McClellan Ranch: Santa Clara Valley Audubon

Gouache is an opaque water based paint. You can use it as a stand alone method to add color to your nature journal or as a supplement to a watercolor kit. When used on toned paper, it creates bold highlights and a dynamic value range. In this workshop, we will explore field tested techniques to Read More

When I draw, my brain flickers back and forth between two ways of seeing and thinking about my subject. On one had, I analyze the structure and play upon my knowledge of anatomy. On the other, I ignore the structure and attend to what I really see. I break down complex subjects into simple shapes. These Read More

Learn the fundamentals of reptile and amphibian anatomy that are important for field sketching. Discover the features that are critical for identification and how to include them in your drawings. Learn tricks to suggest scales without drawing every one and how to show the moist skin of amphibians.  

Learn tricks and methods to handle watercolor in the field. With a few logistical tweaks, watercolor is a portable, compact, and easy to use field system. We will explore color theory and why mixing with red, blue, and yellow is a sure-fire way to make mud. There are some tricks that make it a lot Read More

Colored pencils are a terrific and easy to use tools for drawing in nature. Learn how to get the most of a small set of colored pencils and create a fast, portable, intuitive, and inexpensive sketching system. Learn how to apply and combine colors to create rich hues and smooth gradients. Learn to choose colors and Read More

Drawing is not a gift or a talent. It is a skill that everyone can learn. In this workshop we will break down the essential drawing techniques that everyone should know. These methods are easily learned and are used all the time by professional and beginning artists. Learn how to draw straight lines and round circles. Unlock Read More

You can load your journal kit with expensive and fancy tools but few are as universal, versatile, handy and reliable as a graphite pencil. Learn how to get the most mileage out of your pencils and practice fundamental drawing skills. This workshop will establish a platform for work with any subject. We will investigate pencil Read More

Learn how to draw insects with transparent wings. Discover ways to handle foreshortened bodies and wings and draw the insects you see from any angle. Understand the way that insects walk to help you get the leg positions of moving insects and more! Join us for this hour and a half workshop. No experience necessary. Read More

Bugs are fun and they are everywhere! Learn how to draw insects and spiders in quick field studies. Develop these drawings into careful studies. Learn important anatomical characteristics to look for and to make your drawings more accurate. Learn the top mistakes that everyone makes and how to avoid them. We also will explore how Read More

Learn simple approaches to drawing coniferous and broadleaf trees. Learn how to make fast sketches to get the gestalt of a tree in moments with pencil or watercolor. Explore methods to capture the branching patterns and texture of foliage in more careful drawings. Make close-ups of the details of a tree by learning ways of drawing Read More