Natural Science Illustration Program

The Yale Peabody Museum’s Natural Science Illustration Program, begun in 2010, provides both beginner and professional artists opportunities to learn a wide range of art techniques focusing on nature and natural science illustration. Our skilled and experienced instructors provide personalized support in small classes to help you develop your abilities and discover new ways of encountering art and nature. The Peabody’s collections and outdoor locations provide endless subjects for drawing, painting, and sketching. Take an individual class or complete a sequence of classes to earn a Certificate in Natural Science Illustration.

Register using our online form for upcoming classes or browse the course catalog for a full list of offered courses. For information about course content, prerequisites, materials, and other details contact the instructor listed for each course by email directly. Contact us with registration and payment questions.

Currently enrolled Yale undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for a discount.  Contact Elizabeth Steele at peabody.education@yale.edu before registering for any course to receive your discount.

Courses will meet online or in person as noted in the course description.  In person courses will take place at the Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven, Connecticut.

Some courses have prerequisites or require permission of the instructor to participate.  200 level courses require the successful completion of Drawing I (Course # 101) as a prerequisite.

 

Certificate Program Requirements

Students who would like to pursue a Certificate in Natural Science Illustration may announce their intention to seek the certificate at any time during their tenure in the program. To earn the certificate, a student must satisfactorily complete a total of 336 course hours. This includes the 10 core courses below (240 hours), a minimum of 93 additional hours of elective courses, and a 3-hour consultation for the final portfolio requirement.

Successful completion of courses for certification credit is based on in-class exercises, critiques, and final project evaluations.  Certificate students must complete a final project demonstrating proficiency for each course taken.

Required Core Courses

  • Drawing I
  • Drawing II
  • Pen and Ink I
  • Composition and Design
  • Colored Pencil I
  • Watercolor I
  • Vertebrate Anatomy
  • Plant Morphology
  • Marketing for Illustrators
  • Introduction to Adobe Photoshop for Natural Science Illustrators

Sample Elective Courses

  • Colored Pencil II
  • Watercolor II
  • Insects Writ Large
  • Field Sketching
  • Botanical Illustration

After completing all course work, students seeking the certificate will register for Portfolio Development. In this one-to-one consultation with an NSI instructor, a student will define final portfolio goals to produce 6 new works in a medium and theme that represent their strongest skills. The student also submits an artist’s statement with the final portfolio.

The new works in the completed portfolio are reviewed by a committee of NSI program instructors. Professionals in an allied scientific or artistic field may also review the work. This assessment is made on the student’s artistic skills and knowledge of the subject(s) as expressed in the accompanying artist’s statement. A certificate of completion is awarded after approval of the submitted portfolio. Certificate awardees will have created a professional portfolio that reflects their training under experienced professional artists with certification by the Yale Peabody Museum.

The course work for a Certificate in Natural Science Illustration can usually be completed in 2 to 3 years. At current rates, a student can expect to pay approximately $7,000 in registration fees to complete the minimum number of courses required for the certificate. Art supplies and incidentals are additional.

Enrollment Eligibility

  • Courses are designed for adults. All participants must be at least 18 years of age. There will be no exceptions.

Course Prerequisites

  • Courses numbered 200 and above require Course 101 Drawing I as a prerequisite. Check individual course descriptions for additional prerequisites.

Location of Classes and Course Information

  • Classes are currently offered online via Zoom and also in-person at the Peabody Museum’s Education Center at Yale’s West Campus in Orange, CT. Please refer to the course description for location information.

Cancellations & Course Changes

  • Courses may be canceled for low enrollment or for any other reason. Registrants will be refunded 100% of the course fee or can receive credit toward a future course.
  • The Yale Peabody Museum reserves the right to reschedule courses, withdraw or modify a course, and substitute instructors at its sole discretion. The Museum will make every effort to notify students of such changes in advance.
  • In case of class cancellations because of inclement weather, the instructor will make every effort to contact students by email or phone in a timely manner. However, it is the registrant’s responsibility to check with the instructor to confirm whether a class will meet. Instructor contact information is provided to enrolled students before the first class of each course.

Registration & Payment

  • Register and pay for courses using our online form. Contact us with any questions about registration and payment.

Refunds

  • Students who withdraw from a class or workshop up to 30 days before the first class are eligible for a full refund. Students who withdraw up to 14 days before the first class are eligible for a credit provided their spot is filled by another student and the course runs. Withdrawals within 14 days of the start of the course will forfeit the registration fee. Consideration will be given to those with a written medical excuse or in the case of other extraordinary circumstances, as determined by YPM staff.

Reproduction Rights

  • On registration, the Yale Peabody Museum requests permission to photograph both the student’s image or likeness and the student’s artwork created in each course, along with the rights to reproduce these for educational and publicity purposes. The Yale Peabody Museum will not use such images if the student does not grant permission.

Winter/Spring 2024

  • NSI 101X: Drawing I

    Drawing I is the foundation course for all Natural Science Illustration courses taught at the Peabody Museum. Learn the necessary techniques to render light on form, value, texture, perspective, proportion, and composition. Students should expect to spend time outside of class working on weekly assignments and a final project. Drawing I is a prerequisite for any 200 level course. Both sessions meet on-line.

    Instructors:
    • Jan Prentice (Session A)
      prenticestudio@gmail.com
    • Betsy Barry (Session B)
      betsybarrydesigns@gmail.com
    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Drawing

    $480.00


  • NSI 103X: Field Sketching and Nature Journaling

    Learn the basics of observational drawing starting with simple objects so that you can sketch what you find outdoors as well as indoors. Students will be encouraged to carry their sketchbooks and journals wherever they go; and there will be a balance between presentations by the instructor with actual practice, followed by group critiques.

     

    Instructors:
    • Linda Miller
      lindaamiller@snet.net
    6 weeks; 12 hours total

    Drawing

    $240.00


  • NSI 105: Field Sketching & Nature Journaling at the Marsh Botanical Gardens

    Practice your observational drawing in the green houses and outdoor gardens at the Marsh Botanical Gardens at Yale in New Haven. The focus will be on drawing practice with time for group critiques. This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    • Linda Miller
      lindaamiller@snet.net
    4 weeks; 8 hours total

    Drawing

    $160.00


  • NSI 105A: One Day Workshop: Field Sketching & Nature Journaling at the Marsh Botanical Gardens

    Take this one-day workshop to add a session to Course 105 or on its own as a 3 hour opportunity to practice your observational drawing as you explore the greenhouses and gardens at the Marsh Botanical Gardens at Yale in New Haven. The focus will be on drawing practice with time for group critiques.  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    • Linda Miller
      lindaamiller@snet.net
    1 weeks; 3 hours total

    Drawing

    $60.00


  • NSI 106X: Sumi-e-Inspired Watercolor

    The bold simplicity of Japanese sumi-e has influenced many artists around the world for centuries. Learn some adapted approaches and techniques for use in Western watercolor. Practice capturing the essence of specimens in a style inspired by sumi-e, while learning the background of traditional Japanese materials and how to incorporate them into your work.  This course meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    • Rachel Rasfeld
      rachelrasfeld@gmail.com
    6 weeks; 12 hours total

    Watercolor

    $240.00


  • NSI 108X: Painting Insects in Amber

    In this one day workshop, we’ll take inspiration from amber specimens in the Peabody Museum’s collection and beyond to capture the beauty of insects trapped in amber using watercolors. We’ll learn a bit about amber itself while exploring various techniques and pigment qualities to assist you in creating some interesting pieces.  This course meets on-line.

