Sketching in the sunshine

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art, botanical art, drawing, fairies, gardening, illustration, Val Webb

I celebrated this morning’s unwinterly 75-degree temperature with a pencil sketching session in my backyard herb patch. Greek oregano, peppermint, chives… then a teacup to contain them all… then someone to tend them! Sending warm wishes to all climate zones on this January day.

‘Ruby Red’ chard = a very tasty new year

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art, botanical art, colored pencil, drawing, fairies, food, gardening, illustration, sketchbook, Val Webb

‘Ruby Red’ Swiss chard, with its crinkled leaves and richly colored stems, is almost as much fun to draw as it is to eat. This year, instead of the traditional pot of New Year collards simmering on the stove, our first supper of 2012 was a chard and feta pie, incorporating ingredients from our winter garden. I love chard’s delicate spinach flavor and its prolific growing habit — plus, those lovely leaves are packed with Vitamins A, K, C and protein. And did I mention that fairies like it, as well?

This little drawing is colored pencil on acid-free vellum cardstock. Brilliant white with a smooth surface and a little more heft than drawing paper, premium cardstock makes a terrific sketching medium. Try it — you’ll be pleased.

Upcoming Studio Classes & Workshops

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Alabama, art classes, birds, botanical art, colored pencil, drawing, green living, how to draw, Val Webb, watercolor, workshops

Coming up in Pensacola, Florida:

To ask a question or sign up, email me: studio@valwebb.com

                                          

Nature Drawing Workshop: Winter’s Tale   (Saturday, Feb. 25 from 10am-3pm, Five Rivers Delta Resource Center, on the Causeway in Spanish Fort, AL)        The stories of spring lie hidden just beneath the surface as winter draws to a close along the Gulf Coast. There is a simple beauty in bare branches, seed pods, tiny buds emerging and the first insects to venture forth as the seasons turn back toward warmer days. Spend a day in one of Alabama’s most beautiful waterfront settings, using traditional drawing techniques to create elegant and accurate drawings of winter nature subjects in pen-and-ink. No experience necessary! All art supplies provided.  This event helps support wildlife education programs at 5 Rivers.                                                                                                                                 $60                                                                                                                                        

Embellished with original illustrations and hand lettering, GIFT CERTIFICATES are now available for all classes and workshops listed here. Email me to request one: studio@valwebb.com.

                                           

Late bloomer

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Alabama, botanical art, colored pencil, drawing, flowers, Val Webb

Months after they bloomed themselves out, I am finally getting around to finishing up a colored pencil drawing of the azaleas around my little studio cottage in Mobile.  The deep pink ones are Formosa. The other has an unusually large blossom with the merest suggestion of a pinkish blush — but I have no idea about its name.

Though it borders on blasphemy in Mobile (billed by the local Chamber of Commerce as “The Azalea City”) I really prefer the scrappy little native azalea to the profusely ruffled garden variety. It’s a treat to happen upon them in the woods, where their intense coral flowers create a botanical exclamation point in the green shade.

New – Botanical Drawing class in Fairhope

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art, botanical art, drawing, Val Webb

 

We’re moving. Not too far — just across Mobile Bay — and I will keep my studio cottage in west Mobile, where classes will continue as usual. My new house and studio will be located in Fairhope, and I’m delighted to be able to offer Botanical Drawing classes there beginning April 5. Here are the details:

Draw plants and flowers of the spring season – azaleas, culinary herbs, irises and more. I’ll guide you as you use traditional scientific illustration methods to create realistic images in pencil, ink and gouache working from live specimens. All are welcome, no previous experience is necessary. Classes begin Tuesday, April 5. Choose between the day session (2-5pm for 6 weeks) or evening session (6:30-8:30pm for 8 weeks). All art supplies and materials are provided. $140

 Classes will be held at my home/studio on Orange Avenue, near downtown Fairhope.

 For information or to reserve a spot in the class, call Val at 510-9615 or email studio@valwebb.com.

Signs of spring

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botanical art, flowers, Val Webb, watercolor

A little trick: How to paint a tomato

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botanical art, how to draw, tutorial, Val Webb, watercolor

Try to be one of those people upon whom nothing is lost.  — Henry James

Look deeply: the skin of a ripe, red tomato is not an opaque layer of bright color. Just like our own skin, a tomato is covered in tissue that is slightly transparent. The colors that lie below the skin surface are just visible enough to have an influence on the more intense outer color. Even the ripest tomato will often have a little subcutaneous green or yellow blush around the stem end. If you have grown them, you know that each young tomato must ripen its way through phases of bright green and yellow, finally reaching the robust red of juicy maturity.

Get yourself a ripe tomato — even a cherry tomato will work fine for this experiment. Paint your way through the ripening process, using thin layers and waiting for each color to dry before adding the subsequent one. Don’t have watercolors handy? It also works with colored pencil, but you’ll need to use a very thin layer of each color to keep the transparent effect. Here’s a colored pencil page full of ripening roma tomatoes from our garden of several years ago. Enjoy!

