Current Classes
Offered by ASBA Individual Members & Member Institutions
Online botanical art course
The course is suitable for everyone wanting to develop and improve their abilities in this field of art. You will;
· Learn to observe botanical detail in plants and know what to look for.
· Learn to put down on paper what you have seen.
· Compose and draw plants in an attractive and informative way.
· Learn about the impact of tonal value and form in painting.
· Gain more understanding of your chosen media - watercolour or coloured pencil, but also graphite and pen and ink.
· Complete by the end of the course at least:
o One botanical picture in graphite.
o A pen and ink drawing in your chosen style.
o A botanical picture incorporating graphie and colour.
o One fruit and vegetable study in colour.
o Two full compositions of a flowering plant and a fruit and vegetable arrangement.
Each of the six modules in the course is sent via a dropbox link with an assignment at the end of each one. High resolution scans or photographs of the assignments are sent to me and a detailed and constructive feedback is then returned with the link to the next module.
Each module contains several tutorials and from the second module onwards there are links to some of my videos demonstrating technique. The course is expected to take no longer than 18 months, but can generally be completed in under this time, depending upon the amount of time given to it. However, botanical art is a slow art form and I don't suggest rushing it.
The course is ongoing, but I limit the numbers enrolled at any one time to ensure each person gets individual attention.
Watercolor
Learn the techniques of traditional watercolor painting while working directly from natural subjects. Elements of painting such as drawing, depicting form, light and atmospheric perspective will be taught. Bring any materials you already have on hand. Basic supplies are available for purchase in class. Appropriate for beginning through advanced painters.
Norfolk is a beautiful town in NWCT with three state parks, two protected forests and many private gardens. We will paint en plein air at various locations as weather permits and indoors in well equipped studios. There are several great places to stay and many cultural activities. Please call for more information.
Painting Nature in Color
This course includes watercolor, colored pencil, digital options, advanced composition and projects, professional practices and preparation for internships/independent studies/or portfolio development. Live video conferencing, email, weekly critiques and assignments, recorded tutorials. Prerequisites: having completed Sessions I and II or the Scientific Illustration Distance Program, or permission from instructor.
Drawing Nature in Pen and Ink
Pen and Ink is a staple for botanical and scientific illustrators. This class gives you an opportunity to immerse yourself to proficiency. Pen and ink, crowquill, line and wash techniques, composition, scratchboard, working from life, professional practices, final projects, practice with preparing and sending artwork digitally. The course includes handouts; tutorials; weekly live video conferencing; small classes, individual attention. Beginning and intermediate students.
Botanical Art Series: Learning to Draw Spring Wildflowers
Botanical Watercolor Painting
Learn the Art & Magic of Botanical Rendering
Session I - Forest (Saturday, May 5), seedpods, bark, twigs, leaves or treasures from the forest floor; capture the beauty in the unexpected.
Session II - Seaside (Saturday, May 12), shells, sand dollars, rocks, and more; explore the abundant textures.
Session III - Kitchen (Saturday, May 19), onions, garlic, tomatoes, and seasonal fruit; study papery, shiny or waxy skins of everday food.
All skill levels welcome, instructor will provide materials. Work from photographs and/or life specimens utilizing three colored pencils to create a full scale of color; basis techniques covered.
Pen and Ink Drawing of the Aristolochiaceae
* full class description to follow
Pen and Ink Drawing of the Aristolochiaceae that will include a botanical talk on the subject. The Saga Motor Hotel in Pasadena gives a discount to "out of towners" for
BAGSC (626) 795-0431.
Botanical Art Series: Wildflowers in Color
Masterclass of Botanical Illustration at the Botanical Garden Bucharest, 1 day
Masterclass of Botanical Illustration in Watercolor – one day of intensive course.
On the 18th of May, the whole world celebrates the day of botanical art. Therefore we dedicate this special event to a special masterclass, a one day intensive workshop which will unfold in a unique setting at the Botanical Garden in Bucharest. The course proposes a thorough approach on botanical illustration. It is recommended for those with minimal drawing experience, but it is suitable for participants at all levels of training. Each participant will be individually guided. The course allows the participant to choose the model of work according to the desired complexity. For optimal guidance, experienced participants can bring up, or send in advance via email, a few of the paintings that are relevant for the topic. All the necessary materials are available at the workshop location. However, you are free to bring your own materials if you prefer.
Botanical Illustration has a beautiful history that has reached its maximum interest in the 19th century. Originally botanical study was a necessity in the documentation of the flora specific to the new colonized territories, but also a form of art, one of the few ways for women to approach the scientific side. In a modern world, in which there is rarely time for such meticulous studies, it would have been said that botanical art is on the verge of extinction, mostly due to the fact that artists are no longer benefiting from the patronage of the royal houses. Contrary to this, botanical artists around the world constantly document old and new plants, working in complex teams with botanists, horticulturists and scientists. Today, botanical illustration is primarily scientific and then aesthetic, it is still a form of documenting, but also a decorative approach to watercolor painting.
Price 330 ron/ 73 euro
All participants who have attended the Atelier Irina Neacsu courses benefit from a 10% discount.
Details of voucher code at irina@irinaneacsu.com
Drawing and Painting Botanicals
Working with colored pencil, learn the techniques to translate live plant material onto paper. A work done in colored pencil can look either like a drawing or a painting. Color theory will be covered and the manner in which colored pencil mixes on paper by painting delicate layers, one on top of the other, to create the hues found in nature.
Botanical Art Series: Putting It All Together
Drawing and Painting Botanicals, Session II Colored Pencil Applications
Applying the techniques learned in Session I, fine tune your drawing and painting skills to render fruit, vegetables, leaves, bark, and twigs.
Advanced Drawing and Painting Botanicals, Session III
Using Colored Pencil as the medium, the focus of this course will be on flowers. Learn to accurately render a variety of flower forms using live plant materials. The basic principles of composition, such as focal point, balance, and rhythm will be taught. Different substrates such as black paper, Mylar, wood, and more will be explored.
PREREQUISITE: Drawing and Painting Botanicals with Colored Pencil I & II