Chicago Botanic Garden

This interactive watercolor painting course offers participants the opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of English watercolor techniques. Participants learn how to create washes, drybrush, opaque layering, and other marketable painting approaches through demonstrations and hands-on practice. Upon completion, students will be able to create watercolor paintings with confidence.

This beginner's watercolor painting class teaches techniques associated with color mixing, brush technique, and wet and dry media. Participants will discover how to use different color values to create form while learning about the basic elements of painting. Whether a beginner or a more experienced artist, this class provides the tools to create beautiful watercolor paintings.

This digital photography course will help participants improve their ability to take quality photographs and understand industry concepts. Through hands-on experiences, learners will gain knowledge about camera settings and techniques used to capture stunning images. They will also explore the most recent editing tools, color correction, advanced features, and other key skills.

This two-hour course teaches participants the fundamentals of digital photography, from basic composition to how to leverage the power of an iPhone's camera. Participants will learn how to take and edit photos to create professional-looking images. Techniques for enhancing color, depth and focus through mobile editing are also included.

This advanced photography portfolio workshop is aimed at experienced photographers in the Chicago area. Participants will learn the fundamentals of how to create a compelling portfolio, how to select the right images, and how to properly showcase their work. The workshop also covers techniques for customizing portfolios to target specific audiences.

This beginner photography workshop will teach the basics of using a camera, including shutter speeds and apertures, how exposure works, and how to take great shots. Through hands-on activities, participants will apply their knowledge to take better photos and learn how to shoot in manual mode, explore composition, and understand photo editing.

This advanced course is perfect for experienced jewelry designers looking to learn new and innovative ways to rejuvenate old jewelry. Participants will gain a better understanding of metalwork, oxidation, finishing touches, enamels, and patinas. This course will teach you how to use these tools to craft timeless and unique pieces.

This workshop is perfect for aspiring jewelry makers looking to learn the basics. During the class, students will go over essential techniques with a focus on working with different materials, tools, and techniques to create statement pieces. In addition, helpful tips and tricks for jewelry makers of all levels will be taught.

In this course, participants will learn to reclaim vintage jewelry and turn it into stylish new accessories. Through guided instruction, students will gain basic jewelry-making techniques such as soldering, riveting, patina, and polishing. The course also covers a variety of design tools and jewelry trends.

Participants in this class will learn the essentials of botany, and how to use those fundamentals to create beautiful artworks featuring plants. Using charcoal, pencil, and watercolors, they will learn techniques to render the shapes and textures of leaves, flowers, and fruits in a naturalistic style. They will be led through exercises and illustrated lectures and will leave this course with the confidence and knowledge to continue exploring botanical art.