The plant illustrations in The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada were painted in the field, usually in less than an hour. You can do it too! Join us for an intensive and accessible botanical illustration workshop with illustrator and author John Muir Laws. The class will be a combination of indoor studio work and fieldwork. Class will begin with a review of flower structure and then plunge into an approach to drawing flowers that helps you to quickly and accurately capture their form and feel. We will learn techniques for simplifying the complex structure of flowers and ways to foreshorten flowers, leaves and petals. We will investigate tricks to help draw complicated overlapping shapes such as an iris or curling leaves. We will explore applying color to our drawings using both watercolor and colored pencils and learn how to deal with the problem colors (pink, yellow, and white). Laws will also demonstrate a bag of tricks to help you deal with challenges such as pale veins on a dark leaf. This will be a full and delightful workshop, helpful for both beginners and experienced artists.
Plan to arrive at the Sierra Nevada Field Campus on Sunday, July 11. We will get acquainted that evening, but the class will begin at 7:30 AM on Monday, July 12. The week's activities will be flexible to take advantage of some of the best viewing opportunities but in general each day will be spent in the field, with time to relax at lunch, and returning to the field campus by dinner. Throughout the week we will learn tricks and techniques to help sketch birds, flowers and more both in the field and in evening workshops. Walks will be generally short but could range up to 3 miles over moderately rough terrain. The class will end in the afternoon of 16 July.
To see a list of equipment go to Jack's web site by clicking suggested equipment.
Days are warm, even hot, while evenings are quite cold (close to freezing). Clothing that can be layered for variable weather conditions is best. T-shirts and shorts are often perfect during the day, with a wind jacket or raincoat as backup. Long pants, warmer shirts and sweaters with a coat are necessary in the evening. Comfortable shoes, sun hat, wool hat and gloves are important. Old sneakers or rubber boots and a swimsuit may come in handy while visiting marshes. Miscellaneous: Day pack, sunscreen, insect repellent, raingear, alarm clock, water bottles, hat etc.