Art & illustration courses

2008 Program

Do you love botanical art and want to learn to draw from nature? Be inspired by the natural beauty of the Gardens and join an art class this year.

*denotes courses suitable for beginners

Botanical art and scientific illustration

For hundreds of years scientific plant drawings have aided the visual identification of plants for both the botanist and plant enthusiast. However, in the hands of a talented botanical artist, illustrations go beyond accuracy and precision and become works of art in their own right.

Botanical Illustration at the Botanic Gardens began with the establishment of the Herbarium in 1901, and the tradition continues to this very day.

Under the guidance of award-winning professionals, we have designed a range of courses to suit every level of interest, availability and expertise and offer you tuition in various art media. While the subject matter is predominantly plants, similar techniques are used to illustrate animals.

8-week evening courses*

Tutor: Catherine Wardrop
Where: Education Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens
When: 6 pm to 9 pm Mondays
Cost: $380 per course

Term One Botanical Illustration*: 4 Feb – 31 Mar (no class 24 Mar)
Term Two Botanical Illustration*: 28 Apr – 23 Jun (no class 9 Jun)
Term Three Botanical Illustration*: 21 Jul – 8 Sep
Term Four Botanical Illustration*: 13 Oct – 1 Dec

8-week daytime courses

Tutor: Barbara Duckworth
Where: Education Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens
When: 10 am to 4 pm Fridays
Cost: $760 per course

Term One Botanical Illustration: 1 Feb – 28 Mar (No class 21 Mar)
Term Three Botanical Illustration for beginners*: 25 Jul – 12 Sep

4-week courses

Tutor: Barbara Duckworth
Where: Education Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens
When: 10 am to 4 pm Fridays
Cost: $380 per course

The Right Green – leaf painting: 2 May - 23 May
Pink Ladies and Pontiacs - Fruit and Vegetables: 6 Jun - 27 Jun
Birds: 10 Oct-– 31 Oct
Unfinished Symphonies: 7 Nov - 28 Nov

Autumn school holiday course - the Beauty of Insects*

Suitable for school and university students and absolute beginners.
Tutor: Barbara Duckworth
Where: Education Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens
When: 10 am to 4 pm Tuesday 15 & Wednesday 16 April
Cost: $190per course

Weekend courses

Tutors: Catherine Wardrop & Lesley Elkan
Where: Education Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens
When: 10 am to 4 pm Saturday and Sunday
Cost: $190 per course

Glowing Tones – Perfect Pencil Technique*: 15 & 16 Mar
Find Your Inner Flockton – Scientific Botanical Illustration with Pen & Ink*: 3 & 4 May
Fascinating Orchids*: 30 & 31 Aug
Sketches & Textures in Graphite & Watercolour*: 25 & 26 Oct

Bookings

Ensure you book early to secure a place. Numbers are limited to maximise individual attention and enhance your learning experience. Discount parking can also be arranged. Call Leanne in community Education on (02) 9231 8134.
Please note that places are secured upon receipt of payment, 10% of which is non-refundable if cancellation is made more than 5 working days before the course begins.
Payment is only accepted for the full course and is not refundable once the course starts or if cancellation is made 5 working days or less before the course begins.
Gift Vouchers are available for all courses.
If you are a Friend of The Gardens, a 10% discount on all courses applies.

Courses at Mount Annan and Mount Tomah Botanic Gardens

The Botanic Gardens Trust also runs botanical illustration courses at its other estates. For more information please call Mount Annan Botanic Garden on (02) 4634 7903 or Mount Tomah Botanic Garden (02) 4567 3012.

Master classes

The Friends of The Gardens also run botanical illustration courses for artists who already have experience and wish to improve their skills. For more details visit our website or call the Friends' office on (02) 9231 8182.

The Friends sponsor the Margaret Flockton Award for Botanical Illustration and hold an annual exhibition of Botanical Art.

Margaret Flockton Award Exhibition

Margaret Flockton was the first and most long-serving botanical illustrator at the Botanic Gardens. The Margaret Flockton Award for Scientific Botanical Illustration commemorates her contribution to Australian scientific botanical art. The Margaret Flockton Award is open to Australian and overseas artists producing scientific botanical illustrations of a high standard. The judges select works for inclusion in the Margaret Flockton Award Exhibition to be held at the Red Box Gallery in the National Herbarium of New South Wales from 5 April until 20 June, 2008.

Botanica 2008 - the Fruits of our Labour

The Friends’ annual botanical art exhibition is known for the high quality of work shown, attracting buyers from around Australia and overseas. Botanica 2008 will be held in Lion Gate Lodge, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney from Friday 4 to Sunday 20 April. Admission to the exhibition will be free, and all works are for sale.

Our landscape in oils NEW

Complementing our popular Botanical Illustration courses, we are trialling outdoor oil-painting classes in the Royal Botanic Gardens in 2008. John Perkins, a highly respected artist with over 30 years tutoring experience, joins our team to give students the opportunity to learn to paint ‘au plein air’ using oils to capture the beauty of the living collections and landscapes of this superb location.

Tutor: John Perkins
Where: Education Centre and at selected sites around the Royal Botanic Gardens
When: 10 am to 4 pm, Tuesdays, autumn oil painting course: March 4, 11, 18, 25
Cost: $400 per course

Other courses will be offered once demand is established.

Chestnut-by-Beverly-Allen