top of page

We have resumed some in-person classes. Check the schedule below for details.  If you would like to get automatic updates about upcoming classes and events, subscribe to our website.

Art Classes and Workshops Held via Zoom or
In-person

January through June
2024

 

 Click on this link to register:

https://shop.peabody.yale.edu/#/Education

​
Please register at least 10 days in advance.

 

Courses will meet on-line or in-person as noted in the course description.  In-person courses will meet at the Yale Peabody Community Education Center in Orange, Connecticut or at the Museum in New Haven.  Some courses have prerequisites or require permission of the instructor to participate.  All 200 level courses require the successful completion of Drawing I (Course # 101) as a prerequisite.

​

225X Colored Pencil II

Tuesday, January 9 to February 27, 10am to 1pm

Instructor: Betsy Barry

$480, 8 sessions, 24 hours

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.

​

205X Pen and Ink

Tuesdays, January 9 to February 27, 2 to 5pm

Instructor: Susannah Graedel

$480, 8 sessions, 24 hours

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 on-line.

​

284X Botanical Illustration in Colored Pencil 

Wednesdays, January 10 to February 14, 4 to 7pm

Instructor: Betsy Barry

$360, 6 sessions, 18 hours

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.

​

106X Sumi-e-Inspired Watercolor

Sunday, January 14 to February 18, 7 to 9pm

Instructor:  Rachel Rasfeld

$240, 6 sessions, 12 hours

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.

​

128X Watercolor Workshop for Beginners

Thursdays, January 18 to February 8, 10am to 12noon

Instructor: Linda Miller

$160, 4 sessions, 8 hours

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.

​

201X Drawing II – Advanced Graphite, Light on Form

Mondays, January 22 to March 18 (no class 3/11), 5 to 8pm

Instructor: Betsy Barry

$480, 8 sessions, 24 hours

Build on Drawing I skills with an emphasis 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.  This course meets on-line.

​

101XA Drawing I

Saturdays, January 27 to March 16, 10am to 1pm

Instructor:  Jan Prentice

$480, 8 sessions, 24 hours

 

101XB Drawing I

Tuesdays, March 5 to April 23, 5 to 8 pm

Instructor:  Betsy Barry

$480, 8 sessions, 24 hours

Drawing I focuses on techniques in rendering light on form, value, texture, perspective, proportion, and composition and is the foundation course for all sequential courses taken at the Yale Peabody Museum.  Both sessions meet on-line.

​

267X Introduction to Adobe Photoshop for Natural Science Illustrators

Sundays, January 28 to March 17, 2 to 5pm

Instructor:  Ikumi Kayama

$480, 8 sessions, 24 hours

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.  This course meets on-line.

​

244X Watercolor I 

Thursdays, February 1 to March 21, 5 to 8pm

Instructor: Ikumi Kayama

$480, 8 sessions, 24 hours

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 on-line.

​

175 Illustrating Owls in Ink

Saturdays, January 27 to February 24, 9am to 12 noon (no class February 17)

Instructor:  Jeanette Compton

$260, 4 sessions and a final 1 hour review/critique, 13 hours

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.

​

152: Secrets of Trees in Winter: Identifying and Drawing Twigs and Buds

Sunday, February 4, 1 to 4pm

Instructor: Susannah Graedel

$60, 1 session, 3 hours

Botanists identify trees in winter by their dormant twigs and buds.  In this one day workshop, students will work from a key to learn how to identify the species of the tree from the features they see on twigs.  Students will create their own drawings of these special features so they can identify tree species in their own neighborhood.  This course meets in-person.

​

172X Children’s Books: Science and Art

Thursdays, February 15 to March 7, 10am to 12 noon

Instructor:  Linda Miller

$160, 4 sessions, 8 hours

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 on-line.

 

174X Art of Natural History

Wednesdays, February 21 to April 10, 5 to 7pm

Instructor: Kate Samworth

$480, 8 sessions, 24 hours

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 (8 hours recorded slide presentations/16 hours live painting class online).

​

286D Watercolor Workshop: How to Paint a Butterfly

Saturday, March 2, 9:30am to 3:30pm

Instructor: Bivenne Staiger

$120, 1 session, 6 hours

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.

