Certificate in Botanical Art & Illustration
The Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration provides comprehensive courses to people who wish to improve their skills in drawing and painting plants in an accurate and technically detailed manner. Studies leading to the certificate will enhance the experience of both the professional and the dedicated amateur artist. The program is designed to give students a well-balanced curriculum combining basic scientific background, visual arts theory, and practical experience using various media.

4/6/2023
10:00 AM to 4/27/2023 12:30 PM

Sketching Landscapes in the Garden
Have you ever wanted to loosely capture what you see in a sketch while out on a hike or sitting in your own backyard? In this class, the North Carolina Botanical Garden will become our classroom as we experience the healing benefits of sketching while out in nature. You can lower your stress levels and promote mental calmness as we sketch the landscape before us. This class is about loosely capturing the essence of the natural world, so don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of drawing experience as we won’t be focusing on all the little details. This class is for all skill levels.

4/15/2023
1:15 PM to 5/13/2023 4:45 PM

Botanical Sketchbook: Virtual
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
Take your sketchbook outdoors and reconnect with plants in their natural environment. In this course, students are encouraged to shed old habits and try new techniques as they travel through the variety of gardens and habitats in their home areas. Through a combination of guided exercises and free experimentation, students discover new ways of seeing plants, new problem-solving skills, and a refreshing way of thinking about layout and color. Several media are used, from ballpoint pen to watercolor to pencil. No prerequisite.

4/22/2023
1:30 PM to 5/13/2023 4:00 PM

Intermediate Drawing - Hybrid
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
In this class, students continue their journey to learn the skills needed to produce accurate tonal graphite botanical drawings from life. Covered topics include: more methods to increase accuracy, transitioning to tonal drawing, light on form fundamentals, realistic textures, and rendering fine plant details. Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing.

5/10/2023
1:15 PM to 5/31/2023 4:45 PM

Intermediate Expressive Watercolor: Virtual
This class introduces students to fluid watercolor techniques such as wet-on-wet. Students will learn to work with more water in the beginning and middle of the painting process and then rely on the skills learned in Beginning Watercolor to refine and add detail towards the end of the process. Students will create textures for backgrounds, work on color mixing using a limited palette, and learn to use glazing and masking fluid. Techniques for correcting mistakes in watercolor will also be covered. Upon completion of this course, students will have knowledge/skill of the following: • Working with various amounts of water and watercolor paint; • Working wet-on-wet; • Working with masking fluid; • Making a variety of watercolor textures such as salt, plastic wrap, etc.; • Glazing; • Working with a limited palette; and • Color mixing

5/20/2023
9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Nature Journaling in the Garden
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
Develop your nature journaling skills, whether you are just getting started, want to add visual notes to a written journal, or simply enjoy drawing what you see. Through guided exercises, we’ll practice perceptual and drawing skills to quickly establish a framework for a diagram, drawing, or description in your journal, then experiment with portable drawing and painting media. We’ll also look at strategies for organizing your journal for outdoor excursions. All skill levels are welcome! Come dressed to venture outside. Bring your favorite journal and tools or refer to the provided materials list. $39 ($35 Members)

6/14/2023
9:30 AM to 6/16/2023 4:30 PM

Visiting Artist Master Course with Carol Woodin: Nature’s Rarities: Painting Native Orchids in Watercolor
Orchids are one of the art world’s most treasured subjects, and we’ll find ours growing in the landscape at NCBG. Students will begin by studying their choice of subject in its natural habitat, learning to collect field information accurately and quickly through drawing, watercolor studies, and photography. Returning to the studio, we’ll finalize and transfer drawings to either paper or vellum. Through lecture, demonstration, and hands-on practice, artists will learn to manage multiple layers of watercolor drybrush, capturing color, shaded form and surface qualities characteristic of orchids, while retaining botanical accuracy of their subject. By the end of the three-day course, artists will have their paintings complete or nearly so.