     

    Instructors:
    • Rachel Rasfeld
      rachelrasfeld@gmail.com
    1 weeks; 3 hours total

    Painting

    $60.00


  • NSI 110X: Watercolor & Pen in Miniature

    Assemble and use an ultra-portable mini watercolor painting set in this exploratory course. We’ll focus on practical tips for material usage as well as approaches to make successful compositions on a small scale. In addition to creating miniature works of art, these skills and ideas can be used to take your field journals and thumbnail sketch layouts to a new level!  This course meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    • Rachel Rasfeld
      rachelrasfeld@gmail.com
    5 weeks; 8 hours total

    Multi-media

    $150.00


  • NSI 118: Getting Started in Colored Pencil

    This beginner class will introduce you to the basic materials and techniques used with colored pencil. You will be guided through the creation of a portrait of spring blooms and learn how to transfer a drawing, apply, layer, and blend colored pencils, and how to achieve beautiful results. Drawing experience helpful but not required. This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    • Kim Burris
      kimburr@comcast.net
    3 weeks; 9 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $180.00


  • NSI 128X: Watercolor Workshop for Beginners

    Explore the world of watercolor! The traditional approach to transparent watercolor painting will be taught, with the focus on limited palettes, mixing, layering, and glazing to create luminous, beautiful colors in this special medium.  This course meets on-line.

     

    Instructors:
    • Linda Miller
      lindaamiller@snet.net
    4 weeks; 8 hours total

    Watercolor, Workshop

    $160.00


  • NSI 152X: Secrets of Trees in Winter: Drawing Twigs and Buds

    Botanists identify trees in winter by their dormant twigs and buds.  In this workshop, participants will use a dichotomous key to identify a variety of tree species by twig and then create their own drawings of the twigs’ special features to use as a field guide so they can identify tree species outside in their own neighborhood when they are free of leaves.  This course meets in-person.

    Instructors:
    • Susannah Graedel
      graedelbirdsong@comcast.net
    1 weeks; 3 hours total

    Drawing

    $60.00


  • NSI 157: Drawing From the Peabody Dioramas

    Re-discover the Peabody’s amazing dioramas which portray Connecticut ecosystems and North American biomes.  Learn the history of the dioramas and the artists who created them.  Enjoy the opportunity to sketch from these iconic scenes where the animals stay still while you draw!  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    • Linda Miller
      lindaamiller@snet.net
    4 weeks; 8 hours total

    Drawing

    $160.00


  • NSI 157A: One Day Workshop: Drawing From the Peabody Dioramas

    Take this one-day workshop to add a session to Course 157 or on its own as a 3 hour opportunity to sketch from the iconic Peabody Museum dioramas that portray a variety of Connecticut ecosystems and North American biomes.  Enjoy the opportunity to sketch nature while the animals stay still while you draw!  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    • Linda Miller
      lindaamiller@snet.net
    1 weeks; 3 hours total

    Drawing

    $60.00


  • NSI 163: Illustrating Reptiles in Ink

    The distinctive scales and bumpy textures of reptile bodies can be dramatically portrayed in the medium of pen and ink using specimens and casts from the Yale Peabody Museum's Vertebrate Zoology and Education collections.  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    • Jeanette Compton
      jeanettecomptonart@gmail.com
    5 weeks; 13 hours total

    Drawing

    $260.00


  • NSI 172X: Children’s Books: Science and Art

    We will explore some of the wonderful new books out there and have the opportunity to have a dialogue with some authors and illustrators.  We will also learn about the process of creating children’s books by journaling and creating storyboards for our own books!  This course meets online.

    Instructors:
    • Linda Miller
      lindaamiller@snet.net
    4 weeks; 8 hours total

    Other

    $160.00


  • NSI 174X: Art of Natural History

    This course combines art history with hands-on projects through a series of recorded slide presentations and live (on-line) painting sessions. We'll examine the fascinating stories behind centuries of collecting and documenting the naturals world, from Ancient Greece to the Enlightenment, with a special focus on the arts and sciences of the Renaissance.  Students will develop skills in color rendering through a series of demonstrations and exercises in mixed media.  This course meets on-line.

    Prerequisite: Drawing I or permission of the instructor.

    Instructors:
    • Kate Samworth
      samworthkate@gmail.com
    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Multi-media, Other

    $480.00


  • NSI 175: Illustrating Owls in Ink

    The enigmatic owl will be the focus of this in-person workshop.  Students will be introduced to the anatomy and natural history of owls and depict an owl from the Peabody Museum’s ornithology collection with fineliner pen, using natural science illustration techniques.  This course meets in-person at the Yale Peabody Museum.

    Instructors:
    • Jeanette Compton
      jeanettecomptonart@gmail.com
    5 weeks; 13 hours total

    Drawing

    $260.00


  • NSI 186A: Watercolor Workshop: How to Paint Daisies

    Learn how to paint these popular flowers in watercolor and place them in a natural setting.  An ability to draw the flower is helpful but not required.  This course meets in person at the Peabody Museum.

    Instructors:
    • Bivenne Staiger
      bivenne@yahoo.com
    1 weeks; 6 hours total

    Watercolor

    $120.00


  • NSI 201X: Drawing II - Light on Form

    Developing a sensitivity and proficiency in toning with graphite and mechanical pencils is an important skill in natural science illustration. Building on Drawing 1 skills, emphasis will be on creating accurate observations and traditional renderings of botanical and natural science subjects with correct lighting, value, proportion, and scale. Special attention will be given to creating seamless transitions of graphite in toning objects.

    Instructors:
    • Betsy Barry
      betsybarrydesigns@gmail.com
    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Drawing

    $480.00


  • NSI 204X: Drawing and Painting Birds in Watercolor

    Create realistic drawings and paintings of birds that show their true character.  Using careful observation, learn to sketch birds from life capturing their unique gesture and individuality.  The second half of the course concentrates on how to paint birds and their complex plumage in watercolor, and how to place them in an environment with background foliage and light.  This course meets on-line.