Classes & Workshops – April and May 2011

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Alabama, botanical art, drawing, flowers, Val Webb, watercolor

Dear friends,
 
Springtime is a fantastic time for botanical art in south Alabama. Dazzling azaleas, pitcher plant bogs delicately punctuated with wildflowers, the arrival of our first migratory butterflies — it’s hard to know what to draw first.
 
Here is my schedule of upcoming drawing workshops, classes and “just for fun” art events in April and May. We have moved our household (and my illustration studio) across the bay to Fairhope, and I’m very excited about offering workshops and a new weekly class on the beautiful Eastern Shore. Meanwhile, weekly classes in Mobile will continue as usual in our old neighborhood, Pinehurst. Starting with the new May classes, we’ll meet in the studio cottage at 6052 Adkins Street — just around the corner from our old house.
 
Happy drawing and I hope to see you soon,
 
Val
 
(p.s. Lots of people have emailed to ask about my fairy series, and I’m glad to report that a new flock of fairy watercolors are now under way. Also, the entire collection will be featured in a July exhibit hosted by the Unitarian/Universalist fellowship in Fairhope. Thanks for asking!)
 
 
 
 
 
– WORKSHOPS:
 
Draw and Paint Six Culinary Herbs
Saturday, May 14 from 10am to 4pm
Val’s home/studio in Fairhope, AL
$60 includes refreshments, all art supplies and six potted herb plants to keep
 
Learn the basic structure of a leaf, then put that knowledge to work as you create a color rendering of six culinary herbs in layered watercolor and colored pencil. No previous experience necessary, and all supplies are provided. Take home your completed botanical art and six potted herb plants at the end of the day. We’ll enjoy our lunch break in a nearby cafe in downtown Fairhope. This is a very limited small-group workshop, and it is expected to full up very quickly.  Your registration fee must be received to reserve your spot.  Email me or call 251-510-9615 to let me know you plan to attend.
 
 
 
Old and New: The Lost Art of Hand Lettering… and a New Way to Make “Vintage” Photo Transfers
Saturday, June 4 from 10am until 3pm
Val’s home/studio in Fairhope, AL
$60 includes refreshments and all art supplies, plus illustrated tutorial pages to take home
 
This is not calligraphy, but the “drawn letters” used by old-fashioned sign painters and type designers. Learn to adapt this method to label your botanical artwork or write beautifully in your sketchbook or art journal. We’ll cover how to letter on curves, how to use perspective in your lettering, and how to design your own personal lettering style. After lunch in a nearby cafe, we’ll turn our attention to photo transfers for the afternoon. I’ll show you how to transfer a vintage-looking image to paper, cloth or wood using butcher’s paper and acrylic medium. The original photo is not affected in any way, and the final product has a hauntingly ephemeral look that is quite beautiful. Plus, you can tint your transfer with watercolor for a more impressionistic result. This works especially well with old family photos and garden subjects.  Embellish a journal or family album, make truly lovely greeting cards, frame them as keepsakes or gifts — the possibilities go on and on.  This is a limited, small-group workshop and may fill quickly. Call 251-510-9615 or email me if you plan to attend.
 
 
 
Botanical Drawing in Pencil and Watercolor
Saturday, May 28 from 9am until 3pm
New Orleans Botanical Gardens
New Orleans, LA
$120 includes admission, refreshments and all art supplies
 
Join me for an intensive day of botanical drawing and watercolor in one of the South’s most beautiful horticultural settings. Working from your choice of more than 2,000 varieties of plants from around the world, we’ll create richly colored renderings of springtime plant specimens using layers of graphite pencil and watercolor. Our classroom will be the historic Garden Studies Center, a charming renovated 1930s potting shed that would look right at home in a Beatrix Potter story.  We’ll start the day with a detailed demonstration and some guided practice time before heading out into the gardens to draw and paint. This workshop is appropriate for ALL levels of art experience, and there is no supply list — all art supplies and materials (plus admission to the gardens) will be provided. Morning refreshments will be waiting when you arrive, so all you will need for the day is a sack lunch. Workshop size is limited to ensure personal attention; please call 251-510-9615 or email me to check availability.  (An hour-by-hour schedule of the day’s activities — and details about the very reasonable and dog-friendly hotel where we stay when we are in New Orleans — are available upon request.)
 
 
 
 
 
– WEEKLY CLASSES AT VAL’S HOME/STUDIO IN FAIRHOPE:
 
 
Botanical Drawing: Springtime in the South (daytime class)
Tuesdays beginning April 5, from 2pm until 5pm
Six weeks
$140 includes all art supplies
 
Alabama’s botanical world gets all dressed up with the arrival of spring. Draw and paint Louisiana iris, native wildflowers, flowering bulbs and more, working from live specimens. We’ll use traditional scientific drawing methods to create realistic botanicals in pencil, ink, colored pencil and gouache. Learn in a relaxed, encouraging atmosphere… No experience necessary, and everything you need for this class will be provided. In addition to our regular class meetings, we’ll plan one weekend field sketching day for anyone who wishes to attend. Call 251-510-9615 or email me for more info.
 
 
 
 
Botanical Drawing: Springtime in the South (evening class)
Tuesdays beginning April 5, from 6:30pm until 8:30pm
Eight weeks
$140 includes all art supplies
 
The same subjects as the daytime class, but scheduled for people who need a class with evening hours. 
 
