Botanical Drawing and Painting at the Auckland Botanic Gardens
Love plants? Have a favourite you want to sketch? This workshop is an introduction to plant illustrations and is ideal for anyone interested in drawing and painting the botanical world. The workshop will be held offsite, at the Auckland Botanic Gardens. Bring your own materials. More information below course dates.
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Sat 27 Oct
- $215.00 incl. GST
Sessions
Session 1
Sat 27 Oct 10:00 - Sat 27 Oct 16:00AucklandSession 2
Sun 28 Oct 10:00 - Sun 28 Oct 16:00Auckland
Description
Listen to Sandra Morris talking on National Radio about the upcoming International Exhibition of Botanical Art here. After a brief look at the history and contemporary development of botanical illustration, some basic plant anatomy will be explored. Flower structures and leaf shapes will be examined with the 'naked eye' as well as under a microscope. Exercises on observational drawing will be set, encouraging you to experiment with a range of drawing tools, such as pencils, charcoal, pastel and water colours.
On completion of the course learners will be able to:
- discuss the development of botanical illustration
- dissect and identify flower parts
- sketch plants with confidence using a variety of media
The Saturday will be an inside day learning techniques, and the Sunday will be outside in the gardens.
Sandra Morris studied botanical and wildlife illustration at Newcastle University, NSW, Australia and was visiting artist at the Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa for 6 weeks in January 2013.Who should attend? Botanists, students, anyone keen on gardening, artists looking for a new form of expression. A materials list will be sent upon enrolment and will include the following:
- Paints - Preferably Winsor & Newton/Cotman – available in blocks or tubes. Tubes may be more convenient for quicker mixing results, and are sold individually. Some indispensable colours are: Winsor Yellow/Lemon, Ultramarine, Permanent Rose, Alizarin Crimson and Indigo – if these are not in your set you may like to consider purchasing them separately. (You should have a warm and a cold colour of each of the primary colours.)
- Colour pencils (at least 12 colours set- any brands) plus Polychromos Burnt Carmine (193) and Dark Indigo (157)
- Paper -1 sheet of 300gsm watercolour paper HP (smooth) - it doesn't matter which brand. Fabriano have reasonable one for $3.99
- 1 full sheet or pkt (any size) Stella Multi Matt paper.
- Please also bring along cartridge (suggest 3 x A1 sheets) and spare paper for practice drawings.
- Pen - 1 fibre tip pen (the best is Staedtler Pigment liner 0.05mm- this is the finest you can get and available at Gordon Harris).
- Bottle of black Indian ink.
- 1 Dip pen nib (Hunt 512 or 513 - fine) and nib holder.
- Fine embossing tool or empty ballpoint.
- Brushes – pref. sable/natural fibre if possible, otherwise get synthetic. 1x size 3 or 4, 1x size 6, and 1 x cheap brush for mixing colours.
- Liquid masking fluid (Pebeo brand is cheapest and best).
- Pencils. 1x HB (essential) and any other pencils you may have
- Scalpel or small craft knife
- Palette - with as many wells as possible.
- Eraser
- Rags
- Magnifying glass
- Glass jar for water
- A5 or A4 sketchbook for outdoor sketching on the Sunday
- Come and see Sandra on Wed- Fri at Gordon Harris, 4 Gilles Ave, Newmarket, ph 520 4466- don't forget to mention you are doing my workshop and you will get 10% discount.
Bring a water bottle, a packed lunch and snacks each day. The practical sessions are a little easier if you have something to sit on, so bring a fold up stool or chair if you have one. An easel is also optional.
Image from June 2016 Botanical Painting course:
