Botanical Art and Illustration
Students enrolled in the Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate program will learn how to draw botanical subjects with scientific accuracy, artistry and mastery of technical methods. Using a basic knowledge of plant morphology, participants will develop the skills needed to document plants in intricate detail, including the root system, upper and lower leaf surfaces, flowers, fruits and seed heads. This program is designed for students who are interested in pursuing art for pleasure and self-satisfaction, and they can choose between two concentrations: watercolor or colored pencil. Beginners, as well as those with art experience, are welcome. Students may repeat most courses in the program at a 10-percent discount; however, a repeat course cannot apply toward certificate credit.
For more details about our programs, or to receive personalized class recommendations from our helpful staff, please feel free to contact us at edu@phipps.conservatory.org.
Guided Open Studio | Botanical Art Instructors
Sundays: Sept. 17; Oct. 22; Nov. 12 | 9:30 a.m. –1 p.m.
$15 members | $20 nonmembers (price is per session)
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Sept. 17: Melissa Fabian — Foreshortening/Shadows
Oct. 22: Robin Menard — General Assistance
Nov. 12: Melissa Fabian — Botanical Textures
Objective: To give students the opportunity and time to work on botanical art projects
Level: Beginner to advanced
Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing I and II
Making time to concentrate on your art can be tough! Join fellow botanical artists at these open studio sessions and find the inspiration and support to start, continue and finish projects. Work on class work, your portfolio, or something totally new. Current Flora students may attend as part of their Flora project fee. Simply choose a session, bring your artwork and materials, and enjoy the time to create.
Guided Open Studio: Foreshortening / Shadows | Melissa Fabian
Sept. 17: Melissa Fabian — Foreshortening/Shadows
Guided Open Studio: General Assistance | Robin Menard
Oct. 22: Robin Menard — General Assistance
Guided Open Studio: Botanical Textures | Melissa Fabian
Nov. 12: Melissa Fabian — Botanical Textures
Illustrating Vegetables and their Plants with Colored Pencil | Jeanne Perrier
Sundays: Aug. 20 and 27 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$154 members | $174 nonmembers (includes specimen fee)
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To complete a botanically correct illustration of seasonal vegetables
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing I and II, Colored Pencil I
Utilize your colored pencil and drawing skills to complete a botanical art project. Choose your vegetable from a provided selection, create the composition and complete the rendering of a botanically correct illustration of the vegetable and plant. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective
Watercolor III: Separating Surfaces | Visiting artist Katie Lee
Fri.– Sun., Aug. 25–27 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$390 members | $430 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To be able to create three-dimensional botanical portrayals using and enhancing practices learned in Watercolor II
Level: Advanced
Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing I and II, Watercolor I and II
Rendering subjects that have many tightly overlapping layers of petals or leaves can be a challenge. When fundamental techniques are applied, it becomes an easier task. Practice a variety of techniques to render a carefully toned drawing, followed by a painted image. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate (Watercolor Concentration) elective
Botanical Drawing III: Volume and Texture | Robin Menard
Saturdays: Sept. 16 and 30; Oct. 7 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$230 members | $260 nonmembers (specimen fee included)
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To continue to develop and apply drawing skills to create accurate illustrations using form, perspective and texture
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing I and II
Building on skills acquired in Botanical Drawing I and II, use a variety of pencils, paper, tone and line to create full botanical portraits, accurately capturing details such as texture, growth patterns, roots, flowers and leaves. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate core course
Botanical Field Sketching/Studies | Robin Menard
Sat., Sept. 23 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$72 members | $82 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To develop observation and drawing skills for botanical illustration
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing I and II
Field sketches are important tools in developing botanical illustrations and offer a great opportunity for you to hone your drawing and observation skills. Using the fall landscape of Mellon Park, complete several pencil field sketches, accurately documenting plant characteristics such as posture, size, flower and leaf patterns, bark, and roots. Then, return to the classroom and use your notes to develop one sketch into a more refined drawing or painting in the medium of your choice. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective
Composition for Botanical Artists | Weldon Doran
Sundays: Sept. 24; Oct. 1 and 8 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$220 members | $250 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To be able to arrange multiple botanical subjects to create a pleasing composition
Level: Beginner
Prerequisite: None
It is relatively simple to place just one subject on a piece paper in a pleasing composition. Explore the option of using many images combined into one well-balanced, easily read single image. Learn traditional composition principles, such as how to place images on the page, and how to balance positive and negative space, light and dark, and textured and smooth areas. Plus, discover how image placement can indicate emotion, action, height or size. You will use your own images for in-class exercises. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate core course
Understanding Shadow in Botanical Drawing | Melissa Fabian
Sunday, Oct. 1 and Saturday, Oct. 14 (please note change of date) | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$155 members | $175 nonmembers (specimen fee included)
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To be able to draw shadows when creating botanical art
Level: Beginner to advanced
Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing I
Focus on the importance of light source placement on a botanical specimen and explore how to achieve a highly accurate and convincing botanical drawing. Use graphite pencils as you work on exercises that will help you to achieve properly placed highlight, lowlight, cast shadow, form shadow and reflected light on a selection of botanical specimens. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective
