Join us Wednesday afternoon for a display of art techniques you can explore at your leisure. Artists will be working at their craft and available to answer your questions as they demonstrate.
© 2007, Karen Ackoff.
detail, Rendering of medieval ivory game piece.
Karen Ackoff Ackoff
Drawing With Silver
Silverpoint, or "metalpoint", is a long standing technique used by the masters. Silverpoint creates a high-key drawing that develops a lovely, slightly brown patina over time. Tone is created from finely layered line work, creating the illusion of tone. In addition, silverpoint lends itself to extremely fine detail not possible with traditional pencil techniques.
©2010 Kirsten Carlson
The cover and interior page of Where the Land and Sea Meet.
Kirsten Carlson
Where the Land and Sea Meet: Science, Art and Activities from the Intertidal Zone
Learn how scientific illustration inspires connections to marine biology through an activity book designed for all ages that gives you the chance to draw, interact and read about science in the intertidal zone.
© 2017, Carol F. Creech
Handmade Journals by Carol F. Creech, 2017.
Carol Creech
Bookbinding Techniques for Lay-Flat Sketchbooks
Have you ever wanted to make your own sketchbooks, but did not know where to start? Come learn about bookbinding techniques that make the most of your paper and are fun to create! Carol will be demonstrating several hand-stitching techniques from a simple pamphlet stitch to the more complex Coptic stitch and Secret Belgian binding. These allow your journal to lay flat and maximize the paper surface available for drawing or painting.
© 2017 Karen A Johnson
Five-horned Rhinoceros beetle/Eupatorus gracilicornis, Karen A Johnson, polymer clay.
Karen A Johnson
Sculpting Insects in Polymer Clay
Insects comprise nearly 90% of all animal life and have an incredible amount of diversity in their forms. Come see how Karen has developed her technique to sculpt insects in polymer clay. Sculptures can be used to teach and show people the beauty of this often misunderstood class of animals. They can also be formed into wearable art. Polymer clay is a versatile medium that can mimic a wide variety of media and substrates.
©2015, Cheryl McCutchan, made in Adobe Illustrator
Anomalocaris swimming in the Cambrian sea.
Cheryl McCutchan
Adobe Illustrator Tips and Tricks: Beginner to Advance
Illustrator has an incredible array of palettes and tools that can be daunting to the new (or even advanced!) user. Yet, this array of possibilities makes Illustrator extremely flexible for creating illustrations in a variety of styles. Cheryl will show you how she creates complex illustrations with the wide array of tools found in Illustrator. She’ll also show you techniques she uses every day that increase efficiency when producing scientific illustrations. If you have questions about Illustrator tools or an Illustrator conundrum you're having trouble working out, please come ask Cheryl during the technique showcase. She is always willing to help!
©2011 Tiffany Miller Russell, photo courtesy of Mel Schockner Life at the Bottom; Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) and Equisetum; Cut Paper Sculpture
Tiffany Miller Russell
Cut Paper Sculpture
Whether white-on-white or utilizing the range of handmade papers from around the world, cut paper sculpture produces unique, eye-catching visuals. This little-used medium is gaining in popularity both as an illustration technique and as a fine art medium. Tiffany will bring examples of paper sculpture and paper art being used in illustration today, and will demonstrate tools for transferring, cutting, gluing, and building armatures and frames. Explore the variety of papers available on the market, and try your hand at folding, scoring, and shaping this very tactile medium.
2010 by Trudy Nicholson
Hibiscus with Pollinators by Trudy Nicholson; Ink on Scratchboard.
Trudy Nicholson
Ink on Scratchboard
Participants will discover the potentials and excitement of working on white scratchboard where contrasts produce dramatic, luminous effects. We will review tools and materials and how to use them to create a vast range of textures forming accurate, fine details. Pen and blade will make black and white lines, deep shading and striking highlights. Scratchboard ink is correctable and therefor no longer intimidating. The artists will be able to try the technique on demonstration boards and actually see what can be conveyed using this medium.
A Perilous Landing- Wood Stork ©DPetrochko
A Perilous Landing; Wood Stork Mycteria americana; ©Dorie Petrochko Watercolor and Gouache; 2017.
Dorie Petrochko
Techniques for Mixed Media Backgrounds
This mixed media demonstration focuses on painting with rich, intense water-soluble pigments (watercolor and acrylic) onto damp or dry paper. Manipulative techniques, with colored pencil, inks and pastels, in the wet and dry stages of the process will be used. Figurative and abstract details, resembling patterns in nature, will be incorporated in the final stages of the painting. These techniques are ideal for creating backgrounds for natural science subjects. Open to all levels
©2000, Scott Rawlins, Scott Rawlins
Turk's Cap Lily, Lilium superbum, Scott Rawlins, mixed media on coquille board.
© 2017, Deborah B Shaw
Castanospermum australe Leaf, Moreton Bay Chestnut Leaf, Deborah B Shaw, watercolor on paper. Digitally watermarked with Digimarc.
Deborah B Shaw
Drawing and Painting Leaves
When painting and drawing plants, most people focus immediately on flowers. It’s easy to understand why; they’re frequently brightly colored, scented, and showy. The leaf, however, is the powerhouse of a plant or tree. Every plant has leaves that are uniquely adapted to that individual's survival. Some leaves are flat and thin and are arranged on a plant so they can maximize the amount of sunlight they receive. Other leaves are hairy or thick and fleshy, to prevent the loss of moisture in hot, dry climates. Learn how to draw and paint leaves in their full complexity; how to portray veins, variegated leaves, and textures; how to show form and volume; and how to put leaves into perspective. Explore the morphology of leaves. Learn fast leaf-rubbing and sketching techniques that produce quick results in the field, as well as studio shading and painting techniques. From the salad on your plate to the greenery in the garden—you'll never look at a leaf the same way again!
©2018 B. Strauch
Alpoth; Bricelyn H. Strauch; Digital pen and ink/Procreate app; 2017.
Bricelyn H Strauch
Illustrating with the Procreate app on an iPad Pro
There always seems to be a gap between the look of digital and traditional illustration. However, Procreate for iPad, a popular drawing and painting app for illustrators, bridges this gap with its robust and intuitive UI. Using the iPad pro and Apple pencil, any novice or expert illustrator can utilize the workflow I'll demonstrate with Procreate.