Guided Open Studio:Foreshortening, Shadow/Highlights | Melissa Fabian

Sunday, Oct. 13  | 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

$15 members | $20 nonmembers (price is per session)
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Oct. 13: Melissa Fabian | Foreshortening, Shadow/Highlights

Objective: To have improved technique in creating a work of botanical art​.
Level: Beginner to advanced
Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing I and II, Watercolor I or Colored Pencil I

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. Bring your artwork and materials and enjoy the time to create.

Developing Foreshortening and Perspective Botanical Drawing Skills | Melissa Fabian

Sundays: Oct. 20 and 27 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

$145 members | $165 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Objective: To be able to create depth within a botanical specimen using several foreshortening techniques.
Level: Beginner
Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing I. This pre-requisite is a requirement to enroll in this course. If you feel you have alternate botanical art training that would satisfy these requirements, contact Phipps at slind@phipps.conservatory.org. Phipps will require you to supply samples of your work. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for review.

Create three-dimensional plant specimens in your drawings using foreshortening techniques, including blocking, points of reference, various grid configurations, overlap and more. Plus, learn how to use highlights and shadows to create depth in a limited area. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective

Colored Pencil II: Applications | Amy Lindenberger

Saturdays: Oct. 26 and Nov. 2 and 9 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

$230 members | $260 nonmembers (includes specimen fee)
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Objective: To be able to take a methodical approach to botanical illustration with colored pencils, building on experience gained in Colored Pencil I
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing I and II, Colored Pencil I. This pre-requisite is a requirement to enroll in this course. If you feel you have alternate botanical art training that would satisfy these requirements, contact Phipps at slind@phipps.conservatory.org. Phipps will require you to supply samples of your work. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for review.

Building on the foundation of colored pencil techniques and layering principles established in Colored Pencil I, focus on more advanced layering and blending techniques to create a variety of surface textures. Improve your color perception skills and explore more advanced color theory to better understand hue, value, intensity and temperature. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate core course

Botanical Drawing II: Volume, Texture and Details | Robin Menard

Saturdays: Nov. 2, 16 and 23 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

$220 members | $250 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Objective: To be able to apply skills gained in Botanical Drawing I to accurately capture various plant forms, details and textures that are unique to the subject
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing I. This pre-requisite is a requirement to enroll in this course. If you feel you have alternate botanical art training that would satisfy these requirements, contact Phipps at slind@phipps.conservatory.org. Phipps will require you to supply samples of your work. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for review.

Continue to develop your observation and drawing skills to accurately render leaves, stems, roots and flowers in varying positions, capturing details and textures unique to the botanical subject. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate core course

Autumn Gourds in Watercolor | Amy Lewandowski

Nov. 2 – 3 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

$150 members | $170 nonmembers (includes specimen fee)
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Objective: To be able to use masking fluid and watercolor washes to enhance the painting of a seasonal gourd
Level: Advanced
Prerequisite: Watercolor I. This pre-requisite is a requirement to enroll in this course. If you feel you have alternate botanical art training that would satisfy these requirements, contact Phipps at slind@phipps.conservatory.org. Phipps will require you to supply samples of your work. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for review.

Use masking fluid techniques and a variety of watercolor washes to enhance the illustration of a colorful autumn gourd. Create glowing layers of autumn color to a single or multiple gourd composition through a series of demonstrations, individual help and group discussion. Gourds will be provided but you may also bring gourds of special interest. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective

Guided Open Studio: Botanical Textures | Melissa Fabian

Sunday, Nov. 10 | 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

$15 members | $20 nonmembers (price is per session)
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Nov. 10: Melissa Fabian | Botanical Textures

Objective: To have improved technique in creating a work of botanical art​.
Level: Beginner to advanced
Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing I and II, Watercolor I or Colored Pencil I

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. Bring your artwork and materials and enjoy the time to create.

Conifer Drawing Workshop | Melissa Fabian

Sat., Nov. 16 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

$85 members | $105 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Objective: To be able to identify and accurately draw conifers.
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Drawing I and II and at least one of the following: Pen and Ink I, Colored Pencil I, Watercolor I or Foreshortening/Perspective for Botanicals. This pre-requisite is a requirement to enroll in this course. If you feel you have alternate botanical art training that would satisfy these requirements, contact Phipps at slind@phipps.conservatory.org. Phipps will require you to supply samples of your work. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for review.

Explore Mellon Park and identify different types of conifers using a planting map. Then, learn how to portray the conifer of your choice, illustrating the entire tree or a detailed part. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective

This class has been canceled.  Please call 412/441-4442 ext. 3925 or e-mail with questions, or to get an email alert about any future Conifer Drawing classes.

Pen and Ink II, III and IV | Melissa Fabian

Sundays: Nov. 17 and 24 and Dec. 8 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

$220 members | $250 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Objective: Pen and Ink II students will have improved stroke making and wash skills with the introduction of color through various tools and inks. Pen and Ink III and IV students will advance their skills through an individual plan determined by the student and instructor.
Level: Pen and Ink II: Intermediate; Pen and Ink III and IV: Advanced
Prerequisite: Pen and Ink I, Pen and Ink II or III. This pre-requisite is a requirement to enroll in this course. If you feel you have alternate botanical art training that would satisfy these requirements, contact Phipps at slind@phipps.conservatory.org. Phipps will require you to supply samples of your work. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for review.

