Drawing & Painting
Botanical Art with Colored Pencils
Learn value and shading, and then how to translate light and shadow to color, all while drawing botanicals.
Member$95.00 (any noted materials fee included) |
Guest$115.00 (any noted materials fee included) |
Tuition Assistance and Other Policies
Meeting Times
- Thur, 3/20/2025 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
- Thur, 3/27/2025 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Thur, 3/20/2025 - Thur, 3/27/2025
About
Colored pencils, as a medium, are wonderful for capturing botanicals! This class is for anyone who is excited to draw flowers, leaves, berries, and buds, while also capturing them in their own vibrant hues.
You'll review some basics of botanical drawing and basic plant structures, doing quick gesture drawings and shape practice from life as well as from photographs. Then, you'll learn about using colored pencils, including techniques such as layering, continuous tone, burnishing, how to work with analogous vs. complementary color schemes, and how to take notes of your pencil names and colors, in order to recreate art based on specific plants in the future.
You'll also learn about the different ways texture, tone, and color come into play when drawing plants using colored pencils. The second part of class will allow you to go into more depth as you focus on a finished color illustration of one particular plant. You'll have the choice of working alongside the instructor, or drawing a botanical of your choice using the color schemes available with the provided pencils.
Overall, this class will give you an introduction to how to draw botanicals with their shapes, forms, and structures, and how to use colored pencils to bring them to life on your drawing page.
You'll review some basics of botanical drawing and basic plant structures, doing quick gesture drawings and shape practice from life as well as from photographs. Then, you'll learn about using colored pencils, including techniques such as layering, continuous tone, burnishing, how to work with analogous vs. complementary color schemes, and how to take notes of your pencil names and colors, in order to recreate art based on specific plants in the future.
You'll also learn about the different ways texture, tone, and color come into play when drawing plants using colored pencils. The second part of class will allow you to go into more depth as you focus on a finished color illustration of one particular plant. You'll have the choice of working alongside the instructor, or drawing a botanical of your choice using the color schemes available with the provided pencils.
Overall, this class will give you an introduction to how to draw botanicals with their shapes, forms, and structures, and how to use colored pencils to bring them to life on your drawing page.
Materials
- A $15 materials fee, included in the price of the class, covers the cost of a 12-piece set of botanical colored pencils and Bristol board for your final project.
- You should bring your own sketchbook for practice. Smooth, mixed-media paper is recommended. Watercolor paper or any paper with texture can be difficult to draw on with colored pencils.
Class Policies
Ages 14 and up are welcome.
BARN Policies
- View BARN's Cancellation and Refund Policy.
- Tuition Assistance is available. Fill out the application before registering.
- BARN is committed to accessibility. We try to make accommodations when requested; the earlier you contact us, the more likely we can help. Please email accessibility@bainbridgebarn.org to find out more or request an accommodation.
- Sensory Statement: Makerspaces like BARN can be noisy and cluttered, smell strongly, and have bright or flickering lights. BARN is not an allergen-free facility. If you have concerns, please email info@bainbridgebarn.org.
Instructors or Guides
Donna Letterese
Donna is a cartoonist, botanical illustrator, and educator, as well as a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists (Southern California and Pacific Northwest chapters) and Puget Sound Book Artists. Originally from New York, Donna earned her bachelor's degree from Sarah Lawrence College, then moved to the West Coast. She ultimately earned her master's in illustration from California State University, Fullerton. A Kitsap Country resident since 2020, she loves getting the chance to explore, sketch, travel by ferry, and take in the landscapes, flora, and fauna of Washington.
Donna, who has been teaching since 2010, teaches continuing education courses, as well as classes at art centers, after-school 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.
Donna, who has been teaching since 2010, teaches continuing education courses, as well as classes at art centers, after-school 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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