Botanical Art & Illustration Certificate Requirements

NYBG's Botanical Art & Illustration Certificate Program offers the opportunity to learn from some of the most extraordinary artists from around the world. The program requirements give students a solid foundation in scientifically accurate drawing based on observation and fine art techniques.

Those in pursuit of a Certificate must complete 221 total course hours (167 required + 54 elective), plus a final project. Browse this page to discover what required courses are currently scheduled.


September

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...
261BIL300CO 09/17 We 10:00am-12:30pm Bijkerk
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.
261BIL301F 09/18 Th 11:00am-2:00pm Wry
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...
261BIL331BO 09/18 Th 5:30pm-8:30pm 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...
261BIL421BO 09/20 Sa 10:00am-3:00pm Rogers-Knox
ONLINE

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...
261BIL302CO 09/27 Sa 11:00am-2:00pm Vogel
ONLINE

October

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.
262BIL301AO 10/16 Th 6:00pm-9:00pm Rawlins
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 plant families. more...
262BIL300AO 10/19 Su 10:30am-1:00pm Day
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...
262BIL331AO 10/19 Su 11:00am-2:00pm Vogel
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.
262BIL400AO 10/27 Mo 11:00am-2:00pm 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...
262BIL415AO 10/31 Fr 11:00am-2:00pm Vogel
ONLINE

November

We will focus on using Instagram to showcase and promote your work. You'll define your goals for using social media as a marketing tool, and create a strategy to achieve those goals, as well as discover tips for attracting and more...
262BIL394AO 11/01 Sa 11:00am-1:00pm Jamison
ONLINE

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.
262BIL303AO 11/06 Th 5:30pm-8:30pm 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.
262BIL301BO 11/09 Su 10:00am-1:00pm Rawlins
ONLINE

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...
262BIL302A 11/11 Tu 11:00am-2:00pm Wry
NYBG

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...
262BIL421AO 11/21 Fr 10:00am-3:00pm Rogers-Knox
ONLINE

January

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...
263BIL331BO 01/05 Mo 5:30pm-8:30pm Vogel
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.
263BIL301CO 01/08 Th 11:00am-2:00pm Grossman
ONLINE

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...
263BIL302BO 01/08 Th 5:30pm-8:30pm Vogel
ONLINE

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.
263BIL303BO 01/13 Tu 6:00pm-9:00pm Rawlins
ONLINE

Whether or not you decide to pursue botanical art as a business, knowing standard practices will be useful. Over the course of this class, you'll learn the basics of dealing with galleries and artists' reps, including; pricing, contracts and sales more...
263BIL392O 01/24 Sa 10:30am-2:00pm Woodin
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.
263BIL301DO 01/28 We 11:00am-2:00pm Rawlins
ONLINE

February

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...
263BIL415BO 02/12 Th 11:00am-2:00pm Fashek
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.
263BIL301EO 02/17 Tu 5:30pm-8:30pm Vogel
ONLINE

We will focus on using Instagram to showcase and promote your work. You'll define your goals for using social media as a marketing tool, and create a strategy to achieve those goals, as well as discover tips for attracting and more...
263BIL394BO 02/21 Sa 11:00am-1:00pm Jamison
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.
263BIL400BO 02/21 Sa 10:00am-1:00pm Morley
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...
263BIL421BO 02/28 Sa 10:00am-3:00pm Rogers-Knox
ONLINE

March

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...
263BIL302CO 03/03 Tu 11:00am-2:00pm Grossman
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 plant families. more...
263BIL300BO 03/04 We 10:30am-1:00pm Bijkerk
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...
263BIL331CO 03/05 Th 10:00am-1:00pm James
ONLINE

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.
263BIL303CO 03/10 Tu 10:30am-1:30pm Rawlins
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.
263BIL301F 03/14 Sa 10:00am-1:00pm Wry
NYBG

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...
263BIL302DO 03/14 Sa 2:00pm-5:00pm Rawlins
ONLINE

A professional website can be a great way to market and archive your work. In this hands-on class, you will build a simple website (no coding required!) to showcase your portfolio using squarespace.com, a free and easy-to-use platform, which allows more...
263BIL395O 03/14 Sa 11:00am-1:30pm Marcheschi
ONLINE