Pen and Ink II: Add another dimension to your pen and ink work through color. Various tools and inks will be provided to develop additional reference sheets to add to your black and white references. Create various plant studies and a completed botanical art piece. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate core course

Pen and Ink III , IV: Focus on your personal interest and develop a plan to complete an advanced botanical art piece. Botanical Art and Illustration elective

Grisaille with Colored Pencil | Jeanne Perrier

Nov. 23 – 24 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

$145 members | $165 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Objective: To become more proficient in grisaille, a process by which toning is completed first, then color is added
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Prerequisite: Colored Pencil I. This pre-requisite is a requirement to enroll in this course. If you feel you have alternate botanical art training that would satisfy these requirements, contact Phipps at slind@phipps.conservatory.org. Phipps will require you to supply samples of your work. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for review.

The art of grisaille is a process by which the toning of a drawing is completed first and then the color is added. This improves the form of subject, reduces use of colors and helps you to complete your illustration more quickly. Small objects will be completed in class. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective

Winter Gems | Amy Lewandowski

Dec. 14 – 15 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

$150 members | $160 nonmembers (specimen fee included)
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Objective: To be able to observe color and texture in seasonal plants
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing I and II, Watercolor I. This pre-requisite is a requirement to enroll in this course. If you feel you have alternate botanical art training that would satisfy these requirements, contact Phipps at slind@phipps.conservatory.org. Phipps will require you to supply samples of your work. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for review.

Illustrate seasonal plants in an assortment of colors using different methods of mixing watercolor pigments along with a variety of wash techniques. Apply these techniques to a composition of multiple small specimens or a single sample of winter flora through a series of demonstrations, individual help and group discussion. A wide assortment of specimens will be provided from Phipps’ annual Gifts and Greens Market. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective

Watercolor I: Techniques and Color Theory | Brenda Gail Jordan

Saturdays: Jan. 11, 18 and 25, 2020 (Snow date: Feb. 1) | 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 watercolor paints to create a rich and varied palette
Level: Beginner to intermediate
Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing I and II. This pre-requisite is a requirement to enroll in this course. If you feel you have alternate botanical art training that would satisfy these requirements, contact Phipps at slind@phipps.conservatory.org. Phipps will require you to supply samples of your work. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for review.

Learn the basics of transparent watercolor as a medium and gain a foundational 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 and applications of those techniques to rendering plant forms through demonstrations and exercises. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate core course 

Phipps Flora Project 2019: An Alphabet of Native Plants in Southwestern Pennsylvania | Robin Menard

Student orientation: Sun., March 31 | 10 a.m. – noon
Botanical lecture: Sun., March 31 | 1 – 3 p.m.
Hunt Institute visit: Sun., June 9 | 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Guided open studios: Sundays: July 14, Aug. 11, Sept. 15, Oct. 13 and Nov. 10, 2019

$135 members | $155 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Objective: To be able to create a botanical illustration from the beginning to end
Level: Intermediate to advanced
Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing I and II, Watercolor I or Colored Pencil I. This pre-requisite is a requirement to enroll in this course. If you feel you have alternate botanical art training that would satisfy these requirements, contact Phipps at slind@phipps.conservatory.org. Phipps will require you to supply samples of your work. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for review.

Learn how to research and produce a beautiful and accurate painting of a native plant. In this long-term collaborative project, create a watercolor or colored pencil painting, a copy of which will be catalogued into the Phipps’ Allegheny Highlands Flora Project for future educational or marketing uses. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective

This class is now filled. Please call 412/441-4442 ext. 3925 or e-mail with questions, or to get an email alert about spaces in this class.

Limning | Christine Hutson

Thursdays: Oct. 3, 10, 24 and 31, Nov. 7 and 21 | 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. [Please note new last date of class]

$220 members | $250 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Objective: To use and build on or improve limning style techniques and create detailed illustrations.
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: Watercolor I (or equivalent watercolor experience). This pre-requisite is a requirement to enroll in this course. If you feel you have alternate botanical art training that would satisfy these requirements, contact Phipps at slind@phipps.conservatory.org. Phipps will require you to supply samples of your work. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for review.

Limning, a traditional painting method dating back to the Renaissance, has been used by botanical artists and scientific illustrators for centuries and is still favored by those who need to portray their subjects with great precision. For this technique, tiny brushstrokes are used to build up a highly detailed image. Receive step-by-step instruction on this watercolor technique and practice it using high-quality photos of plants and flowers that you select as references. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate elective

Botanical Drawing I: Foundations | Robin Menard

Saturdays: Oct. 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 accurately draw three-dimensional shapes using line and tone, and employ geometric and aerial perspective in drawing botanical subjects
Level: Beginner
Prerequisite: None

Botanical illustration differs from traditional drawing because it captures a subject with scientific accuracy through observation, form and detail. Learn to identify basic shapes in nature and use a step-by-step process to create the illusion of depth through light, shadow and perspective. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate core course

Another class session is listed below.

This class is now filled. Please call 412/441-4442 ext. 3925 or e-mail with questions, or to get an email alert about spaces in this class or the next Botanical Drawing I class.

Botanical Drawing I: Foundations | Robin Menard

Sundays: Oct. 6, 13 and 27 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. New Session Added!

$220 members | $250 nonmembers
Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park

Objective: To be able to accurately draw three-dimensional shapes using line and tone, and employ geometric and aerial perspective in drawing botanical subjects
Level: Beginner
Prerequisite: None

Botanical illustration differs from traditional drawing because it captures a subject with scientific accuracy through observation, form and detail. Learn to identify basic shapes in nature and use a step-by-step process to create the illusion of depth through light, shadow and perspective. Botanical Art and Illustration Certificate core course

This class is now filled. Please call 412/441-4442 ext. 3925 or e-mail with questions, or to get an email alert about spaces in this class or the next Botanical Drawing I class.