These fun and dramatically effective Nature Sketching Workshops can have participants drawing confidently in less than a day! Here are some comments from workshop participants. You can read about my most recent Costa Rica workshop in my ongoing blog, with scans of journal pages, photos, and sketches from the jungle here. OTHER UPCOMING WORKSHOPS Click on the blue button to receive Drawing Workshop Updates, plus useful sketching tips. NATURE SKETCHING TECHNIQUES      To study nature sketching techniques, participants discuss their goals, then learn and practice sketching, shading, and texture techniques to reach these goals. Each participant will be assisted onward from his or her initial personal skill level. Drawing small natural items with help from the instructor, participants learn how to draw then apply shading and texture to give drawings a realistic appearance. A collection of “special effects tips and tricks” rounds out the instruction. Encouraging critiques and sharing with other participants uncovers ways to improve techniques and skills. Upon completion, all participants may expect marked improvement of their skills and many will be able to draw and shade three-dimensional natural objects with amazingly realistic results. Take home the useful guide, bound with extra sketching paper and full of helpful advice and step-by-step examples of techniques for later reference. LANDSCAPE SKETCHING TECHNIQUES      To study landscape sketching techniques, participants will review and warm up with basic sketching techniques. After examining landscape photos and discussing texture and technique to simulate landscape features, participants will draw from illustrations, photos, and natural objects to learn how to devise and apply appropriate forms and textures for trees, shrubs, stones and other natural items that contribute to effective and believable landscapes. Irene will instruct in how to use texture and shadows to achieve distance and realistic effects. Then working from a wide choice of landscape photos, participants will put these newly acquired skills and knowledge to work to create a landscape scene. An encouraging, gentle critique shows ways to improve techniques and skills. Take home the step-by-step Landscape Sketching Techniques guide, bound with several pages of sketchbook paper and template guides for shrubs, trees, stones, and other scenery items. WATERCOLOR PENCIL TECHNIQUES      To study watercolor pencil techniques, participants review basic sketching techniques and do some sketching exercises, followed by a short discussion of the color wheel. Next comes practice and fun experimentation with effective color blending working with an extensive array of colorful watercolor pencils. After sketching a colorful natural object (sea shell, gourd, etc.) with a graphite pencil, participants add color with the watercolor pencils and learn how to blend those colors with paintbrush and water, achieving great watercolor effects even without previous watercolor painting experience. An encouraging critique shows ways to improve techniques and skills. Upon completion, participants will be able to add colorful watercolor effects to previous or future sketchbook or journal drawings. They'll also take home the useful guide, bound with extra sketching paper and full of helpful advice and full-color step-by-step examples of techniques for later reference. ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS Irene Brady's sketching workshops are designed as 2˝ hour classroom segments, which can be presented as as a week-long workshop with morning classes and afternoon sketching time (freestyle or coached). Alternatively, they can be paired and presented as a trio of one-day-long sessions of classroom instruction, with one or more freestyle or coached drawing trips on day/s between sessions. The workshops are designed for Adventure Travel Cruises, Nature Center or Travel Resort Workshops, Elderhostel classes, and other nature-oriented programs. These sketching workshops are suitable for adults and motivated children 12 and up, with a maximum of 12 students per class so that everyone can receive personal attention as needed. Irene provides all supplies used in the class, including paper, graphite pencils, erasers, blenders, brushes, a wide array of watercolor pencils, objects to sketch and other supplies. When a workshop description specifically includes outside-of-class sketching forays, participants may want to bring their own waterbottle, sketching supplies and sitting pad or folding chair or stool (and perhaps an umbrella). Participants take home the valuable sketching, landscape drawing and watercolor pencil technique guides written and illustrated by the artist and used over the course of the workshop. Read what nature center event organizers have to say about Irene Brady's workshops. And here are reviews from experienced AND beginning artists. For more information about Irene, click on the photo at left. For more information or to arrange for a workshop, call 541-535-3189 or: Contact  Feedback  Tell-A-Friend Return To Top All images, graphics, and text on this website COPYRIGHTED © 2007, by Nature Works. All rights reserved worldwide.