Natural History Illustration: Fruits and Vegetables from the Kitchen Garden

Overview

This 5 credit module is suitable for beginners in watercolour techniques within Natural History Illustration and students who wish to hone their observational and painting skills, and depict accurate paintings with fine detail. The delivery is online and self paced with Tutorial and email support. The course has a notional study  of 50 hours and will be delivered through unit tasks, video content and discussion boards.  The module will cover drawing and watercolour painting techniques to depict a variety of fruit and vegetable forms from your kitchen garden, with accuracy of colour and detail.

Embedded within the self-paced online content, the module there will be many demonstrations of techniques and useful information, individual advice and help. The artwork of historical and contemporary artists will be presented and discussed within the learning units. This would be suitable for students who are keen gardeners, food bloggers and those who have limited access to their locality

Programme

Natural History Illustration: Fruits and vegetables from the kitchen garden will cover most botanical watercolour painting techniques back to the vital basics to depict a variety of fruit and vegetable forms, with accuracy of colour and detail. It is suitable for total beginners and refreshers in watercolour and we’ll cover many key topics such as how to mix clean colours and the importance of tone. 

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to:  

1. Demonstrate an ability to draw a variety of fruit and vegetable types directly from observation with accuracy and detail, with attention to their textures and tonal contrasts.
2. Display all the different watercolour painting techniques for the accurate depiction of the subject matter including knowledge of clean colour mixing.
3. Show evidence of knowledge of the artwork of historical and contemporary artists who have painted fruit and vegetables.
4. Produce a field book with evidence of all study units, to include exercises, collated images with research and body of art-work.

Assessments

1. To produce a visual diary/sketchbook with evidence of all study, exercises, collated images with research and body of artwork for 30% of marks.
2. To produce a finished watercolour painting of your chosen subjects using all of the techniques that you've learned throughout the module for 60% 
3. Written reflections on your work through the module and the challenges/discoveries that you encountered for 10% of the marks. About 500 words would be fine.

Reading Suggestions

Reading suggestions will be offered throughout the course.

Entry Requirements

This course is for everyone. No previous experience is needed and there are no formal entry requirements.

What Do I Need?

A list of materials, not included in the course fees, will be available prior to the course start date.