2007-01-16T20:46:00.000-08:00

Art Materials for the Botanical Illustrator

Take the mystery out of materials. There are ten types of erasers - which one is right for the job? What is the difference between sable and synthetic? What’s vellum? This information-packed class will provide you with detailed information about all of the art materials used throughout the Botanical Illustration program. From papers to pencils, inks to pens, brushes to paints, you’ll learn where and how to find all the right materials and how they are used. Save time and money by shopping expertly the first time. Fee: $40 member, $49 non-member. No prerequisites

*Fri., March 23, 9 a.m. - noon

Instructor: Renee Jorgensen

Matting and Floating Artwork

Preparing your work can be fun and affordable if you know the tricks and techniques. This one-day workshop covers mat-cutting and inexpensive framing options. Start with an overview of equipment, materials and measuring. Learn to float your artwork for an inexpensive alternative to matting. Demonstrations and handouts show you how to measure and cut your own single, double and multi-opening mats. Give it a try! Use the instructor’s mat-cutter and materials to cut a single mat and float your own work. You’ll go home with two pieces ready to frame. Then come to the framing class and put it all together! Fee: $80 member, $110 non-member. No prerequisites

*Fri., July 13, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Instructor: Susan Rubin

Framing Botanical Art

Get your work off the drawing board and onto the wall! This one-day workshop covers the options that will help you to present your art to its best advantage. Learn the steps to the conservation techniques that preserve your pieces in an acid-free environment. We’ll cover all the details of framing styles and materials, and you’ll frame a small piece to practice. Whether you decide to frame it yourself or work with a professional, you’ll be more confident in your framing decisions. Fee: $80 member, $110 non-member. No prerequisites

*Sat., July 14, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Instructor: Susan Rubin

The Business of Botanical Art

What’s next? Start with a self-assessment of your potential, personal direction and goals as an artist. Learn the skills and create the materials you’ll need to market yourself as a professional. Work step-by-step to organize and build a portfolio from the artwork you have and design an effective business card to present yourself professionally. Train your “left-brain” business manager to work with your “right-brain” artist as you gain information about contracts, paperwork, legal issues for artists and archiving your artwork. Visits to a paper store and a printer provide vital information for launching a professional future. You’ll develop the know-how to start out in the art world. Fee: $192 member, $245 nonmember. Prerequisite: Pencil I.

*Wed., March 28, April 4, 18, 25, May 2, 1 – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Marjorie Leggitt

Drawing on Tradition: Drypoint Printing (Intaglio Print)

If Rembrandt and Dürer had Plexiglas at their disposal, they most certainly would have embraced the inexpensive and simple contemporary method of printing this class teaches. You will learn the printmaking process called drypoint or intaglio. Learn to etch like the masters without the complexity of traditional copperplate methods first developed in Southern Germany during the late 15^th century. The team of two instructors will guide you through their respective areas of expertise; design and printmaking. First learn to apply basic principles of design in a simple composition inspired by live tulips. Then walk step-by-step through the drypoint printing process, experimenting first with line then applying drypoint to your composition. Finish with techniques for coloring your engraved plates using the medium of your choice. This type of etching renders elegant, expressive lines varying between light and delicate to heavy and bold, to create a uniquely velvety feel. Fee: $226member, $326 nonmember. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Mixing for Artists, Watercolor I OR Color layering for Colored Pencil and Colored Pencil I

*Sat., Feb. 11, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (Hibiscus); Sat. – Sun., Feb 18 – 19, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (KOZO-Fine Art Materials, 10 E. Ellsworth Ave, Denver); Sat., Feb. 25, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (Hibiscus).

Instructors: Annie Reiser and Patricia Branstead

Ukrainian Easter Eggs: Pysanky

Beautiful batik with a botanical flair! Start with an introduction to the history of the centuries-old craft of Pysanky and study botanical motifs in traditional ornamental patterns. Create your original egg design by combining motifs. Learn about the specialized techniques and tools for this batik method using aniline dyes with wax resist. A discussion of dye colors and preparation will have you ready to create one sampler egg and one with your personal design, just in time for Easter. Fee: $225 member, $275 non-member. Fee includes professional toolkit with three different sized traditional kitsky (drawing tool). No prerequisites, though some drawing experience helpful.

