Botanical Illustration

with Olivia Mendoza
October 10, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Tuition: $75
Materials Fee: N/A

Led by a natural science illustrator, this botanical drawing workshop will teach students to use colored pencil to render lively and vibrant plant life. There will be a demonstration on how to free hand the composition, establish texture, and layer blended colors of a subject followed by time to practice these shown methods with personal guidance. Reference images will be provided but feel free to bring your own if you've already found inspiration. This will be a space for nature lovers and illustration enthusiasts alike!

Plan to bring: Smooth Strathmore Bristol paper (9x12), Prismacolor Premier pencils, graphite or mechanical pencil for sketching, and erasers (kneaded, block, narrow, etc.)

Location: Ox-Bow House - 137 Center Street, Douglas, MI 49406

Olivia Mendoza (she/her) is an illustrator local to West Michigan whose artwork shows her love of nature through the use of vivid color and meticulous detail. Her artwork shows evidence of her education in medical illustration, with her drawings' subjects including plant life, insects, and anatomy. Sharing her work with other admirers of the natural world is second only to the act of creating it.

Flower drawing demonstrations from past botanical illustration courses taught at the Kalamazoo Institute of Art. Photos courtesy of Olivia Mendoza.