    Prerequisite: Drawing I and experience in watercolor

    Instructors:
    • Michael DiGiorgio
      mdigiorgio@comcast.net
    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Watercolor

    $480.00


  • NSI 205X: Pen and Ink

    The beauty and clarity of natural science drawings in ink have been admired for centuries.  Students will master the techniques of traditional scientific illustration using both crow quill and technical pens to depict the natural world in stipple and line.  This course meets online.

    Prerequisite: NSI201X: Drawing II

    Instructors:
    • Susannah Graedel
      graedelbirdsong@comcast.net
    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Drawing

    $480.00


  • NSI 207: Illustrating Birds of Prey in Crow Quill

    Using observational skills and natural science illustration processes, students will employ skills and techniques learned in Pen and Ink to depict a bird of prey specimen from the Yale Peabody Museum's ornithology or education collections. Students will also be introduced to their anatomy and natural history.  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    • Jeanette Compton
      jeanettecomptonart@gmail.com
    5 weeks; 13 hours total

    Drawing

    $260.00


  • NSI 216X: Composition and Design

    Learning the elements of composition and design is essential for completing successful paintings and illustrations. Exploring Notan composition, spatial relationships, the golden mean, balance, and structure, we will create dynamic studies that will serve as templates for final watercolor, colored pencil, and mixed media compositions.

    Prerequisites: NSI 201X: Drawing II and NSI 244X: Watercolor I or NSI 244X: Colored Pencil I

    Instructors:
    • Kate Samworth
      samworthkate@gmail.com
    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Colored Pencil, Drawing, Multi-media, Watercolor

    $480.00


  • NSI 225X: Colored Pencil II

    Using both traditional and experimental methods, students will master the techniques of colored pencil needed to create detailed and accurate illustrations for portfolio presentation or publication. Course concentration will be focused on refining techniques learned in Colored Pencil I, increasing pigment intensity, creating textural effects, and working closely from found objects and museum specimens to create dynamic scientific studies. This course meets on-line.

    Prerequisite: Colored Pencil I

    Instructors:
    • Betsy Barry
      betsybarrydesigns@gmail.com
    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $480.00


  • NSI 241X: Colored Pencil I

    Begin your exploration of color with this approachable medium. In the first few classes, students learn and practice key color concepts: primary and secondary color, local color, color temperature, hue, chroma and value. With this background, students will then learn techniques needed to create beautiful, detailed drawings on a variety of drawing surfaces.  This course meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    • Jan Prentice
      prenticestudio@gmail.com
    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $480.00


  • NSI 244X: Watercolor I

    Learn the basic techniques of watercolor painting including color theory, color mixing, washes, layering, dry versus wet, dry brush, and achieving fine detail necessary for natural science subjects. Students will learn how to plan a painting and develop it carefully to capture the beauty of this transparent medium.  This course meets online.

    Instructors:
    • Ikumi Kayama
      ikumikayama@gmail.com
    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Watercolor

    $480.00


  • NSI 261X: Vertebrate Anatomy

    In this on-line class, students will observe and sketch specimens from the vertebrate zoology collection at the Yale Peabody Museum’s West Campus, a textbook, and from 3D webcams online. Areas of focus will include research and hands-on study of the anatomy and musculature of the cat, the horse, and an in-depth final study of a vertebrate of choice representing its skeletal and musculature development.

     

    Instructors:
    • Dorie Petrochko
      doripbird1@gmail.com
    • Armand Morgan
      armand.morgan@yale.edu
    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Drawing

    $480.00


  • NSI 267X: Introduction to Adobe Photoshop for Natural Science Illustrators

    In this 8-week course, students will take their completed illustrations in a traditional medium and manipulate them for publication in Adobe Photoshop.  The famously complicated and ever-changing Photoshop palettes and tools will be discussed and the tools most often used by professional scientific illustrators will be covered.  After taking this course, the students should have a working knowledge and basic understanding of Adobe Photoshop.  This course meets online.

    Instructors:
    • Ikumi Kayama
      ikumikayama@gmail.com
    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Digital

    $480.00


  • NSI 270X: Plant Morphology

    Explore the exquisite variety of form, function, and structural adaptations of flowering plants.  Each week students will draw the parts of one or two flowers from different families to produce an artistic botanical plate of each one. When possible, students will dissect live flowers in class.  When fresh flowers are unavailable to students, they will work from published references to produce their illustrations.  Each class will include a primer on basic botany.  This course meets online.

    Instructors:
    • Betsy Barry
      betsybarrydesigns@gmail.com
    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Drawing, Other

    $480.00


  • NSI 286D: Watercolor Workshop: How to Paint a Butterfly

    Student will learn how to portray in watercolor a butterfly’s exquisite details as it sits on a beautiful flower. Using design tricks, the student will also learn how to make it stand out in its setting. This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    • Bivenne Staiger
      bivenne@yahoo.com
    1 weeks; 6 hours total

    Watercolor

    $120.00


  • NSI 286E: Watercolor Workshop: How to Paint a Hummingbird

    Learn how to use watercolor to portray shimmering hummingbird details and its wings in motion in a beautiful flower setting.  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    • Bivenne Staiger
      bivenne@yahoo.com
    1 weeks; 6 hours total

    Watercolor

    $120.00


  • NSI 286F: Watercolor Workshop: How to Paint a Nesting Heron

    Learn how to portray a great blue heron with its nest in watercolor. Using design tricks, the student will also learn how to make the bird stand out in its setting.  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    • Bivenne Staiger
      bivenne@yahoo.com
    1 weeks; 6 hours total

    Watercolor

    $120.00


  • NSI 287X: Botanical Illustration in Colored Pencil

    In this course we will use colored pencil and graphite on paper to create a botanical illustration.  Emphasis will be on colored pencil technique creating color studies of the subject using sketches and transferring sketchbook work to a final piece.  This course meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    • Betsy Barry
      betsybarrydesigns@gmail.com
    6 weeks; 18 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $360.00


  • NSI 299X: Portfolio Development

    This final course in the Certificate Program is for a student who has successfully completed all other required and elective courses.  Sessions will focus on concept development, interim progress and achieving final portfolio goals.  Session dates and times will be determined by the student and instructor.

    Instructors:
    • TBD
      peabody.education@yale.edu
    3 weeks; 3 hours total

    Other

    $300.00


  • NSI 101X: Drawing I

    Basic Drawing

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Drawing I is the foundation course for all Natural Science Illustration courses taught at the Peabody Museum. Learn the necessary techniques to render light on form, value, texture, perspective, proportion, and composition. Students should expect to spend time outside of class working on weekly assignments and a final project. Drawing I is a prerequisite for any 200 level course. Both sessions meet on-line.

