Botanical illustration is the art of depicting the form, colour, and details of plant species. Botanical illustrations have enhanced scientific research for thousands of years. The early explorers employed botanical artists who played an important role in documenting and communicating plant features and lifecycles. This video conference allows students to work directly with an artist in the exploration and depiction of Australian flora. Students are taught how to properly analyse the plant they wish to draw and to accurately depict the form and details.

NOTE: November studio lessons will be for the modification of the finished botanical drawing into a Christmas gift calendar for each student.

The role of our scientific illustrators is to highlight botanical research, to clarify our understanding, but along the way they also happen to make science beautiful. You can find botanical art printed in books, magazines and other media or sold as individual works. In a professional setting, botanical art pieces are composed in consultation with a scientific author and are often accompanied by a detailed, scientific description. Students are taught how to properly analyse the plant they wish to draw and to accurately depict the form and details.

Yes, a kit of materials will be sent to the school.

In this program students will:

• Explore the role of botanical illustration in science and art, recognising its use in documenting plant species and aiding scientific research.
• Describe some key moments and artists in the history of Australian botanical illustration and explain how their work has influenced modern scientific and artistic practices.
• Combine both the artistic and scientific aspects of botanical illustration, appreciating its role in both disciplines while developing their technical drawing skills.

In this video conference students will:

• Carefully observe a plant, paying close attention to details such as shape, texture, colour, and structure, and record these observations through sketches.
• Experiment with various drawing techniques, such as line drawing, shading, and cross-hatching, to create detailed and accurate representations of plants.
• Identify and label key parts of a plant (e.g., roots, stems, leaves, flowers)

Science: Science as a Human Endeavour

• Scientific knowledge changes over time, often resulting from collaboration or by building on the work of others, and leads to advances in science (VC2S6H01)

Science: Science Understanding

• Organisms have evolved over time, as seen in fossils and scientific records; the structural features and behaviours of living organisms enable them to thrive in their environments (VC2S6U02)

Visual Arts: Exploring

• Explore ways that visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials are used to communicate ideas, perspectives and meaning in visual arts practices across cultures, times, places and other contexts, including from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (VC2AVA6E01)

Visual Arts: Developing Practices

• Develop visual arts skills by experimenting with visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials (VC2AVA6D01)

Visual Arts: Creating

• Plan and create artworks using visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to communicate ideas, perspectives and meaning (VC2AVA6C01)