Drawing Dead Leaves, Flowers and More | Robin Menard
Sat., Oct. 14 and Sun., Oct. 29 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$145 members | $165 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To be able to draw autumn botanicals
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing II
Autumn holds beautiful, crisp days and an endless abundance of subjects past their prime. The curled leaves, dried flower heads and barren twigs aren’t visually dead — they hold interesting patterns, twists and colors for you to uncover! Join us in this fun class and draw what speaks to you. Black and white or color — you choose the medium that you will use to uncover the beauty of the dead. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective
Floral Morphology | Bonnie Isaac
Sat., Oct. 21 and Sun., Oct. 22 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$150 members | $170 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To be able to understand plant anatomy and function, and quickly and accurately draw a plant’s reproductive and vegetative characteristics
Level: Beginner to intermediate
Prerequisite: None
Study the morphology of a flower, including its parts, evolutionary trends and pollination adaptations. Plus, dissect and draw flowers representing a variety of plant families. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate core course
Colored Pencil I: Techniques | Amy Lindenberger
Sat., Oct. 28; Sundays: Nov. 5 and 12 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$220 members | $250 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To be able to create a gradual transition of tone and color with colored pencils
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing I and II
Using different techniques, you can make colored pencil tones look like a drawing or a painting, providing you with the versatility to create a wide variety of surface textures. Develop your color perception, and become familiar with colored pencil tools, color applications and color theory fundamentals. Learn to layer colors to achieve different hues and densities, and master a variety of techniques, including burnishing, impressed line and sgraffito. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate core course
Watercolor I: Techniques and Color Theory | Brenda Gail Jordan
Saturdays: Nov. 4, 11 and 18 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$220 members | $250 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To gain control of the brush, pigment and paper while learning to combine a limited number of paints to create a rich and varied palette
Level: Beginner to intermediate
Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing I and II
Learn the basics of transparent watercolor as a medium, and gain an understanding of the brushes, paper, and paints suitable for botanical watercolor. Using a limited palette, explore techniques such as washes and glazes, and practice creating a full range of hues, shades and tones. Produce a series of studies that demonstrate the foundational techniques of transparent watercolor as well as applying those techniques to rendering plant forms. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate core course
Colored Pencil on a Variety of Surfaces | Jeanne Perrier
Sat., Nov 4 and Sun., Nov. 5 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$155 members | $175 nonmembers (material fee included)
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To be able to apply colored pencil to a variety of different grounds
Level: Beginner to advanced
Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing I and II, Colored Pencil I
Experiment with different grounds and other surfaces, such as rising museum board, sanded paper, wood, suede board, drafting film, travertine and colored paper. Execute the same drawing on different surfaces in order to compare their effects and to better understand the various uses. The instructor will provide all surfaces. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective
Scratchboard as a Botanical Art Technique I and II | Melissa Fabian
Sundays: Nov. 5 and 19 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$145 members | $165 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To be able to use scratchboard as a botanical art technique
Level: Beginning to intermediate
Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing I and II
Scratchboard is a black-and-white technique often used to achieve the look of a wood engraving. Create an original piece of botanical art using a variety of basic scratchboard tools, techniques and surfaces. Beginners as well as students who have previously taken the Scratchboard class are welcome. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective
Nuts, Berries and Pods in Color | Robin Menard
Saturdays: Nov. 11 and 18 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$145 members | $165 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To continue to develop botanical art drawing skills in graphite
Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing I and II
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Explore the details of nature! Further develop your graphite, colored pencil or watercolor painting skills while accurately capturing light, form and details of the fruits of fall. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective
Botanical Drawing II: Applications | Robin Menard
Saturdays: Aug. 5, 12 and 19 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$220 members | $250 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To apply skills gained in Drawing I to accurately capture various plant forms, details and textures that are unique to the subject
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing I
Develop your observation and drawing skills to accurately render leaves, stems, roots and flowers in varying positions, capturing details and textures that are unique to the botanical subject. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate core course
Pen and Ink II | Melissa Fabian
Saturdays: Aug. 5, 12 and 19 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$220 members | $250 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park
Objective: To be able to create more complex plant drawings using refined, basic pen and ink-drawing skills and more difficult strokes to create shading
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing I and II, Pen and Ink I
Complete a botanically accurate and aesthetically pleasing botanical pen and ink illustration. Learn the process of creating an illustration—from observing the plant to making an accurate graphite sketch and inking the final illustration. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate core course