    Instructors:
    Jan Prentice (Session A)
    prenticestudio@gmail.com
    Betsy Barry (Session B)
    betsybarrydesigns@gmail.com

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Drawing

    $480.00


  • NSI 103X: Field Sketching and Nature Journaling

    Daffodils in pencil

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Learn the basics of observational drawing starting with simple objects so that you can sketch what you find outdoors as well as indoors. Students will be encouraged to carry their sketchbooks and journals wherever they go; and there will be a balance between presentations by the instructor with actual practice, followed by group critiques.

     

    Instructors:
    Linda Miller
    lindaamiller@snet.net

     

    6 weeks; 12 hours total

    Drawing

    $240.00


  • NSI 104X: Field Sketching and Nature Journaling II

    Sketching in front of a Peabody diorama

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Students will explore, sketch, and journal outside and then will bring some seasonal specimens they find inside to work from.  In April and May we will be searching for spring flowers, and we will welcome guest naturalists who will help us identify things that we have discovered.  Learn to slow down and observe more deeply as you connect and open up to the ineffable in natural objects through the making of art.

    Instructors:
    Linda Miller
    lindaamiller@snet.net

     

    6 weeks; 12 hours total

    Drawing

    $240.00


  • NSI 105: Field Sketching & Nature Journaling at the Marsh Botanical Gardens

    Flowering bushes

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Practice your observational drawing in the green houses and outdoor gardens at the Marsh Botanical Gardens at Yale in New Haven. The focus will be on drawing practice with time for group critiques. This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    Linda Miller
    lindaamiller@snet.net

     

    4 weeks; 8 hours total

    Drawing

    $160.00


  • NSI 105A: One Day Workshop: Field Sketching & Nature Journaling at the Marsh Botanical Gardens

    trout lillies

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Take this one-day workshop to add a session to Course 105 or on its own as a 3 hour opportunity to practice your observational drawing as you explore the greenhouses and gardens at the Marsh Botanical Gardens at Yale in New Haven. The focus will be on drawing practice with time for group critiques.  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    Linda Miller
    lindaamiller@snet.net

     

    1 weeks; 3 hours total

    Drawing

    $60.00


  • NSI 106X: Sumi-e-Inspired Watercolor

    Invertebrate fossils in watercolor

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    The bold simplicity of Japanese sumi-e has influenced many artists around the world for centuries. Learn some adapted approaches and techniques for use in Western watercolor. Practice capturing the essence of specimens in a style inspired by sumi-e, while learning the background of traditional Japanese materials and how to incorporate them into your work.  This course meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    Rachel Rasfeld
    rachelrasfeld@gmail.com

     

    6 weeks; 12 hours total

    Watercolor

    $240.00


  • NSI 107X: Noticing: Poetry and Nature Journaling

    Sketch of a squirrel on a tree branch

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Read and discuss nature themed writings.  Explore and discover possibilities for creating our own haiku and other simple forms of poetry.  Find inspiration in these words as we experiment with observational drawing and illustrating our own poems.  This course meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    Linda Miller
    lindaamiller@snet.net

     

    4 weeks; 8 hours total

    Drawing

    $160.00


  • NSI 108X: Painting Insects in Amber

    Insects in Amber

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    In this one day workshop, we’ll take inspiration from amber specimens in the Peabody Museum’s collection and beyond to capture the beauty of insects trapped in amber using watercolors. We’ll learn a bit about amber itself while exploring various techniques and pigment qualities to assist you in creating some interesting pieces.  This course meets on-line.

     

    Instructors:
    Rachel Rasfeld
    rachelrasfeld@gmail.com

     

    1 weeks; 3 hours total

    Painting

    $60.00


  • NSI 110X: Watercolor & Pen in Miniature

    Miniature Landscape

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Assemble and use an ultra-portable mini watercolor painting set in this exploratory course. We’ll focus on practical tips for material usage as well as approaches to make successful compositions on a small scale. In addition to creating miniature works of art, these skills and ideas can be used to take your field journals and thumbnail sketch layouts to a new level!  This course meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    Rachel Rasfeld
    rachelrasfeld@gmail.com

     

    5 weeks; 8 hours total

    Multi-media

    $150.00


  • NSI 112: Flowers Through the Microscope

    Measuring flowers

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Be a “botanist for a day” in this one-day workshop.  Learn to dissect fresh flowers under the camera/microscope to reveal the hidden intricate structures that distinguish the flower families. One scientific botanical plate will be produced from these observations. This workshop meets in-person at Yale's West Campus.

    Instructors:
    Susannah Graedel
    graedelbirdsong@comcast.net

     

    1 weeks; 6 hours total

    Drawing

    $120.00


  • NSI 118: Getting Started in Colored Pencil

    Colored pencil

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    This beginner class will introduce you to the basic materials and techniques used with colored pencil. You will be guided through the creation of a portrait of spring blooms and learn how to transfer a drawing, apply, layer, and blend colored pencils, and how to achieve beautiful results. Drawing experience helpful but not required. This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    Kim Burris
    kimburr@comcast.net

     

    3 weeks; 9 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $180.00


  • NSI 120: The Naturalist's Palette: How to Mix Colors in Watercolor

    Color palette

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Artists often struggle with reproducing the perfect “mixture of color” that one sees in nature. In this workshop, we will discuss how we perceive color and light, and how colors interact with one another in nature. With basic exercises in color mixing, focusing on color families, and tonal relationships, we will create simplistic nature studies using a minimal palette. This class meets in-person at Yale's West Campus.

    Instructors:
    Dorie Petrochko
    doripbird1@gmail.com

     

    1 weeks; 6 hours total

    Watercolor

    $120.00


  • NSI 128X: Watercolor Workshop for Beginners

    Watercolor Pine Cone

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Explore the world of watercolor! The traditional approach to transparent watercolor painting will be taught, with the focus on limited palettes, mixing, layering, and glazing to create luminous, beautiful colors in this special medium.  This course meets on-line.

     

    Instructors:
    Linda Miller
    lindaamiller@snet.net

     

    4 weeks; 8 hours total

    Watercolor

    $160.00


  • NSI 130X: Basic Color Theory Workshops

    A watercolor painting of a colorful mineral

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Learn the fundamentals of color theory to enhance your work in any medium.  The class will work mostly in water media and colored pencil, but students may use any medium of choice. One 3-hour session.

    Instructors:
    Bivenne Staiger
    bivenne@yahoo.com

     

    1 weeks; 3 hours total

    Workshop

    $60.00


  • NSI 132: The Science of Color for Artists

    Color Wheel

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Gain an understanding of color through lab demonstrations, examples from nature, works of art, and a few simple exercises. Topics covered include the anatomy of the human eye, additive and subtractive color, pigment and structural color, how organisms use color, and basic color mixing. This workshop meets in-person at Yale's West Campus.

