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.
Plein-Air
artist
Frank
Guida
covers
basic
design
principles,
including
focal
point,
contrast,
perspective,
line,
and
gesture,
as
well
as
how
to
choose
a
subject
that
translates
well
on
the
page.
Then,
you
will
go
out
on
grounds
to
practice
what
more...
Learn
the
basic
watercolor
techniques
used
by
botanical
artists
while
painting
a
perennial
hibiscus
flower
from
a
provided
photograph.
A
photograph
will
be
provided
for
reference.
Flat
wash,
layering
and
dry
brush
techniques
will
be
covered.
This
online
course
will
more...
This intro class teaches you basic botanical illustration techniques to help you make realistic drawings of branches, stems, leaves, and flowers using graphite and colored pencil.
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...
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.
Illustrators
Maria
Sybilla
and
Art
Cushman
and
botanical
artists
Marianne
North
and
Marc
Isaac-Williams
accurately
depict
the
complex
beauty
of
insects.
To
better
render
these
animals
so
crucial
to
the
life
of
plants,
we'll
explore
the
basics
of
insect
classification,
more...
Internationally
renowned
botanical
artist
Billy
Showell
joins
us
from
England
for
a
special
3-day
online
workshop.
A
master
of
the
wet-on-wet
watercolor
technique,
Showell
will
guide
you
through
her
methods
of
washing,
lifting,
and
re-washing
to
create
velvety
smooth
roses,
more...
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.
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.
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...
This intro class teaches you basic botanical illustration techniques to help you make realistic drawings of branches, stems, leaves, and flowers using graphite and colored pencil.
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
plant
families.
more...
Apply your understanding of contours, perspective, and tone to drawing three distinct types of flowers. The object is to accurately draw a fully toned flowering plant. Explore compositional possibilities, textures, and details.
Learn
the
basic
watercolor
techniques
used
by
botanical
artists
while
painting
radishes
with
leaves
from
a
provided
photograph.
A
photograph
will
be
provided
for
reference.
Flat
wash,
layering
and
dry
brush
techniques
will
be
covered.
This
online
course
will
offer
more...
Learn
how
toned
paper
creates
dimension
and
allows
for
vibrant
colors,
dramatic
light,
and
dark
application—bringing
your
subject
to
life.
Using
colored
pencil,
watercolor,
and
gouache,
you'll
explore
a
variety
of
painting
techniques
as
you
study
the
color
shifts
caused
more...