Botanical Art & Illustration Classes

Contemporary botanical art captures the beauty of the natural world with precision, and our extraordinary instructors share their expertise in this nurturing yet rigorous program. NYBG offered North America's first formal botanical art certificate program and remains a leader in the discipline after more than three decades. This program offers a well-rounded array of courses that can be enjoyed singly, just for fun, or lead to a Certificate.

Click here for an overview of the Certificate Program.


September

Building on Botanical Drawing I skills, learn to tone fruit, vegetables, leaves, and branches. Focus on concepts of light source, value, and shading to create form. Learn to translate color into black and white, and create the illusion of depth more...
271BIL302CO 09/14 Mo 5:30pm-8:30pm Vogel
ONLINE

This comprehensive class covers the basic techniques of botanical watercolor. Learn how to use your brushes to make smooth, underlying washes, as well as to create fine detail. Color theory will teach you how paints interact, and how to select more...
271BIL331BO 09/15 Tu 1:00pm-4:30pm Rossetti
ONLINE

Examine the enormous variety of forms and structural adaptations of flowering plants -- the world's dominant plant group. Through lectures, demonstrations, and laboratory studies, learn to recognize and draw the many plant parts and growth stages of the most common more...
271BIL300CO 09/16 We 10:30am-1:00pm Day
ONLINE

If you're looking to transition from drawing to watercolor painting or fine tune your watercolor techniques, this class is for you. You will practice basic techniques such as flat washes, glazing, graded washes, and dry brush for fine details. Dilutions more...
271BIL407O 09/17 Th 11:00am-2:00pm Vogel
ONLINE

Forethought and an understanding of basic composition principles are the foundation of any balanced work of art. Through group critiques, discussions and a variety of exercises, we'll experiment with a wide range of principles, including focal point, the rule of more...
271BIL421BO 09/19 Sa 10:00am-3:00pm Rogers-Knox
ONLINE

Learn the basic watercolor techniques used by botanical artists while painting a Japanese anemone from the photograph provided. Demonstrations will show you how to lay a smooth wash and how to shade a form to make it look 3D, among more...
271BIL151O 09/20 Su 11:00am-4:30pm Rossetti
ONLINE

This intro class teaches you basic botanical illustration techniques to help you make realistic drawings of branches, stems, leaves, and flowers using graphite.
271BIL145GO 09/23 We 6:00pm-9:00pm Miller
ONLINE

Focus on the most brilliant and seasonal foliage—the ginkgo leaf. Learn the basic watercolor techniques used by botanical artists while painting these fan-shaped leaves from the photograph provided. Flat wash, layering and other techniques will be covered.
271BIL203O 09/26 Sa 11:00am-1:45pm Vogel
ONLINE

Explore the steps of painting seasonal flowers such as tulips, daisies, lilies, and Gerbera daisies in watercolor. Gain the skills and confidence to create a flat wash, blend the right colors, and practice basic watercolor techniques—allowing you to bring your more...
271BIL230 09/27 Su 11:00am-3:30pm Wry
NYBG

Gain an understanding of how light interacts with multiple botanical subjects in a single composition. Light on form is critical to creating dimension in a botanical illustration; when a composition contains several botanical specimens, additional attention to the placement of more...
271BIL450O 09/28 Mo 10:00am-1:00pm James
ONLINE

Accurate observation translates into sensitive, realistic drawings and is an essential skill for botanical artists. Using basic shapes, fruit, and leaves, learn contour drawing with an emphasis on proportion, and explore techniques such as foreshortening, perspective, and line weight.
271BIL301C 09/30 We 11:00am-2:00pm Wry
NYBG

October

Learn the basic watercolor techniques used by botanical artists while painting miniature ornamental pumpkins. Flat wash, layering and dry brush techniques will be covered. This class will offer demonstrations and individual feedback from the instructor in an enjoyable and supportive more...
272BIL229 10/03 Sa 11:00am-4:30pm Wry
NYBG

Replicate the colors, luminosity, form, and texture of autumn squash using watercolor. You'll begin by learning the importance of selecting interesting specimens from the Cucurbita family to illustrate. From there, you'll practice creating fluid line drawings, transferring them to hot more...
272BIL369O 10/14 We 6:00pm-9:00pm Petrochko
ONLINE

Learn how to mix beautiful shades of gentian blue—a vivid, deep purplish-blue color, to create a stunning depiction of a gentian species of your choosing. Using a visual example of Gentiana autumnalis as a guide, you'll learn how to capture more...
272BIL322O 10/18 Su 10:00am-1:00pm DeCicco
ONLINE

Learn how to create autumn-inspired compositions across a two-page spread. Using ink, watercolor, and a provided template on paper vellum, you'll be able to illustrate and easily transfer your sketches of autumn leaves and other botanical subjects onto a horizontal more...
272BIL125 10/19 Mo 11:00am-1:00pm Yount
NYBG

Accurate observation translates into sensitive, realistic drawings and is an essential skill for botanical artists. Using basic shapes, fruit, and leaves, learn contour drawing with an emphasis on proportion, and explore techniques such as foreshortening, perspective, and line weight.
272BIL301AO 10/19 Mo 6:00pm-9:00pm Thompson
ONLINE

Designed for both inexperienced students and those who wish to improve their skills, this class will allow you to work at your own pace on a variety of pieces. Lectures and demonstrations are enhanced by individual instruction.
272BIL140A 10/23 Fr 11:00am-2:00pm Wry
NYBG

Though graphite is generally considered to be most beneficial in producing sketches or "studies" for more complete drawings and paintings, it can also be used to produce finished illustrations suitable for publication in scientific journals. Using pencils of various densities, more...
272BIL370O 10/23 Fr 10:30am-1:30pm Rawlins
ONLINE

This intro class teaches you basic botanical illustration techniques to help you make realistic drawings of branches, stems, leaves, and flowers using graphite.
272BIL145A 10/25 Su 11:00am-2:00pm Yount
NYBG

This comprehensive class covers the basic techniques of botanical watercolor. Learn how to use your brushes to make smooth, underlying washes, as well as to create fine detail. Color theory will teach you how paints interact, and how to select more...
272BIL331AO 10/26 Mo 11:00am-2:00pm Grossman
ONLINE

Pen and ink, among the most versatile and useful media, can be used to create high quality, easily reproducible drawings. Learn how to produce different strokes and how to create tone by using stipple, line, and crosshatch techniques.
272BIL400AO 10/26 Mo 10:30am-1:30pm Morley
ONLINE

The focus of this course is on color theory and application. Colored pencil line and tone can be applied to look like either drawing or painting, making it a versatile medium for creating botanical artwork. Learn a variety of techniques, more...
272BIL415AO 10/28 We 5:30pm-8:30pm Vogel
ONLINE
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