​

108X Painting Insects in Amber

Sunday, March 10, 6 to 9pm

Instructor: Rachel Rasfeld

$60, 1 session, 3 hours

In this one day workshop, we’ll take inspiration from amber specimens in the Peabody’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.

​

103X Field Sketching and Nature Journaling

Thursdays, March 14 to April 18, 10am to 12 noon

Instructor: Linda Miller

$240, 6 sessions, 12 hours

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.  This course meets on-line.

​

163 Illustrating Reptiles in Ink

Saturdays, March 16 to April 13, 9am-Noon (no March 30)

Instructor: Jeanette Compton

$260, 4 Sessions and a final 1 hour review/critique, 13 Hours

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.

 

105 Field Sketching and Nature Journaling at the Marsh Botanical Gardens

Thursdays, May 23 to June 13, 2 to 4pm

Instructor: Linda Miller

$160, 4 sessions, 8 hours

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.

​

286E Watercolor Workshop: How to Paint a Hummingbird

Saturday, March 23, 9:30am to 3:30pm

Instructor: Bivenne Staiger

$120, 1 session, 6 hours

Student will 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.

​

241X Colored Pencil I

Saturdays, March 30 to May 18, 10am to 1pm

Instructor: Jan Prentice

$480, 8 sessions, 24 hours

Begin your exploration of color with this approachable medium. In the first few meetings, students will 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.

​

261X Vertebrate Anatomy

Wednesdays, April 3 to May 22, 5 to 8 pm

Instructors:  Armand Morgan and Dorie Petrochko

$480, 8 sessions, 24 hours

In this 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. This course meets on-line.

​

204X Drawing and Painting Birds

Thursdays, April 4 to May 23, 4 to 7pm

Instructor: Michael DiGiorgio

$480, 8 sessions, 24 hours

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.

​

286F Watercolor Workshop: How to Paint a Nesting Heron

Saturday, April 6, 9:30am to 3:30pm

Instructor: Bivenne Staiger

$120, 1 session, 6 hours

Student will 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.

​

110X Watercolor & Pen in Miniature

Sundays, April 7 to May 5, 7 to 8:30pm

Instructor: Rachel Rasfeld

$150, 5 sessions, 7.5 hours

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.

​

186A Watercolor Workshop: How to Paint Daisies

Saturday, April 13, 9:30am to 3:30pm

Instructor: Bivenne Staiger

$120, 1 session, 6 hours

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.

​

157 Drawing from the Peabody Dioramas

Thursdays, April 25 to May 16, 2 to 4pm

Instructor:  Linda Miller

$160, 4 sessions, 8 hours

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.

​

216X Composition & Design

Mondays, April 29 to June 24, 5-8pm

Instructor:  Kate Samworth

$480, 8 sessions, 24 hours

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. This course meets on-line.

​

118 Getting Started in Colored Pencil

Fridays, May 3 to 17, 10am-1pm

Instructor: Kim Burris

$180, 3 weeks, 9 hours

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.

​

207 Illustrating Birds of Prey in Crow Quill

Saturdays, May 4 to June 1, 9am-Noon (no May 25)

Instructor: Jeanette Compton

$260, 4 sessions and a final 1 hour review/critique, 13 hours

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.

​

270X Plant Morphology

Tuesdays, May 7 to June 25, 2 to 5pm

Instructor: Susannah Graedel

$480, 8 sessions, 24 hours

Each week students will bring in a live flower to dissect in class. They will explore it through their own camera/microscope.  Students will learn to draw an artistic botanical plate of each flower studied in the course. The final project will be a book of their plates and typed lecture notes.  This course meets on-line.

​

157A One Day Workshop: Drawing from the Peabody Dioramas (In person)

Saturday, June 1, 10am to 1pm

Instructor:  Linda Miller

$60, 1 session, 3 hours

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.

 

105A One Day Workshop: Field Sketching and Nature Journaling at the Marsh Botanical Gardens

Saturday, June 8, 10am to 1pm

Instructor: Linda Miller

$60, 1 session, 3 hours

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.

 

299X Portfolio Development

$300, 3 Sessions TBD

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 final portfolio goals.  Session dates and times will be determined by the student and instructor.

bottom of page