*Weekend Workshop

Fri. – Sun., March 16 – 18, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Instructor: Annie Reiser

Bookbinding

From Kangxi to Yamato and Retchoso: Japanese Bookbinding Basics

Japan

was influenced by, and inherited many of the essential elements for book production and binding from China. Retchoso, a multi-section technique from the Heian period (794-1185 CE) is thought to be the only uniquely Japanese binding method. Learn eight Japanese bookbinding structures and as a final project create two beautiful books: a kangxi bound book for photos and a multi-section, retchoso bound book for notes. Fee: $95 member, $125 non-member for one day, $165 member, $225 non-member for both days. Fee includes supply kit for the books produced during the class. No prerequisites.

*Fri. – Sat., Jan. 13 – 14, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Instructor: Mervi Hjelmroos-Koski

Medieval Limp Binding: Tegumentum rubrum and Tegumentum spandix

Limp binding is characterized by simple, practical and extremely durable construction without stiff covers. It has been around since 12^th century and at that time was used on merchants’ account books and notebooks containing running notations. Limp structures were typically sewn with parchment and covered in vellum. Learn the history of limp binding and bind two different variations in this medieval technique based on books held in the city archives of Tallinn, Estonia: Tegumentun rubrum, a German Law book from the late 13^th century and Tegumentum spandix, a 15^th century regulations register. We will be using leather, vellum and all archival materials. Fee: $280 members, $320 non-members. Fee includes supply kit for the books produced during the class. No prerequisites.

*Weekend Workshop

Fri. – Sun., March 2 - 4, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Instructor: Mervi Hjelmroos-Koski

Coptic Binding - Color Mixing Journal

Make it beautiful and make it useful! Learn the craft of Coptic binding start-to-finish as you make your own journal for Color Mixing in Watercolor or for mixing colors in the field. Create a custom cover with your own decorative papers. Beginning with specially printed cardstock, learn to assemble paper signatures, align the spine and stitch your beautifully bound journal. In just one day, create a lasting journal for color mixing. Once you know the binding techniques, you’ll make numerous books for many uses. Fee: $100 member, $$125 non-member. The fee includes paper (Fabriano Artistico, 90-lb hot press watercolor paper and color mixing templates in cardstock), archival glue, Davey board for one journal and needles for sewing. No prerequisites.

*Sat., March 24, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Annie Reiser

Case Binding

Do you subscribe to a newsletter or journal, but can’t find the issue you are looking for? Case bind your journals to organize them and protect them for the future. In this class you will work with case bound structures, which are the most basic of book structures. Begin by making a blank single-signature binding with a hardcover and spine, which also features an inlaid label or design on the front cover. Then bind printed journals or periodicals into a finished bound book. The sturdy binding also allows you to open the book flat for copying purposes. By the end of the class you’ll have one basic book and perhaps had time to bind two books filled with periodicals! Fee: $215 member, $290 non-member. Fee includes supply kit for the books produced during the class. No prerequisites.

*Tue., May 1, 8, 15, 6 – 9 p.m.

Instructor: David Ashley

Drawing Techniques

Light on Form

Take your drawings from flat to fabulous. The secret to portraying light and shadow on your subjects lies in understanding the scientific method of lighting as it applies to different forms. Beginning with basic geometric shapes, refine your skills in showing light and volume on any subject. The class will work entirely in graphite pencil, but the principles apply to all other media. As you progress to fruits and vegetables, to leaves and flowers, and to entire plants with complex shapes, you will overcome the obstacles in creating three-dimensional drawings. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I

*Mon., Jan. 9, 16, 23, 30, Feb. 13, 9 a.m. – noon

Instructor: Susan Rubin

Radiance in Realism

Add an extra flair to your pen and ink work…with color! Innovation with mixed media can completely change the look of your drawings. Instruction and demonstration of how to combine ink drawing with ink washes, watercolor pencil and colored pencil will spark your imagination. Analyze first existing works of art to see how other illustrators have used the three media together. Then you’ll dive right in and practice on your own pieces and discover the beauty of mixed media. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Pen and Ink I, Color Mixing for Artists, Watercolor Pencil I.

