Program Overview

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Introduction to the Botanical Art Fundamentals Program

The Botanical Art Fundamentals Program is designed for art students and naturalists looking to develop their skills in drawing or painting plants. This online program explores the relationship between nature and art through beginning and intermediate art classes and introductory botany courses, focusing on plants native to the southeastern United States.

Upon completing this program, participants will have a foundational knowledge of art and drawing from life, be familiar with various art media, feel confident in creating a visual nature journal based on observations of the natural world, and have an understanding of the botany of native plants in the southeastern U.S. as a foundation for accurate botanical representation.

Program Background

The goal of the Botanical Art Fundamentals Program is to provide a beginning experience in exploring the field where science and art intersect, focusing on native plants. The program distinguishes between botanical illustration and botanical art, with the former typically created to accompany descriptive texts and the latter placing more emphasis on aesthetic considerations while still maintaining accuracy in plant representation.

Curriculum

The program is taught by North Carolina art and botany professionals and can be completed entirely online, with the option to take classes in-person. To complete the program, participants must receive a rating of "Credit" in each of six core courses and three elective courses. The program is designed to be completed in a 1.5 to 2-year period.

Core Courses

• Beginning Drawing
• Composition: The Bones of the Painting
• Botany
• Botany for the Artist
• Botanical Sketchbook
• Flowering Plant Families

Electives

• Beginning Colored Pencil
• Beginning Watercolor
• Intermediate Drawing
• Intermediate Colored Pencil
• Intermediate Watercolor (Traditional or Expressive)
  • Up to one elective course can be selected from media exploration topics:
    • Acrylic
    • Botanicals in Watercolor, Colored Pencil, and Pen and Ink
    • Gouache
    • Pen and Ink

Sample Course Sequence

The program provides a sample course sequence to help participants plan their studies.

Standards for Credit

All art class assignments and homework are graded on three criteria:

• Accuracy: The accurate identification and depiction of botanical structures and plant habits.
• Draftsmanship: The depiction of fine detail and the illusion of three-dimensionality created through accurate and effective use of line, color, value, and competent media application.
• Artistic Sensitivity: The development and implementation of basic visual arts concepts as applied to botanical illustration, including the development of a personal creative style and the ability to convey the character and personality of a plant artistically.

Participants may not miss more than one class per course. For each course completed, a rating of Credit, Incomplete, or No Credit is given. If a participant receives an Incomplete, they cannot progress until they complete the required assignments. If they receive a No Credit, they cannot progress to a higher-level course until achieving a satisfactory level of proficiency.

Program Registration

To join the program, there is a non-refundable enrollment fee of $50 that supports administrative costs for a three-year period. After three years, an additional $25 annual administrative fee is charged to continue enrollment. Participants must be at least 18 years of age to register.

Tracking Progress

Participants can track their progress through the program via their transcript in the Learning Stream registration system.

Continuing Studies

Based on their experience, participants might find a strong interest in deeper exploration or study of botanical art/illustration and/or native plants. The North Carolina Botanical Garden offers in-depth Certificate programs in both topics:

• Certificate in Botanical Art & Illustration
• Certificate in Native Plants and Advanced Certificate in Native Plants

The program provides a comprehensive foundation for those interested in botanical art, focusing on the intersection of science and art, and offers pathways for further study and specialization in the field.