Botanical illustration workshop

What is the course about?

Learn how Botanical Illustrators accurately depict flowers, leaves, stems and seeds - for the purpose of genus and species identification by Botanists and Biologists.

Learn how to create your own botanical illustration, by exploring a variety of media and techniques typically used by botanical illustrators, and drawing from historical and contemporary examples of the genre. Learners will then have the opportunity to digitse their work and overlay appropriate text.

What will we cover?

Practical skills:
• Dissection and Bisection to reveal the anatomy of a plant
• Drawing from ‘live studies’; considering the form and structure of the plant, perspective, and rendering details
• Colour mixing to capture colours and tones accurately
• Mark-making to capture texture and/or pattern accurately
• Using Adobe software to enhance illustrations and add text

Conceptual Skills:
• Critical evaluation of your own and others’ work will be facilitated throughout the course.

Context:
• Examples of relevant works by historical and/or contemporary creatives will be drawn upon at strategic points throughout the course.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

Use the specific process, media or tool you have been studying – at least to a competent skill-level.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is suitable for intermediate learners; however, you do not need to have experience of botanical illustration specifically, just experience of Illustration in general.

English-language competency is required: you should be able to follow verbal and written instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. You may need to take short written notes for your own use and take part in group discussions.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

- Presentations
- Demonstrations
- Practical work
- Individual and group tutoring
- Group discussion

Additional/extension activities may be set for you to complete at home or outside of the course hours. Completion of additional tasks is encouraged to help you get the most out of the course. Where required your tutor will discuss these with you.

This course is supported by Google Classroom as a Virtual Learning Environment. When you log on you will be able to access course material, presentations, and handouts etc. and may be asked to complete learner progress records. You can find help via the student help centre on the City Lit website.

Please note it is important that you sign up and log in to your course Google classroom prior to the first session. Joining detail will be sent to you via email (check your junk/spam folder).

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

At City Lit, access to basic materials and resources are available as part of this course. We advise you to bring a A5/A4 sketchbook for the recording of ideas and an A3 folder to transport work to and from City Lit. Additional materials required as part of the course will be discussed by your tutor if required.

Need art supplies? Our partner London Graphic Centre has everything you need from pencils to printing services, at 15% off.

To get 15% LGC discount, you will need to show proof/ confirmation of enrolment and being a student at City Lit. You can apply in-store or by simply emailing info@londongraphics.co.uk with a scan or photo of relevant confirmation. Student discount does not apply to products that are already discounted or on offer. More information can be found here- https://www.londongraphics.co.uk/student-discounts/.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

We recommend looking at our range of workshops in graphic design, illustration, children’s book illustration and graphic novels to see what’s on offer. In addition, we have Introductory, Developing and Studio courses in all these subjects.

For more information about any of the courses on offer, please visit our website.