    Instructors:
    Armand Morgan
    armand.morgan@yale.edu

     

    1 weeks; 4 hours total

    Workshop

    $80.00


  • NSI 145X-A: How to Draw Maple Leaves

    Maple leaf watercolor

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Start in on the basics of observational drawing as you draw your own maple leaf. You will have the opportunity to practice gesture and contour drawing after watching a demonstration, and at the end you will be able to discuss all drawings with the group.

    Instructors:
    Linda Miller
    lindaamiller@snet.net

     

    1 weeks; 2 hours total

    Drawing

    $40.00


  • NSI 145X-B: How to Draw a Barred Owl

    Barred owl drawing

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Drawing owls is challenging and fun!  Using graphite and colored pencil, we will capture the essence and this raptor's personality by using specific measurements of head and body and adding realistic detail of feathers and barring in the final process.  This class is open to beginners as well as experienced artists. This workshop meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    Dorie Petrochko
    doripbird1@gmail.com

     

    1 weeks; 3 hours total

    Drawing

    $60.00


  • NSI 145X-C: How to Paint a Blue Jay Feather

    blue jay feather on a mirrored surface

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Learn the structure of a blue jay feather and how to authentically portray its color and detail in watercolor and colored pencil. No previous drawing/painting experience is necessary. Open to beginners as well as experienced artists.

    Instructors:
    Dorie Petrochko
    doripbird1@gmail.com

     

    1 weeks; 3 hours total

    Drawing

    $60.00


  • NSI 147X: Gourds in Colored Pencil

    Colored pencil drawing of gourds

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Exploring the shapes, colors, lumps and bumps of seasonal gourds! All drawn in colored pencil.

    Instructors:
    Betsy Barry
    betsybarrydesigns@gmail.com

     

    4 weeks; 10 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $200.00


  • NSI 148X: Illustrating Insects in Colored Pencil

    A leaf-shaped mantis drawing in colored pencil

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Explore the intricate and diverse beauty of insects.  Students will learn basic insect anatomy and colored pencil techniques to create detailed drawings.  Students will focus on three insect orders: Coleoptera (beetles), Hymenoptera (bees and wasps) and Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies). Drawing experience recommended or permission of the instructor. This course meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    Kim Burris
    kimburr@comcast.net

     

    6 weeks; 18 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $360.00


  • NSI 152X: Secrets of Trees in Winter: Drawing Twigs and Buds

    Winter snowscape with trees and branches

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Botanists identify trees in winter by their dormant twigs and buds.  In this workshop, participants will use a dichotomous key to identify a variety of tree species by twig and then create their own drawings of the twigs’ special features to use as a field guide so they can identify tree species outside in their own neighborhood when they are free of leaves.  This course meets in-person.

    Instructors:
    Susannah Graedel
    graedelbirdsong@comcast.net

     

    1 weeks; 3 hours total

    Drawing

    $60.00


  • NSI 157: Drawing From the Peabody Dioramas

    Forest Margin Diorama

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Re-discover the Peabody’s amazing dioramas which portray Connecticut ecosystems and North American biomes.  Learn the history of the dioramas and the artists who created them.  Enjoy the opportunity to sketch from these iconic scenes where the animals stay still while you draw!  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    Linda Miller
    lindaamiller@snet.net

     

    4 weeks; 8 hours total

    Drawing

    $160.00


  • NSI 157A: One Day Workshop: Drawing From the Peabody Dioramas

    Sketching a diorama

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Take this one-day workshop to add a session to Course 157 or on its own as a 3 hour opportunity to sketch from the iconic Peabody Museum dioramas that portray a variety of Connecticut ecosystems and North American biomes.  Enjoy the opportunity to sketch nature while the animals stay still while you draw!  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    Linda Miller
    lindaamiller@snet.net

     

    1 weeks; 3 hours total

    Drawing

    $60.00


  • NSI 163: Illustrating Reptiles in Ink

    Box turtle in ink

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    The distinctive scales and bumpy textures of reptile bodies can be dramatically portrayed in the medium of pen and ink using specimens and casts from the Yale Peabody Museum's Vertebrate Zoology and Education collections.  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    Jeanette Compton
    jeanettecomptonart@gmail.com

     

    5 weeks; 13 hours total

    Drawing

    $260.00


  • NSI 165X: Birds & Their Habitats: A Sketchbook Journey

    sketch of birds with insects, leaves, eggs and artist's text

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Through the eyes of a naturalist and an artist, explore the fascinating lives of birds of the Northeast, documenting their nesting, breeding, and migrating habits via a sketchbook journal.  We will record and draw our observations of various common species of birds, their anatomy and their interrelationships with plants.  No previous experience is necessary, but Drawing I is recommended.  This course meets online.

    Instructors:
    Dorie Petrochko
    doripbird1@gmail.com
    Jim Sirch
    james.sirch@yale.edu

     

    6 weeks; 18 hours total

    Drawing

    $360.00


  • NSI 168: Nests in Pen and Ink

    High-detail sketch of bird nest with eggs

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    The shadows and intricacies of bird nests lend themselves beautifully to the medium of pen and ink. This workshop will explore the process of drawing a nest from life in detail using a fine liner pen and applying the principles of natural science illustration.  This course meets in person at Yale's West Campus.

     

    Instructors:
    Jeanette Compton
    jeanettecomptonart@gmail.com

     

    4 weeks; 12 hours total

    Drawing

    $240.00


  • NSI 169X: Plants and their Pollinators: A Sketchbook Journey

    drawing of hummingbirds feeding on red flowers

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Through the eyes of a naturalist and an artist, we will explore the uncommon lifestyles of our common pollinators such as birds, bees, butterflies and moths.  We will record and draw our observations of them in a sketchbook-journal format representing each species and their interrelationship with plants.  No previous drawing experience is necessary, but Drawing I is recommended.  This course meets online.

    Instructors:
    Jim Sirch
    james.sirch@yale.edu
    Dorie Petrochko
    doripbird1@gmail.com

     

    6 weeks; 18 hours total

    Drawing

    $360.00


  • NSI 170X: Virtual Visits to the Yale University Art Gallery

    Yale University Art Gallery

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    During each class session we will focus on different themes in nature by looking at drawings and watercolors from the Yale University Art Gallery’s collection. We will discuss the works we are focusing on as a group, as the instructor facilitates. A staff member from the YUAG will join us for the discussion and Q&A in the last half-hour. During each month the students will be encouraged to explore the illustrated YUAG online catalog for added information as they write and sketch in their journals.

