and drawing exercises, students learn a variety of drawing and painting techniques to produce aesthetically pleasing and accurate renderings of objects from nature. Students use professional scientific illustration conventions and their own observations to create illustrations with depth, contrast, accurate form and effective composition. This course includes demonstrations, weekly assignments and critiques, and exposure to professional organizations in the field.

Students learn to draw from microscopes, and from a variety of subject matter. Possibilities include feathers, botanical specimens (live plants, seed pods), marine subjects (shells, crabs, starfish), bones and/or birds. A final project is included.

By the end of the semester, students will have finished drawings of a variety of subjects in at least three of the most commonly used traditional media, and will have learned how to document natural science.

Scientific Illustration: Drawing from Nature -6-12 week course

Keeping a field sketchbook will be encouraged throughout this course.

Demonstrations, weekly assignments and critiques, and exposure to professional organizations in this field make this an attractive course for those interested in art and science. This course offers the opportunity to learn the basics or to improve skills while relaxing and learning from examples of nature in the company of others. Students use traditional drawing exercises and hone their observation skills  as they capture the elements of the natural world on paper. Work is completed in a variety of black and white and color media. The goal of this class is to create depth, contrast and accurate form while paying attention to detail and composition.  New media is frequently introduced while reinforcing the importance of form, value, accuracy and observation.

Field Sketching/Nature Journaling-4-8 week course

Drawing on-site serves many purposes. Observing subjects in their natural environment offers greater understanding of nature and its creatures. Drawing them increases observation and illustration skills and allows time to connect with nature, relax, and enjoy the outdoors. It is also a way of collecting information to take back to the studio for more "finished" drawings.

Field Sketching/Nature Journaling -1-3 day workshop

This class focuses on increasing observation skills and capturing nature on paper.  What does the air smell like? How many feathers on that bird and why are they different? How do I draw this animal? Techniques used by professional artists and accessible to a wide range of ages and skill levels are explored. This class is open to all; no experience necessary.

Botanical Illustration in Black and White-1-3 day workshop

Fundamentals for beginning students explore the skills necessary to put your favorite plant on paper: line, tone, perspective, light and shading. More advanced students focus on texture and composition. The class begins with pencil and graduates to black pen if desired. Individual attention and demonstrations as time and class size permits.

Botanical Illustration in Color- 1-3 day workshop.

It’s hard to resist color when flowers are blooming. This workshop concentrates on watercolor, the medium of choice for many botanical illustrators. Special emphasis is on mixing greens and matching colors. 

Pencil-1-3 day workshop

Learn the basic skills which you will then apply to every drawing in any media you will ever do.  We cover line, tone, shading, form, perspective, texture. How does one translate a 3-dimensional object onto a 2-D plane? This class answers many of your questions and gives both beginning and advanced students the opportunity to focus on the fundamental skills of drawing.

Pen and Ink on Scratchboard-1-3 day workshop

Scratchboard is a clay coated surface that allows one to work from white to black and visa versa. It allows for fine details and easy corrections. Resulting images may be graphic, wood-block type paintings or very detailed scientific illustrations. Color use is discussed, but the focus is on the black and white virtues of this technique. Board may be supplied.

Book Arts-Make Your Own Sketchbook-1 day workshop

Making your own sketchbook allows you to choose and combine a variety of papers under one cover. Papers may be selected for watercolor, pen and ink, color pencil, graphite, markers, cray-pas, pastel…With little to no gluing and some basic sewing, participants construct a decorative, sturdy,  hard-cover/soft-spined book. Once participants learn this construction method,  they will be able to make books of any size for any purpose. Examples of other construction designs will be displayed.

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