*Mon., Jan. 9, 16, 23, 30, Feb. 6, 6 – 9 p.m.

Instructor: Renee Jorgensen

Face Your Fears

Spines are scary? A tumble of leaves make you tremble? Huge is horrible and tiny is terrible? You are not alone! Every botanical artist faces difficult drawing and complicated color. Bring your worst worries and develop strategies for unraveling the tough stuff. Work as a group in a relaxed atmosphere to expose and conquer whatever presents a challenge when you sit down to draw. With effective tools and a step-by-step plan to work around any issue, you’ll be brave enough to draw any subject in graphite or colored pencil. A small portrait of the subject you formerly feared will bolster your confidence to tackle the tough ones any time. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Layering for Colored Pencil and Colored Pencil I

*Tue., Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31, Feb. 14, 1 – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Susan Rubin

Delicate Details (Dry Brush)

Hairs, fibrous roots, pistils and stamens! The secret to depict specific details is the dry brush technique! A traditional watercolor method, dry brush means working with small strokes and limited use of washes. Improve your brush-handling skills and develop increased control with guided exercises. Practice paint layering techniques to create vibrant color surfaces and sharp, clear details. New skills build confidence and can make your next watercolor project work for you. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Mixing for Artists and Watercolor I

*Thurs., Jan. 12, 19, 26, Feb. 2, 9, 6 – 9 p.m.

Instructor: Karla Beatty

Perspective Special

One-, two-, three-, four- and zero-point perspective; linear and non-linear perspectives. How does one render them correctly and what are their limitations? Even Plato discussed the problems of perspective and how magical it is for human understanding. In this technique class, instruction and demonstration will focus on composition, scale and view. See how other artists have solved problems of depth and atmosphere. Using graphite or watercolor, you will challenge yourself and take a second look at the unexpected to achieve the right perspective for buried, hidden and dry plant components. Your advanced skills will prepare you to select a live specimen and work through the process of completing a botanical plate. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisite: Pencil I, Perfecting Perspective

*Wed., Feb. 15, 22, 29, March 7, 14, 6 – 9 p.m.

Instructor: Karla Beatty

Color Layering II: Complementary Colors

Magic or mud? If your complements aren’t getting compliments, it’s time to delve into the effective use of color wheel opposites. See how adjacent complements create brilliance and layered complements dull and shade. Learn to discern hidden complements and put them to work for you. Create a finished piece that shows off your mastery of complementary color and earns plenty of compliments! Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Layering for Colored Pencil and Colored Pencil I

*Mon., June 4, 11, 18, 25, July 2, 9 a.m. – noon

Instructor: Susan Rubin

Surface Textures in Microscope

Up close and personal. Over 40 different textures are identified within the plant kingdom. The pointed hairs of a nettle can sting, while star-shaped hairs of lavender carry its fragrance and the scales on the bromeliad surface are instrumental for the water management of the plant. Take a close look with the microscope and learn to identify the textures of many different botanical subjects. Enjoy group instruction and individual guidance as you learn to depict the enlarged textures. The more you know about botanical textures, the better your illustrations. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Botany for Botanical Illustrator.

*Tue., June 5, 12, 19, 26, July 3, 9 a.m. – noon

Instructor: Mervi Hjelmroos-Koski

Graphite

Focus on Bamboo

Bamboo is a common and vital fast-growing plant in Japan and other Asian countries symbolizing humility and fidelity. It exemplifies integrity for it bends in a storm, but does not break. The hard, smooth stem is used as a sustainable choice for flooring, paneling, cutting boards and cooking utensils. The flowing leaves are the only food source for the giant panda. In this class you’ll master carbon dust, the medical and scientific illustrators’ traditional medium, to obtain the smooth graduated tones and soft shapes of the bamboo. Become skilled at carbon pencils, blenders, brushes and fixatives. Learn to use a brush to apply the dust washes with a flawless continuous tone and your final attractive botanical plate will have the precision of watercolor. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Pencil II

*Wed., May 9, 16, 23, 30, June 6, 1 – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Karla Beatty

Pen & ink, calligraphy and publishing

Elegant Hand Lettering I

Learn copperplate or round hand lettering, the traditional style for labeling early botanical plates. Popular in England in the 17^th and 18^th centuries, this elegant lettering complements botanicals beautifully. Start with an introduction to the oblique pen and flexible quill nibs. Practice basic pen strokes and learn to form each letter in this classic style. Learn label placement and lettering size to complete your plates with a special flourish.

Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. No prerequisites.

*Mon., Jan. 9, 16, 23, 30, Feb. 13, 1 – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Renee Jorgensen

The Elegant Line: Calligraphy II

Your paintbrush has a new task! From the Romans to the Romantics, artists have wielded the brush to add the final flourish to artwork and documents alike. Whether working in a formal or an informal script, the brush is natural for creating elegant letterforms. Learn how to maneuver the lively springy character of the brush to bring life to letterforms and decorative strokes. Practice arm and wrist movements that will bring your calligraphy to a new level of precise control. Explore media other than black ink to add the final, personal touch to every artwork. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Entry level calligraphy course such as Elegant Hand Lettering I or Calligraphy I

* Thurs., June 14, 21, 28, July 5, 12, 1 – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Renee Jorgensen

Discover Fibonacci – Patterns in Conifer Cones

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 14 … we find the Fibonacci sequence in music, economics, geometry, art, human anatomy, snail shells and in the architecture of plants. Learn about these patterns found in nature and science from a local Fibonacci specialist and study the conifer cones which are excellent examples of the sequence. Practice mapping values to create a realistic illusion of light and form, and learn to express the different textures with line and stipple in the complex cone structure. You will advance your pen and ink skills to the professional level while creating a beautiful final plate from your favorite cone. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Pen and Ink I, Pen and Ink II

*Tue., Feb. 21, 28, March 6, 13, 20, 1 – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Marjorie Leggitt

Drawing on Tradition: Henry Evans

Henry Evans (1918 – 1990) was a self-taught artist, botanist and printer who added a new dimension to the history of botanical illustration. His beautiful linoleum prints, all drawn from live plants and printed on an 1852 press, conveyed a strength and simplicity unique to the genre. He produced some 1400 subjects in 31 years of active work. Leave your paintbrush at home and bring your computer for this 21^st century technique. Become more proficient in the skills acquired in Adobe Illustrator I. Your sketches from the garden are transferred to the computer and serve as template for the final illustrations. After practicing vector-based drawing on the computer and learning to use the Wacom tablet and stylus, you will design and illustrate a 2013 botanical calendar in the style of Henry Evans. Fee: $192 member, $245 nonmember. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Adobe Illustrator I.

*Weekend Workshop

Fri. – Sun., June 22 - 24, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Instructor: Marjorie Leggitt

Colored Pencil

Drawing on Tradition: Georgia O’Keeffe

Be adventurous! Bold color and big blooms dominated the flower paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe. In the 1920s, her extreme close-up views revolutionized the tradition of flower painting. Learn about the artist’s motivation and methods and then select your own bloom to super-size. Combine pan pastel with colored pencil to create a powerful statement of composition and color on a larger scale. Demonstrations and instruction will guide you to complete a big bloom in bold color. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Layering for Colored Pencil, Colored Pencil I, Colored Pencil II.

*Tue., Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31, Feb. 7, 6 – 9 p.m.

Instructor: Susan Rubin

Art Nouveau: Botanical Tile Designs

Characterized by curvaceous lines and a focus on nature, the Art Nouveau movement was in part an expression of beauty in the everyday object. Artists such as Alphonse Mucha and Charles Rennie Macintosh created fervor for stylized flowers. Discover principles of Art Nouveau design and how to make it your own. Working with colored pencils, create a design that will span a panel of tiles that might decorate a backsplash, a fireplace or a trivet. Don’t stop there! Tile-printing professionals will make your finished work into beautiful, functional tiles.

Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Layering for Colored Pencil, Colored Pencil I, Colored Pencil II.

Thur., Feb. 16, 23, March 1, 8, 15, 6 – 9 p.m.