    Instructors:
    Linda Miller
    lindaamiller@snet.net

     

    4 weeks; 8 hours total

    Other

    $160.00


  • NSI 171X: How to Draw a Dinosaur

    Iguanadon drawing

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    This class will guide participants through a step-by-step illustration of a well-known dinosaur, Iguanadon.  We will begin by studying the dinosaur’s posture and drawing the skeleton.  Then we'll add the proposed musculature and finally a body covering.  This process can be applied to other prehistoric and modern vertebrate animals.  Drawing experience is helpful but not required.  This course meets online.

    Instructors:
    Armand Morgan
    armand.morgan@yale.edu

     

    6 weeks; 12 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $240.00


  • NSI 172X: Children’s Books: Science and Art

    drawing of monarch butterflies amidst a field of milkweed

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    We will explore some of the wonderful new books out there and have the opportunity to have a dialogue with some authors and illustrators.  We will also learn about the process of creating children’s books by journaling and creating storyboards for our own books!  This course meets online.

    Instructors:
    Linda Miller
    lindaamiller@snet.net

     

    4 weeks; 8 hours total

    Other

    $160.00


  • NSI 174X: Art of Natural History

    Sketch of bats

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    This course combines art history with hands-on projects through a series of recorded slide presentations and live (on-line) painting sessions. We'll examine the fascinating stories behind centuries of collecting and documenting the naturals world, from Ancient Greece to the Enlightenment, with a special focus on the arts and sciences of the Renaissance.  Students will develop skills in color rendering through a series of demonstrations and exercises in mixed media.  This course meets on-line.

    Prerequisite: Drawing I or permission of the instructor.

    Instructors:
    Kate Samworth
    samworthkate@gmail.com

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Multi-media

    $480.00


  • NSI 175: Illustrating Owls in Ink

    Detailed sketch of an owl's head

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    The enigmatic owl will be the focus of this in-person workshop.  Students will be introduced to the anatomy and natural history of owls and depict an owl from the Peabody Museum’s ornithology collection with fineliner pen, using natural science illustration techniques.  This course meets in-person at the Yale Peabody Museum.

    Instructors:
    Jeanette Compton
    jeanettecomptonart@gmail.com

     

    5 weeks; 13 hours total

    Drawing

    $260.00


  • NSI 177X: Digital Techniques Workshop: Want to Build a Website? Start Here!

    Composition of website code and torosaurus photo

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Are you considering creating an online portfolio or a website? This course is for those who have yet to have their own online space or are looking to reboot their outdated website. Since everyone's needs and goals will be different, this course will guide the students one step at a time to narrow down what type of website service/platform would match their needs while considering comfort levels in the digital space.

    Instructors:
    Ikumi Kayama
    ikumikayama@gmail.com

     

    2 weeks; 4 hours total

    Digital

    $80.00


  • NSI 178X: Digital Techniques: Photoshop Clinic

    Owl image

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Bring your Photoshop files or digital files to experiment and manipulate. In this virtual, open-table mini workshop, students can ask questions or discuss roadblocks when using Adobe Photoshop. Based on the topics provided by the students, the instructor will share examples and demo various techniques, tips, and tricks. Sometimes tutorials don’t specifically apply to current projects, and we will brainstorm together to explore creative solutions. This course meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    Ikumi Kayama
    ikumikayama@gmail.com

     

    2 weeks; 6 hours total

    Digital

    $120.00


  • NSI 186A: Watercolor Workshop: How to Paint Daisies

    Field of Daisies

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Learn how to paint these popular flowers in watercolor and place them in a natural setting.  An ability to draw the flower is helpful but not required.  This course meets in person at the Peabody Museum.

    Instructors:
    Bivenne Staiger
    bivenne@yahoo.com

     

    1 weeks; 6 hours total

    Watercolor

    $120.00


  • NSI 190: Painting Landscapes in Watercolor

    Landscape

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Explore a range of watercolor techniques painting a sunset, mountain scene, seascape, and landscape, some in different seasons, and with nature as emphasis. With provided reference materials, learn the sequence necessary to complete each image and gain an understanding of working with painting elements to create dramatic results. This course meets in-person at Yale's West Campus

    Instructors:
    Bivenne Staiger
    bivenne@yahoo.com

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Watercolor

    $480.00


  • NSI 201X: Drawing II - Light on Form

    Realistically-shaded pencil drawing of oak leaf

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Developing a sensitivity and proficiency in toning with graphite and mechanical pencils is an important skill in natural science illustration. Building on Drawing 1 skills, emphasis will be on creating accurate observations and traditional renderings of botanical and natural science subjects with correct lighting, value, proportion, and scale. Special attention will be given to creating seamless transitions of graphite in toning objects.

    Instructors:
    Betsy Barry
    betsybarrydesigns@gmail.com

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Drawing

    $480.00


  • NSI 204X: Drawing and Painting Birds in Watercolor

    red-winged blackbird

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Create realistic drawings and paintings of birds that show their true character.  Using careful observation, learn to sketch birds from life capturing their unique gesture and individuality.  The second half of the course concentrates on how to paint birds and their complex plumage in watercolor, and how to place them in an environment with background foliage and light.  This course meets on-line.

    Prerequisite: Drawing I and experience in watercolor

    Instructors:
    Michael DiGiorgio
    mdigiorgio@comcast.net

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Watercolor

    $480.00


  • NSI 205X: Pen and Ink

    Mushroom in ink

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    The beauty and clarity of natural science drawings in ink have been admired for centuries.  Students will master the techniques of traditional scientific illustration using both crow quill and technical pens to depict the natural world in stipple and line.  This course meets online.

    Prerequisite: NSI201X: Drawing II

    Instructors:
    Susannah Graedel
    graedelbirdsong@comcast.net

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Drawing

    $480.00


  • NSI 207: Illustrating Birds of Prey in Crow Quill

    Hawk's head

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Using observational skills and natural science illustration processes, students will employ skills and techniques learned in Pen and Ink to depict a bird of prey specimen from the Yale Peabody Museum's ornithology or education collections. Students will also be introduced to their anatomy and natural history.  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    Jeanette Compton
    jeanettecomptonart@gmail.com

     

    5 weeks; 13 hours total

    Drawing

    $260.00


  • NSI 213: Drawing Birds from the Peabody Museum Collection

    Crows

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Get an introduction to the fascinating world of drawing birds in this six week course. Explore basic avian anatomy to better understand the structure of birds using taxidermy mounts and study skins from the Peabody Museum’s Education and Ornithology collections. Students will learn how to intuitively recognize various bird forms by observing and drawing birds from live bird cams. This course meets in-person at Yale's West Campus.

    Instructors:
    Dorie Petrochko
    doripbird1@gmail.com

     

    6 weeks; 12 hours total

    Drawing

    $240.00


  • NSI 216X: Composition and Design

    pitch pine drawing

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Learning the elements of composition and design is essential for completing successful paintings and illustrations. Exploring Notan composition, spatial relationships, the golden mean, balance, and structure, we will create dynamic studies that will serve as templates for final watercolor, colored pencil, and mixed media compositions.

