Botanical Illustration Classes
Courses are designed to provide a thorough foundation in the classical approaches and disciplines of botanical illustration. Arranged in a series format, courses are structured for students pursuing the Garden Education Certificate in Botanical Illustration. Courses must be taken in sequence as listed in the curriculum, and courses in the series after the introductory drawing courses are open only to certificate students, unless otherwise noted. Pre-requisites are listed under individual course descriptions.
We are excited to announce that new entry into the program has resumed in 2025! Program details will be available soon, but introductory classes are continuing in the Winter/Spring 2026 season. We are offering Botanical Drawing II and 2 sections of Botanical Drawing III. Both classes are required Core classes in the new curriculum. Additional required core classes include Botany for Botanical Illustration and Color Mixing I for Botanical Watercolor.
Looking for additional drawing and painting courses open to non-certificate students? Check out Art in the Garden.
Classes are offered in-person or as synchronous (live) online programs. Class delivery methods are denoted next to each listing as VIRTUAL or IN-PERSON.
Class Schedule January – April 2026
NEW! Beginnings: Exploring Seed Pods in Colored Pencil | January 20, 21, 23 | IN-PERSON
Seed pods are among the most fascinating of botanical specimens – and January is a good time to consider “beginnings.” In this three-session class, we’ll explore a variety of seed pods and experiment with a number of techniques to achieve realistic pod structures and textures. Emphasis will be on exploration and experimentation as well as developing unique compositions.
Instructor: Gail Goodrich Harwood
Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing I-III, Botany, Colored Pencil I or some experience with colored pencil – discuss with instructor in advance.
Required/Elective: Elective
NEW! Introduction to Botanical Drawing III | January 22, February 5, 19, 26 OR January 24, February 7, 21, March 1 | IN-PERSON
In Part III of the introductory botanical drawing series, you continue to draw inspiration from nature while building on the foundations established in Parts I and II. You deepen your observational skills, refine your interpretations, and develop greater precision in your drawing. This course guides you in translating what you observe into marks on paper, creating the illusion of form and cultivating a deliberate drawing practice. You study both natural and artificial light, exploring how light direction and color temperature influence depth, realism, and form. Through guided exercises, you refine your graphite shading techniques, sharpen your artistic eye, and create small color-matching studies using colored pencils.
Instructors: Stephey Baker & Claudette Baker
Prerequisites: Completion of Botanical Drawing I & II.
Required/Elective: Required
NEW! Botanical Illustration Study Pages: Drawing Nature Through Observation and Discovery | February 20, 23, 24 | IN-PERSON
A botanical study page is where curiosity becomes visual understanding—a working space to explore, test, and refine your observations of the natural world. In this three-day workshop, you’ll discover how drawing deepens your connection to nature through guided observation, inquiry, and play. Rather than simply copying what you see, you’ll learn to translate what captures your attention into expressive, accurate marks—revealing how structure, proportion, and relationship give form its meaning. Each exercise invites you to follow your curiosity, blending research, sketches, notes, and imagination into a visual story of discovery and connection. You’ll also explore how botanical artists—past and present—use study pages to deepen their connection to the natural world and express meaning through observation. Seeing how artists transform curiosity into understanding will inspire your own creative practice.
Instructors: Claudette & Stephey Baker
Prerequisite: Introduction to Botanical Drawing II
Required/Elective: Elective
Botanical Drawing II: Shading & Structure | March 5, 12, 26, April 2 | IN-PERSON
You’ve built a strong foundation in Botanical Drawing I — learning to see, structure, and create form using only line. That’s no small feat. Now, it’s time to expand your understanding of depth and dimension by exploring light, shadow, and value. This course takes the next step in your artistic journey, sharpening your ability to see subtle shifts in light and shadow while deepening your focus and observational skills. Using graphite, you’ll explore grayscale rendering and value mapping, learning to blend smooth transitions between highlights, midtones, and shadows. The result? More refined, visually rich botanical drawings that convey structure and realism. Nature remains our greatest teacher. Together, we’ll observe how light sculpts botanical forms, sketch directly from life, and refine our understanding of contrast. You’ll create a personal value finder, experiment with artistic tools, and gain confidence in shading—all in a supportive, engaging environment where curiosity and practice make learning fun.
Instructors: Claudette & Stephey Baker
Prerequisite: Introduction to Botanical Drawing I
Required/Elective: Required
NEW! Botanical Illustration: Daffodils! | March 16, 18 | IN-PERSON
Nothing says “spring” like a sunny drift of daffodils. There are 13 official divisions and over 25,000 named daffodil cultivars! The garden should be bursting with daffodils in March, and we will be inside…“recording” these lovely specimens on paper. Using colored pencil and watercolor as desired, this two-session class will give you the opportunity to study the unique characteristics of daffodil varieties and capture those characteristics on either traditional white or toned paper. Composition will be emphasized.
Instructor: Gail Goodrich Harwood
Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing required. Color Mixing and Intro to Watercolor preferred. Colored Pencil I or some experience with colored pencils preferred; discuss with instructor in advance.
Required/Elective: Elective
Color Mixing I for Botanical Watercolor | April 9, 16, 23, May 7 | IN-PERSON
Watercolor begins not with painting, but with learning the language of color. This intensive foundation course builds on the visual concepts introduced in Botanical Drawing II concerning how to interpret light and value through color. Students will learn to read paint labels, identify pigment numbers, and understand how individual pigments interact — skills essential for achieving accurate, realistic botanical color. Through structured exercises, you’ll build a personalized color library, which is a vital reference for matching specimens and interpreting light in future work.
Instructors: Claudette & Stephey Baker
Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing II
Required/Elective: Required
NEW! Drawing Tulips: A Study of Form, Light, and Observational Wonder | April 10, 11, 17, 18 | IN-PERSON
Celebrate spring by tiptoeing through tulips—on paper, that is. In this relaxed, process-driven workshop, you’ll train your visual system—eye, brain, and hand working as one—to interpret the tulip’s complex form through observation and mark-making. Beginning with line, you’ll study structure and proportion from life before exploring how light, value, and color interact across form. Students will create color studies in colored pencil or watercolor (for those who have completed Color Mixing). Alongside guided demonstrations and individual support, we’ll look to botanical artists of the past whose tulip studies blended art, science, and culture.
Instructors: Claudette & Stephey Baker
Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing II
Required/Elective: Elective
Botanical Illustration Studios
Studio Sessions provide dedicated time for students to strengthen their botanical illustration skills in a supportive, practice-focused environment. Each session includes an instructional focus—such as value, form, composition, or digital reproduction—alongside ample time for individualized guidance and hands-on work. Studios are open to all Botanical Illustration Certificate students and serve as a bridge between structured coursework and independent practice.
March Focus: Scanning Your Work for Reproduction | March 29 | IN-PERSON
April Focus: Interpreting the Full Spectrum of Value into Light and Shadow | IN-PERSON
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We adapted a new Garden-wide system as of March 6, 2024. Please create or activate your account the first time you use the system.
Stay Tuned for Additional Classes
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Updated Adult Learning Cancellation Policy
As of April 12, 2024, the Garden has an updated cancellation policy for Adult Learning programs.