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Certificate Program in Botanical Art & Illustration

Click here for non-credit botanical art and illustration courses!

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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.

Botanical Art Fundamentals: An Online Program
The Botanical Art Fundamentals Program is designed to give students a foundational level curriculum combining basic scientific background, visual arts theory, and a basic level of experience using various media. Classes are taught by North Carolina art professionals and botany professionals. The program can be completed 100% in the virtual format, although individuals may also choose to take courses in-person as well. Course offerings and scheduling are designed for completion within a one and one half to two-year period.

August

8/23/2022
1:00 PM to 9/13/2022 3:00 PM

Intermediate Drawing: Virtual
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.

8/25/2022
1:00 PM to 9/15/2022 5:00 PM

Intermediate Drawing: Virtual
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.

8/28/2022
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM

Certificate Program Graduation Celebration
Join us for a Celebration of the 2022 graduates of the Certificates in Native Plants and Botanical Art & Illustration programs! We will hear from students and instructors of both programs about their journeys and experiences with the programs. Certificates will be presented to graduating students, and we will provide brief programmatic information and updates, providing a background to the programs for those who are visiting with graduates and for those considering registering for the certificate programs. After the program, we will officially open the Botanical Art & Illustration student exhibit in the DeBerry Gallery with a light reception.

September

9/11/2022
1:15 PM to 10/9/2022 4:45 PM

Composition: Virtual
This course is a broad study in the elements that formulate a good artistic composition. Students learn how to make visual choices and determine how parts of a plant are arranged on the page to balance botanical accuracy and artistic sensitivity. Composition serves as a prerequisite for Integrating Composition and Color Theory. Note: This class involves homework assignments. The amount of time students need to spend on homework varies and usually ranges from five to 15 hours per week.

October

10/6/2022
9:30 AM to 10/20/2022 12:30 PM

Plant Taxonomy
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
This course builds on the fundamentals taught in Botany and prepares students for supplementary material covered in Flowering Plant Families. It is a core course for students enrolled in either of the NCBG public certificate programs. Students learn the basic concepts of the taxonomy of vascular plants and how to identify plant families by making observations of selected characteristics. The use of taxonomic keys is introduced. Interesting examples are studied to illustrate current issues in plant taxonomy and nomenclature. This course serves as a prerequisite for Flowering Plant Families.

10/15/2022
1:15 PM to 11/5/2022 4:45 PM

Field Sketching
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 at the North Carolina Botanical Garden. 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.

10/20/2022
1:00 PM to 11/10/2022 3:00 PM

Beginning Watercolor: Virtual
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
In this class, students are introduced to watercolor and learn basics techniques such as flat and graded washes. Students learn to paint various simple shapes (spheres and cylinders) and a small botanical subject. Prerequisite: Beginning Drawing.

10/23/2022
1:30 PM to 11/13/2022 4:30 PM

Scratchboard: The Knife and the Quill - Virtual
Scratchboard is the process of removing ink with a knife blade to create a black and white illustration. Using different angles of a blade can produce the look of fine lace or a traditional woodcut with strong, bold lines. Using both an angled knife blade and a flexible ink quill, students will explore the wonderful variety of textures achievable using two very simple instruments.

10/26/2022
9:30 AM to 11/16/2022 11:30 AM

Botany: Virtual
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
This class is designed with a broad audience in mind. It is a fundamental core course for students enrolled in any of the NCBG public certificate programs. It covers basic principles of botany from taxonomy to morphology, anatomy, and physiology. In this virtual class, pre-recorded lectures will be shared ahead of live Zoom discussions.

November

11/4/2022
9:30 AM to 11/18/2022 11:30 AM

Flowering Plant Families: Virtual
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
This course builds on the information covered in Plant Taxonomy and focuses on the study of plant diversity by targeting twenty major and fairly stable plant families of flowering plants found in North Carolina. Classroom discussions of evolutionary adaptations and relationships are combined with close-up examination of representative examples. In this virtual class, pre-recorded lectures will be shared ahead of live Zoom discussions.

11/29/2022
1:15 PM to 12/20/2022 4:45 PM

Intermediate Traditional Watercolor
Event is Full: Accepting Wait List Registrations
This course builds upon the knowledge and skills of Beginning Watercolor. Using live botanical specimens, students apply basic drawing and watercolor skills to create detailed, realistic watercolor studies of individual plant structures such as stems, twigs, leaves, petals, flowers, pods, and fruit. Classes cover such topics as creating the illusion of depth and volume and portraying shape, color, and textural details accurately. Prerequisites: Beginning Watercolor, Intermediate Drawing

December

12/9/2022
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Graduation Preparation for the Certificate in Botanical Art & Illustration
Students will receive guidance on Independent Projects, graduation procedures and requirements, as well as organizing the exhibit, photographing and framing their paintings, and an introduction to marketing their work. Non-credit course.