    Prerequisites: NSI 201X: Drawing II and NSI 244X: Watercolor I or NSI 244X: Colored Pencil I

    Instructors:
    Kate Samworth
    samworthkate@gmail.com

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $480.00


  • NSI 225X: Colored Pencil II

    Colored pencil

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Using both traditional and experimental methods, students will master the techniques of colored pencil needed to create detailed and accurate illustrations for portfolio presentation or publication. Course concentration will be focused on refining techniques learned in Colored Pencil I, increasing pigment intensity, creating textural effects, and working closely from found objects and museum specimens to create dynamic scientific studies. This course meets on-line.

    Prerequisite: Colored Pencil I

    Instructors:
    Betsy Barry
    betsybarrydesigns@gmail.com

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $480.00


  • NSI 232: Building Form with Autumn Squashes in Watercolor

    squash

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Learn a step-by-step approach to painting autumn squashes in watercolor. Students will explore the importance of selecting interesting specimens, creating fluid line drawings (from life), transferring them to good paper, learning to build up form using a grisaille, and achieving luminosity and basic textures that define the Cucurbita species. Students will hand in one final piece at the end, where they can choose to add vines or leaves to their squash composition. This course meets on-line.

    Prerequisite: Watercolor 1

    Instructors:
    Nina Petrochko
    nina.petrochko@gmail.com

     

    5 weeks; 15 hours total

    Watercolor

    $300.00


  • NSI 241X: Colored Pencil I

    colored pencil illustration of cardinal perched on branch

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Begin your exploration of color with this approachable medium. In the first few classes, students learn and practice key color concepts: primary and secondary color, local color, color temperature, hue, chroma and value. With this background, students will then learn techniques needed to create beautiful, detailed drawings on a variety of drawing surfaces.  This course meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    Jan Prentice
    prenticestudio@gmail.com

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $480.00


  • NSI 244X: Watercolor I

    Scarlet tanager on a branch

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Learn the basic techniques of watercolor painting including color theory, color mixing, washes, layering, dry versus wet, dry brush, and achieving fine detail necessary for natural science subjects. Students will learn how to plan a painting and develop it carefully to capture the beauty of this transparent medium.  This course meets online.

    Instructors:
    Ikumi Kayama
    ikumikayama@gmail.com

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Watercolor

    $480.00


  • NSI 252X: Watercolor II: Botanical Studies

    Flower

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Students will explore and demystify the specific techniques characteristic of traditional botanical illustration and learn how to accurately represent plant portraits in watercolor. Using graded washes, drybrush, charging, masking, and detailing, we will create a series of four botanical portraits focusing on fall, winter, spring and summer in the traditional botanical format on hot press watercolor paper. This course meets on-line.

    Prerequisite: Watercolor I

    Instructors:
    Dorie Petrochko
    doripbird1@gmail.com

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Watercolor

    $480.00


  • NSI 255X: Online Open Critiques & Guidance

    Painting with others in a classroom

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Whether you are taking classes for your own enjoyment or to complete the Certificate program, this is your opportunity to receive personal guidance from an instructor on a work in progress or a final course project that you have not submitted.  You will benefit from the instructor's personal insight and discussion of other student work.  All media will be considered. 

    Instructors:
    Dorie Petrochko
    doripbird1@gmail.com
    Jan Prentice
    prenticestudio@gmail.com
    Susannah Graedel
    graedelbirdsong@comcast.net
    Linda Miller
    lindaamiller@snet.net
    Bivenne Staiger
    bivenne@yahoo.com

     

    1 weeks; 2 hours total

    Other

    $50.00


  • NSI 261X: Vertebrate Anatomy

    Drawing of a mammal skull

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    In this on-line class, students will observe and sketch specimens from the vertebrate zoology collection at the Yale Peabody Museum’s West Campus, a textbook, and from 3D webcams online. Areas of focus will include research and hands-on study of the anatomy and musculature of the cat, the horse, and an in-depth final study of a vertebrate of choice representing its skeletal and musculature development.

     

    Instructors:
    Dorie Petrochko
    doripbird1@gmail.com
    Armand Morgan
    armand.morgan@yale.edu

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Drawing

    $480.00


  • NSI 267X: Introduction to Adobe Photoshop for Natural Science Illustrators

    Composite image of an owl in Adobe Photoshop

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    In this 8-week course, students will take their completed illustrations in a traditional medium and manipulate them for publication in Adobe Photoshop.  The famously complicated and ever-changing Photoshop palettes and tools will be discussed and the tools most often used by professional scientific illustrators will be covered.  After taking this course, the students should have a working knowledge and basic understanding of Adobe Photoshop.  This course meets online.

    Instructors:
    Ikumi Kayama
    ikumikayama@gmail.com

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Digital

    $480.00


  • NSI 268X: Digital Techniques: Adobe Illustrator

    Dinosaurs

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Learn to create a vector-based illustration using shapes, curves, gradients, layers, masks, and more using Adobe Illustrator. The “foreign language” of Illustrator terms will be decoded, and students will learn to find and use tools to create a labeled illustration for publication and education. Many Adobe Illustrator tutorials are for graphic designers; this course is specifically tailored for illustrators to work in Illustrator. This course meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    Ikumi Kayama
    ikumikayama@gmail.com

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Digital

    $480.00


  • NSI 270X: Plant Morphology

    Sketched diagram of flower with text explanation

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Explore the exquisite variety of form, function, and structural adaptations of flowering plants.  Each week students will draw the parts of one or two flowers from different families to produce an artistic botanical plate of each one. When possible, students will dissect live flowers in class.  When fresh flowers are unavailable to students, they will work from published references to produce their illustrations.  Each class will include a primer on basic botany.  This course meets online.

    Instructors:
    Betsy Barry
    betsybarrydesigns@gmail.com

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Drawing

    $480.00


  • NSI 282X: Nature Explorations in Colored Pencil

    Flowers in Colored Pencil

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Explore found nature objects and draw a new subject each week using graphite, pen and colored pencil. Working from life, explore different techniques to portray a variety of subjects in nature such as feathers, shells, driftwood and sticks. This course meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    Betsy Barry
    betsybarrydesigns@gmail.com

     

    6 weeks; 12 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $240.00


  • NSI 284X: Botanical Illustration in Colored Pencil

    Colored pencils with sketch of foxglove flowers

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    In this course we will use colored pencil and graphite on paper to create a botanical illustration.  Emphasis will be on colored pencil technique creating color studies of the subject using sketches and transferring sketchbook work to a final piece.  This course meets online.

