Forest to Sea

Create unique and evocative natural science illustrations incorporating personal botanical, animal specimens and objects from the sea. We will draw inspiration from a natural history illustrator, Joris Hoefenagel (1542-1601). We will utilize colored pencils and walnut ink stained paper to create these illustrations. We will create a unique composition, and choose subjects that speak to us, perhaps bits and pieces we have collected from our walks in the past.

We will draw from observation beginning with loose gestural sketches slowly progressing to more refined drawing, while emphasizing form, texture and composition. We will draw in realistic style but individual approaches will be encouraged.

Instructor will explain and demonstrate colored pencils techniques: using blenders, layering, embossing and mixing colors.

Dorota Haber-Lehigh is an artist, educator, linguist and forager. She holds a Diploma in Botanical Illustration from Society of Botanical Artists in London. She loves gardening, hiking, field sketching, mushroom hunting and botanical drawing. Her passion is drawing native plants and discovering their edibility, medicinal use and ecological connection. She is drawn into the sculptural and architectural wonder of plants as well as the ephemeral beauty of plants throughout all seasons. She authored two ethnobotanical coloring books: ABC of Native Plants of the Coastal Pacific Northwest and Native Berries of the Coastal Pacific Northwest.

In person Participants Bring:

• Favorite sketchbook such as Strathmore Drawing 400, 9"X12", or loose sketching paper

• Pencil H or F

• Kneaded eraser

• Hand-held pencil sharpener (preferably not electrical ones as they can be loud and interrupt the flow of meditative drawing)

• Artist-quality colored pencils: such as Prismacolor premier, Faber Castell-Polychromos, Derwent Colorsoft or Pablo by Caran d'Ache. If Participant is new to colored pencils, a set of 24 artist-quality colored pencils is a good start. (Instructor will have sanitized extra pencils available for sharing)

• Specimens of plants, shells, feathers, or other items from forest or sea

Optional:

• Embossing tool (Pergamano Fine Stylus 0.5 mm)

• Any colorless blender of your choice (i.e. Caran d'ache wax colorless blender, or Copic colorless blender marker)

Online Participants Bring:

• Favorite sketchbook such as Strathmore Drawing 400, 9"x12", or loose sketching paper

• Pencil H or F

• Kneaded eraser

• Hand-held pencil sharpener

• Artist-quality colored pencils: such as Prismacolor premier, Faber Castell-Polychromos, Derwent Colorsoft or Pablo by Caran d'Ache. If Participant is new to colored pencils, a set of 24 artist quality colored pencils is a good start.

• Specimens of plants, shells, feathers, any other items from forest or sea

Optional:

• Embossing tool (Pergamano Fine Stylus 0.5 mm)

• Any colorless blender of your choice (i.e. Caran d'ache wax colorless blender, or Copic colorless blender marker)

• Extra Sketch paper

• Extra Sketch pencils

• Erasers

• Sharpeners

• Colored pencils class sets (extra pencils from various artist quality brands to try and use in class)

• 3 sheets of Walnut ink-stained paper (paper prepared by instructor) Fluid 140 lbs, 6"x6" (Instructor will mail this paper to online participants before class begins)

• Specimens of butterflies and other insects

• Seashells and other objects from the sea

• Guidebooks and photographs