Botanical Drawing in Graphite

Drawing & Painting

Botanical Drawing in Graphite

This introduction to the basics explores shapes, forms, and structures that come into play when drawing plants.

Member

$72.00 (any noted materials fee included)

Guest

$89.00 (any noted materials fee included)

Tuition Assistance and Other Policies

Meeting Times
  1. Sat, 12/7/2024 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
  2. Sat, 12/14/2024 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Sat, 12/7/2024 - Sat, 12/14/2024

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Type:
Class, No Prerequisite

Location:
Woodworking Bench Room

Interests:
Drawing

About

Delve into the full range of botanical drawing with graphite, and capture plants in a realistic, three-dimensional way. Using pencil to create value, and learning the grayscale, is a hugely helpful foundational element in drawing — especially when drawing plants! This class is for anyone excited to draw leaves, flowers, seed pods, and more.

You'll review some basics of botanical drawing, including sketching and gesture drawing (a quick, simplified way to capture the essence of a subject) from actual specimens. You'll learn how to put together shapes when creating botanical art, some basic plant structures, and how to capture subjects when doing sketches, as well as more finalized illustrations. The second part of the class will allow you to go into more depth with a particular subject.  

You'll also learn about value, grayscale, different ways a full set of graphite pencils can help when drawing specimens from life as well as reference, and how three-dimensional effects with pencils can be achieved. You're encouraged to bring any of your own plants you may be want to work from.

Details

  • Skill level: New and returning artists are welcome.
  • You’ll leave class with several practice sketches, and a graphite illustration of a plant of your choice.
  • All materials will be provided.

Class Policies

Ages 14 and up are welcome.

BARN Policies

Instructors or Guides

Donna Letterese

Donna has lived in Kitsap County since 2020. She is a cartoonist, botanical illustrator, and educator, as well as a member of SCBWI, the American Society of Botanical Artists (BAGSC and Pacific Northwest Botanical Artists Chapters), and Puget Sound Book Artists. Originally from New York, Donna earned her B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College, then moved to the West Coast after finishing undergrad. She ultimately earned her MFA in Illustration from California State University, Fullerton. Donna is really excited to get more and more involved in this wonderful artistic community. She loves whenever she has the chance to explore, sketch, travel by ferry, and take in the wonderful landscapes, flora, and fauna of Washington.

Donna has been teaching from 2010 through the present, initially in the Los Angeles area, and now in the greater Kitsap and Seattle areas. She teaches continuing education courses, as well as classes at art centers, afterschool programs, comic conventions, and libraries. She loves working with students and helping them discover their artistic passion and voice, whether that means telling a fantastical story through an illustration or comic, or realistically capturing a plant and its details at a particular moment. During her free time, she loves creating comics and handmade books, urban sketching, and exploring museums, gardens, coffee shops, anywhere with animals, and bookstores.

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