Insect Illustrator Club: Observing and Drawing Earth's Coolest Insects

The world of entomology - the study of insects - is an amazing branch of science that explores the hidden world of insects. Scientists rely on artists to bring their discoveries to light, and show the world how beautiful insects can be. In this class, learners will be explorers and artists, diving deep into the world of entomology as a team. Each week we will be exploring unique insects from all over the world, and learning about their unique characteristics and features. We will then draw the insects together to create our own insect illustrations. The techniques and skills learned in this course can be carried over to any other drawing course, with a heavy emphasis on drawing fundamentals. 

This class will have a heavy emphasis on art instruction and improving observational skills.  Other skills will include techniques such as design, understanding light and shadow, color, construction of shapes, and line confidence. 

Class will begin with a brief round of introductions and time for students to share any art or projects they have been working on. After introductions we will jump straight into 10-15 minutes of direct instruction where the subject will be introduced and explored. During instructional time, there will be numerous opportunities for students to engage with content, ask questions, or share thoughts. After instruction, students will have the opportunity to apply what they've learned to create their own drawings. For this ongoing class, we will be focusing in on entomology and drawing insects as a group (cicadas, spiders, beetles). We will first observe the creatures we are trying to draw, then apply those observations to our own art.  

I will be sharing slides and video content during instructional time, then when modeling drawing techniques, I will switch to photoshop where students can watch me draw in real-time. 

Throughout the class we will be drawing a variety of different insects throughout the semester. The following is a schedule of subjects of focus, subject to change:

Week 1: Cicadas
Week 2: Goliath Beetles
Week 3: Whip Scorpions 
Week 4: Giant Water Bug
Week 5: Leaf Hoppers
Week 6: Walking sticks
Week 7: Hercules Beetles
Week 8: Thorn bugs
Week 9: Atlas Moths
Week 10: Jumping Spiders