Instructor: Susan Rubin

New Grounds for Colored Pencil

Colored pencil takes a painterly turn! In a fresh twist on a familiar subject, discover the benefits of using colored pencil on papers with nap and on sanded papers to create lush and velvety effects. Learn about a variety of textured papers and how to select the right paper surface for your project. Acquire new pencil application techniques that will help you use the new surface to full advantage, using deep color to establish form and fine line to define details. Individual guidance will help you to create a botanical portrait with a distinctly different look. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Layering for Colored Pencil, Colored Pencil I

*Weekend Workshop

Fri – Sun, March 30 – 31, April 1, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Instructor: Libby Kyer

Flowering Fruit Trees in Colored Pencil

Branch out! The delicate blossoms of spring fruit trees beckon you to step outside the box and capture the beauty of a branch in colored pencil. See how other artists have handled the subject and learn composition tricks to place a large branch on a page. Working from a combination of plant material and your own photographs, you’ll learn how combine and interpret photos, clarify details and re-light the subject for a fresh, outdoor feel. Celebrate spring with an adventurous plant portrait. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Pencil II, Color Layering for Colored Pencil, Colored Pencil I

*Wed., May 9, 16, 23, 30, June 6, 9 a.m. – noon

Instructor: Susan Rubin

Plants in Japanese Paper: Washi

The tradition of plant-based papermaking in Japan dates to the 7^th century, nearly 600 years ahead of Europe. Washi ( Wa for Japanese and shi for paper) was traditionally produced by hand and are considered some of the finest in the world. Learn about the plants and production of various Japanese papers from local expert Patricia Branstead of Kozo Fine Art Materials and select papers with embedded plant material or printed plant images as your inspiration. Create a traditional plant portrait of the plant within the paper, using your choice of media. Decide how you will incorporate the Japanese paper into your artwork to complete the story. Collage? Background? Mat? Frame? We’ll show you the techniques, so the only limit is your imagination.

Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Any Level II course with the respective prerequisites

*Wed., June 13, 20, 27, July 11, 18, 1 – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Susan Rubin

Color-Filled Whites with Colored Pencil

“White” has many faces. Learn to find and render the many colors of white, using innovative “seeing aids” and new techniques in colored pencil. Build tints, tones and scintillation into your colored pencil painting and find ways to render white that reflects the real world appearances of white, as found in local color, reflections and highlights. New non-pencil aids as well as dry and liquid colored pencil techniques will help you when you are experimenting with variety of surfaces including fabric, plastics and plants. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Layering for Colored Pencil, Colored Pencil I

*Weekend Workshop

Fri – Sun, May 18 – 20, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Instructor: Libby Kyer

Mixed Media – illumination

Drawing on Tradition: The world of Cicely Mary Barker

Cicely Mary Barker, an English illustrator born in the late 1800s, is known and loved around the world for her illustrated books on flower fairies. She was equally proficient in water media and pen and ink. In this class, learn about her life and discover the secret fairy world that has captivated the young and old for more than a hundred years. Create your own fairies using your botanical illustration skills and some new techniques. Using pen and ink and your choice of color, we will create illustrations for future generations of fairy lovers! Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Pen and Ink I, Color Layering for Colored Pencil, Colored Pencil I OR Color Mixing for Artist and Watercolor Pencil I or Watercolor I

*Mon., March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 16, 6 – 9 p.m.

Instructor: Susan DiMarchi

Drawing on Tradition: Floral Designs in the Kimono

The kimono’s long history in Japan is evidenced by discoveries of the belted garments in archaeological excavations of areas dating to 300 BCE. Fabric designs based on flowers and nature are strongly linked to a symbolic and significant meaning whether it is a kimono for man, woman or child. A local kimono expert will come to the classroom with an early 20^th century selection of garments to share the tradition connected to the kimono in the past and present. Learn also about the connection and influence of Japanese art and design to the Art Deco and Art Nouveau movements. In this class you will create a fabric design with a traditional Japanese color palette and design concepts. Use modern mixed media including colored and gold inks, colored pencil, watercolor pencil and other water media. Stretch your creative vision and bolster your confidence when you transfer your design onto silk using a brush and color media to produce your own fabric following the rules of traditional patterns in Japanese kimono art. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Mixing for Artist, Composition

*Tue., March 27, April 3, 10, 17, 24, 1 – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Renee Jorgensen