 
 
 
Every Picture Tells a Story: Illustrating Children’s Books
Wednesdays beginning May 18, from 6:30pm until 8:30pm
Eight weeks
$125
 
This lively, relaxed and encouraging course will cover character design, creative page layouts, how to draw for publication and how to use pictures to move a story forward. Have questions about submissions, copyright or publishing markets? We’ll cover those topics, too. Our drawing work will focus on depicting children and animals in action settings. ALL levels of art experience are welcome.  Call 251-510-9615 or email me for more info.
 
 
 
 
– WEEKLY CLASSES AT THE STUDIO COTTAGE IN WEST MOBILE:
 
 
Botanical Drawing: Tropical Summer (daytime class)
Thursdays beginning May 19, from 2pm until 5pm
Six weeks
$140 includes all art supplies
 
It’s the season of brilliant colors and unusual forms — we’ll use watercolor and colored pencil to create realistic renderings of summer plants including palms, succulents and tropical flowers. We’ll also paint butterflies and other insects associated with summer blooms.  In addition to our regular class meetings, we’ll plan one weekend field drawing day for anyone who wishes to attend. No experience necessary, and all art supplies are provided. Call 251-510-9615 or email me for more info.
 
 
 
Botanical Drawing: Tropical Summer (evening class)
Thursdays beginning May 19, from 6:30pm until 8:30pm
Eight weeks
$140 includes all art supplies
 
The same subjects as the daytime class, but scheduled for those who need a class with evening hours.
 
 
 
 
 
– OTHER FUN ARTFUL STUFF FOR APRIL AND MAY:
 
 
Worldwide SketchCrawl Day at 5 Rivers
Saturday, April 16 from 9am until 3pm
5 Rivers Delta Resource Center – on the Causeway
(Free! Everybody come out and draw!)
 
Join thousands of sketchers worldwide in a day-long drawing experience. Bring your favorite art materials and come out to draw in a beautiful natural setting. People in hundreds of other cities are simultaneously sketching their own surroundings, and at the end of the afternoon we’ll scan and upload your images to the worldwide sketch forum, if you wish. This is Mobile’s fifth SketchCrawl event, and we always have a wonderful time. Sharpen that drawing pencil and grab your sketchpad! See you there.
 
 
 
 
The Illustrated Garden at Earth Day Mobile Bay
Saturday, April 23 from 10am until 6pm
Just south of the Fairhope Pier
 
Come by and say hello — my studio has a booth at the upcoming Earth Day celebration. I’ll be drawing heirloom vegetables and handing out free organic veggie and herb seeds from my farmer friends at Sustainable Seed Company. It’s a great time to plant a summer garden (or draw one)!

Sharpen your pencil and grab a chair…

Tags

botanical art, flowers, how to draw, tutorial, Val Webb

Longing for springtime flowers? If it’s too early to plant them in your climate zone, at least you can pass the time by drawing them:

I’ll be posting more drawing videos in coming days. Enjoy!

Val Webb’s schedule of upcoming studio classes

Tags

Alabama, botanical art, drawing, Val Webb

Dear friends,

I have made a resolution for the coming New Year: to spend at least one day of every month on nature/botanical field sketching excursions. My destinations will include Blakely State Park, Weeks Bay Estuarine Reserve, Mobile Botanical Gardens, the Mississippi Sandhill Crane Reserve and Bellingrath Gardens. Grab a sketchbook, pack a lunch and come join me! Nothing nourishes your spirit like spending a day drawing outdoors. Dates will be posted here at the beginning of each month.

Here are my studio classes for January and February 2011:

 

Realistic Watercolor 101 (Tuesdays beginning January 11 from 6:30-8:30pm, 8 weeks)   Step-by-step, learn to create light, shadow and texture in transparent watercolor. Use wash, glazing and dry brush techniques to create realistic landscapes, plants and animals. Includes simple color theory and “reverse painting”.  No experience necessary – work in a relaxed, encouraging atmosphere. Some materials provided; a short supply list will be emailed when you sign up.     $120

Drawing the Details (Wednesdays beginning January 12 from 6:30-8:30pm, 8 weeks)  This popular drawing class focuses on a different technique, medium and subject matter every week. Explore graphite, charcoal, Conte’ pencil and pen-and-ink while learning foundation principles of drawing in a fun, ever-changing format. Suitable for every level of experience – all are welcome. This class always fills up quickly. All art supplies included.  $120

Botanical Drawing: A Winter Garden (Thursdays beginning January 13 from 2-5pm, 6 weeks) Draw and paint coastal cool-season plants working from live specimens: camellias, daylilies, winter jasmine and the many heirloom vegetable plants that thrive in Alabama’s cold months.  We’ll use traditional scientific drawing methods to create realistic botanicals in pencil, ink, colored pencil and gouache. No experience necessary, all art supplies provided.  $140

Payment may be made by check or credit card, and must be received to hold a place in class. For information, email me at studio@valwebb.com or facebook users may visit The Illustrated Garden facebook page. See you soon!