    Instructors:
    Betsy Barry
    betsybarrydesigns@gmail.com

     

    6 weeks; 18 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $360.00


  • NSI 285X: Painting Creatures in Watercolor

    Squirrel painting by Bivenne Staiger

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Expand on your drawing and watercolor painting skills to paint more complex portraits of various creatures in their natural settings in watercolor. We will paint a different species each week via EZoom; one motif may carry into a second week if complex. Use a phone or document camera over the workspace if possible.

    Prerequisite: NSI 244 Watercolor I

    Instructors:
    Bivenne Staiger
    bivenne@yahoo.com

     

    6 weeks; 18 hours total

    Watercolor

    $360.00


  • NSI 286A: Watercolor Workshop: Flowers & Insects

    flowers and insects

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Paint an insect with a flower at this in-person workshop. Learn the steps necessary to successfully integrate natural background features with the subject’s details to create impact using elements such as color and value. The instructor will provide references, and the student may work from their own. This workshop meets in-person at Yale's West Campus.

    Instructors:
    Bivenne Staiger
    bivenne@yahoo.com

     

    1 weeks; 6 hours total

    Watercolor

    $120.00


  • NSI 286B: Watercolor Workshop: The Natural Landscape

    Watercolor Forest

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    With a reference of a natural landscape typical of New England provided by the instructor, students will learn how to differentiate foreground from mid-range and background spaces in a wide variety of ways in this in-person workshop.  They will then paint one option in full color in watercolor.  Students will also create a second version from the same motif or from one of their own.   

    Prerequisite: Watercolor I

    Instructors:
    Bivenne Staiger
    bivenne@yahoo.com

     

    1 weeks; 6 hours total

    Watercolor

    $120.00


  • NSI 286C: Watercolor Workshop: Trees

    Trees

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Students will learn how to paint palm, birch, willow, white pine, fir and a flowering tree like crabapple or cherry in this in-person workshop. We will also cover the basics to paint a deciduous tree such as maple or oak in four seasons so that its species is identifiable. Key details, such as how trunks meet the ground and branches appear between foliage will also be taught. Students may bring their own tree references for study. This workshop meets in-person at Yale's West Campus.

    Instructors:
    Bivenne Staiger
    bivenne@yahoo.com

     

    1 weeks; 6 hours total

    Watercolor

    $120.00


  • NSI 286D: Watercolor Workshop: How to Paint a Butterfly

    Spangled Fritillary

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Student will learn how to portray in watercolor a butterfly’s exquisite details as it sits on a beautiful flower. Using design tricks, the student will also learn how to make it stand out in its setting. This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    Bivenne Staiger
    bivenne@yahoo.com

     

    1 weeks; 6 hours total

    Watercolor

    $120.00


  • NSI 286E: Watercolor Workshop: How to Paint a Hummingbird

    Hummingbird perched

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Learn how to use watercolor to portray shimmering hummingbird details and its wings in motion in a beautiful flower setting.  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    Bivenne Staiger
    bivenne@yahoo.com

     

    1 weeks; 6 hours total

    Watercolor

    $120.00


  • NSI 286F: Watercolor Workshop: How to Paint a Nesting Heron

    Heron in flight

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Learn how to portray a great blue heron with its nest in watercolor. Using design tricks, the student will also learn how to make the bird stand out in its setting.  This course meets in person.

    Instructors:
    Bivenne Staiger
    bivenne@yahoo.com

     

    1 weeks; 6 hours total

    Watercolor

    $120.00


  • NSI 286X: Watercolor Workshop - Flowers and Insects

    A watercolor painting showing a purple iris

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Create stunning watercolor paintings of flowers with and without insects. Learn how to complete each painting in specific stages by using painting elements to emphasize what is key. Student prepares a contour drawing from motif provided by the instructor before each class.

    Instructors:
    Bivenne Staiger
    bivenne@yahoo.com

     

    3 weeks; 9 hours total

    Watercolor

    $180.00


  • NSI 286X-A: Watercolor Workshop: Painting Baby Animals in Watercolor

    Watercolor picture of kittens

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Expand on your drawing and watercolor painting skills to paint complete portraits of baby animals in their natural settings in watercolor. We will paint a representative of as many different animal orders as possible or at least a different species each week via Zoom; one motif may carry into the second week if complex. Use a phone or document camera over the workspace if possible.

    Instructors:
    Bivenne Staiger
    bivenne@yahoo.com

     

    6 weeks; 18 hours total

    Watercolor

    $360.00


  • NSI 287X: Botanical Illustration in Colored Pencil

    Flowers in Colored Pencil

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    In this course we will use colored pencil and graphite on paper to create a botanical illustration.  Emphasis will be on colored pencil technique creating color studies of the subject using sketches and transferring sketchbook work to a final piece.  This course meets on-line.

    Instructors:
    Betsy Barry
    betsybarrydesigns@gmail.com

     

    6 weeks; 18 hours total

    Colored Pencil

    $360.00


  • NSI 292X: Portraying Natural Science Subjects in Mixed Media

    Artwork of a leafy sea dragon in aquatic scene

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    We will explore the many possibilities of representing natural science subjects in mixed media.  Often traditional mediums are used to reproduce accurate renderings of scientific specimens.  We will keep an open mind in creating works that are dynamic and accurate by incorporating watercolor, colored pencil, gouache, pastels and inks.  This course meets online.

    Prerequisites:  Watercolor I or Colored Pencil I

    Instructors:
    Dorie Petrochko
    doripbird1@gmail.com

     

    5 weeks; 15 hours total

    Multi-media

    $300.00


  • NSI 294X: Marketing for Illustrators

    Spread of seashells, butterflies, and birds, with accompanying artwork

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    Few artists and illustrators enjoy the business side of art and marketing. Fear comes from the unknown and the unfamiliar; let’s break down those barriers to take the first steps to start and maintain a successful art business. This course will guide the students to break down the overwhelming business marketing principles, terminology, and approaches into something more manageable, fun, and exciting.  This course meets online.

    Instructors:
    Ikumi Kayama
    ikumikayama@gmail.com

     

    8 weeks; 24 hours total

    Workshop

    $480.00


  • NSI 299X: Portfolio Development

    Watercolor in progress

    Check upcoming courses list for availability.

    This final course in the Certificate Program is for a student who has successfully completed all other required and elective courses.  Sessions will focus on concept development, interim progress and achieving final portfolio goals.  Session dates and times will be determined by the student and instructor.

    Instructors:
    TBD
    peabody.education@yale.edu

     

    3 weeks; 3 hours total

    Other

    $300.00


Office of School & Teacher Engagement
+1 203 432 3775 peabody.education@yale.edu

Contact the Education Office for questions about registration and payment.  For questions about course content, prerequisites, and other details please contact the instructor listed for each course.