Critters in the Garden

Insects, spiders and crawly critters are creepy, but so important for the well being of your garden and the vibrant ecosystem. Expand your understanding of these essential organisms as you learn about garden invertebrates from a museum expert during a visit to Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Back in the classroom learn how other illustrators have tackled this subject matter. Select a living, preserved or pinned specimen, learn to draw it in anatomically correct fashion and place it in its correct environment. Practice new textures and colors which are unusual for plants and improve all of your composition skills as you create a final plate in your choice of color media. If you are a GNSI member your interesting and unusual final plate will be eligible for the juried DBG/GNSI exhibit in 2013. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Layering for Colored Pencil, Colored Pencil I OR Color Mixing for Artist and Watercolor I

*Tue., May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 1 – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Marjorie Leggitt

Art of Bonsai – Miniature Detail Made Easy

Less is more. Traditional Japanese masters developed tray landscapes so a single tree in its miniature landscape could represent the whole universe. In this class you will first learn about the thousand year history of bonsai from a bonsai specialist. You will work from a real bonsai using Coptic sketching pens and learn to use pen and ink as a loose medium. Combining watercolor washes and layered underpainting with pen and ink, you will develop a detailed mixed media illustration. With lots of individual guidance you learn to draw complex miniature 3D forms in a non-traditional way and in your final plate you’ll have captured bonsai details through suggestion. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Pen and Ink I, Color Mixing for Artist and Watercolor I

*Tue., June 5, 12, 19, 26, July 3, 1 – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Marjorie Leggitt

Horologium Florae – Floral Clock

Morning glory and wild rose open their petals at 5 a.m.; Californian poppy opens at 10 a.m.; daylilies close at 8 p.m. We can tell the time of day by watching flowers open and close in the garden. Linnaeus was the first scientist to discover that flowers open and close at specific times of day with accuracy. You’ll dive into chronobiology and create your own local petal time clock by incorporating twelve miniature flower portraits in your illumination. Select twelve flowers known to open and close at specific time in our region and work either with the day or the night cycle. Fee: $192 member, $245 nonmember. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Mixing for Artists, Water Color Pencil I or Watercolor I or Gouache.

*Thurs., June 14, 21, 28, 5, 12, 9 a.m. – noon

Instructor: Renee Jorgensen

Watercolor Pencil

Watercolor Pencils I

It’s dry, it’s wet, it’s mixed media in a single pencil! Discover the versatility of watercolor pencils. Start with color studies to explore the qualities of watercolor pencils as they translate into watercolor. Experiment with graphite pencil and ink as embellishments as you develop and work on sketches from your journal, then put your new skills to use to create a finished botanical plate in this fresh and fluid medium. Fee: $192 member, $245 nonmember. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color layering for Colored Pencil, Color Mixing for Artists.

Wed., Jan. 11, 18, 25, Feb. 1, 8, 6 – 9 p.m.

Instructor: Renee Jorgensen

Watercolor Pencil II

More to explore! Build on your new watercolor pencil skills and add more techniques to your toolbox. Create a swatch sampler of watercolor pencil with varied paper and media, including walnut and colored inks, gouache and more. Learn how to create backgrounds. Refine your skills and apply new ideas to a finished work of your own design. Fee: $192 member, $245 nonmember. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Watercolor Pencil I

Wed., June 13, 20, 27, July 11, 18, 9 a.m. - noon

Instructor: Renee Jorgensen

Water media

One Big Leaf – Coccoloba or Cecropia

Whether the leaf is from Coccoloba or Cecropia, this plant part is fascinating with curls and twists. It can be big and bold with lots of tiny details, colored with rich earthy tones. You will learn to create a unified whole and understand the term “gestalt” used in art: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” After learning how other masters have portrayed similar subjects in botanical illustration you’ll explore a variety of traditional watercolor techniques including wet-on-wet and drybrush. You will be surprised to produce a final painting that addresses the complexity of the detail while the simplicity of a big leaf is retained. Fee: $192 member, $245 nonmember. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Mixing for Artists, Watercolor I

*Thur., Feb. 16, 23, March 1, 8, 15, 9 a.m. – noon

Instructor: Constance Sayas

Winter Landscapes: Japanese Garden

Despite chilly and windy days, landscape artists cherish the simplified beauty and delicate coloring of our winter gardens. Begin in the classroom with an historical overview and instruction in basic techniques for drawing and painting garden landscapes while focusing on Japanese garden concepts. Hear from the Gardens’ curator of the Japanese Garden how these gardens are typically created using strict traditional perception and symbolism. Move outdoors to learn techniques to accurately portray both distant subjects and close-up botanicals within the same scene. Field sketching techniques will help you to see and simplify landscape elements and create compositions with dynamic depth. Your winter landscapes will be filled with the serenity that is so tangible in Japanese gardens. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Mixing for Artists and Watercolor I

*Wed., Feb. 22, 29, March 7, 14, 21, 1 – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Karla Beatty

From Sushi to Wasabi: Japanese Food plants

Seaweed, horseradish, daikon roots, soy beans, chrysanthemums, rice grains and more; these are just a few of the incredible variety of plants used in the Japanese kitchen. The focus of this class is on food plants and food illustration. Working in watercolor, create a botanical collage with a story to tell. Instruction and demonstration emphasize composition and refining wet-on-wet and dry brush techniques. This delicious topic will be executed with paint brushes - chopsticks are optional! Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Mixing for Artists and Watercolor I

*Tue., March 27, April 3, 10, 17, 24, 9 a.m. - noon

Instructor: Karla Beatty

Spring Has Sprung: Daffodils in Living Color

Daffodils boast many colors, shapes and sizes and Karen Genoff-Campbell has them all in her incredible garden, where you can choose your favorites for a colorful spring bouquet. Practice your perspective and composition skills, and study the light and form on the simple, but so complicated subject matter. You will practice atmospheric and linear perspective while drawing the flowers from front, side and angled views and create an accurate skeleton on which to build your composition with correct depth and value. With plenty of individual guidance you’ll create a final plate in your choice of medium with an interesting and unusual composition that will endure. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Layering for Colored Pencil, Colored Pencil I OR Color Mixing for Artists, Watercolor I

*Tue., May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 9 a.m. - noon

Instructor: Marjorie Leggitt

Drawing on Tradition: William Bartram Explorations

When William Bartram returned to Philadelphia from a four-year botanical exploration in the eight southern colonies in 1777, he established the first nursery in U.S. and printed the first plant catalog. He did this together with his brother John, who was at that time running their father’s botanic garden, Bartram’s Garden. Explore the history of American botanical art. Learn about the art and science of William Bartram, an early American naturalist and explorer and how he was influenced by the English Mark Catesby and George Edwards. Begin with a focus on composition and learn to edit for best effect. Demonstrations and individual guidance will show you strategies for combining watercolor techniques including wet-on-wet, washes and controlled dry brush techniques. Create your own watercolor plate in keeping with the spirit of naturalist William Bartram. Fee: $192 member, $245 non-member. Prerequisites: Pencil I, Color Mixing for Artists and Watercolor I

*Mon., May 7, 14, 21, June 4, 11, 1 – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Constance Sayas

Five Easy Ways to ENROLL

By telephone: 720-865-3580
By fax: 720-865-3685 (24 hours)
In person: Visit the education office at the gardens, 1007 York Street, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday – Friday
By mail: Attention: Registrar, 909 York Street, Denver, CO 80206
Online

Refund and Cancellation Policy:

Cancellations more than one week prior to a class are subject to a 15% cancellation fee. Cancellations with less than one week notice are non-refundable. Please consider your payment a donation to the Gardens.

After Course has Commenced:

Instructors have no authority to grant or promise refunds. In the event of a family emergency or because of inclement weather circumstances, the student can later complete the course by taking the missed classes from the same instructor and notifying the program manager two weeks before the course starts. If 60-80 percent of the course is missed because of the family emergency or the inclement weather circumstances, the course can be re-taken from any instructor in that media if space is available.

These policies apply to all registrations in the Botanical Art and Illustration Program. Selected courses have additional cancellation and refund requirements printed with the course description. Denver Botanic Gardens regrets that it cannot make exceptions.

Certificate credit requirements for individual courses:

Attendance is required at the first class for all courses. In order to receive credit, 80 percent of a course must be attended (at least 12 hours of a 15-hour course).

Elective Courses, Winter - Spring 2012

Art Materials for the Botanical Illustrator

Refund and Cancellation Policy: