WELCOME
Hi, I'm Erica Beade, an illustrator and educator offering observational drawing classes in and around Cambridge, MA. View a full list of my classes or learn a little more about me and my approach. Thanks for visiting!
IN-PERSON AND ONLINE CLASSES FOR 2023
These 2-hour online workshops consist of a presentation with techniques and examples, a period of discussion/Q&A, and plenty of time for drawing and individualized feedback. All skill levels are welcome and sign up is just via an email to me. The cost is $35. (See below for workshops offered through other venues, such as the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture and the Rockport Art Association & Museum).
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More coming in November, please see museum classes below and stay tuned for more!
Join me for a morning of outdoor sketching in beautiful Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. All skill levels are welcome and sign up is just via an email to me. June workshops are listed below and more will be posted for July and August. The cost is $40.
- More coming in Spring 2024
Short talks include a presentation on a specific aspect of drawing, followed by a short period of discussion/Q&A. After the talk, participants receive a PDF handout with major points and suggested exercises. Talks are 30 minutes (though we sometimes run a little over). Times vary - see below for specifics. All skill levels are welcome and sign up is just via an email to me. The cost is $20.
- Drawing Eyes: Thursday, 10/26 at 9:30am EDT
- Drawing Reflections: Thursday, 11/30 at 9:30am EDT
- Drawing Translucent and Transparent Subjects: Thursday, 12/7 at 9:30am EDT
- Drawing Drapery & Other Objects with Folds, Wrinkles & Creases: Tuesday, 12/19 at 9:30am EDT
- Sketching and Mindfulness ONLINE • Wednesday, 12/13 from 9:30am to 11:30am >> register online
- Inspired by Nature: Drawing from Your Imagination ONLINE • Wednesday, 1/17 from 9:30am to 11:30am >> register online
- Drawing Plants and Flowers in Colored Pencil ONLINE • Wednesday, 2/7 from 9:30am to 11:30am >> register online
- Landscape Sketching ONLINE • Wednesday, 3/13 from 9:30am to 11:30am >> register online
- Capturing Butterflies and Moths in Colored Pencil IN PERSON • Saturday, 4/27 from 9:30am to 11:30am >> register online
- An Introduction to Crosshatching • Tuesday, 12/5 from 9:30am to 11:30am >> register online
- Sketching with Fine Point Pens • Thursday, 1/25 from 9:30am to 11:30am >> register online
- Available for both adults and kids - currently online only. Please contact me for more information. I can be reached via e-mail, at: sketchclassATverizonDOTnet (please substitute "@" for "AT" and a period for "DOT" in the address - trying to avoid spam!)
A BIT ABOUT ME
I'm an illustrator specializing in science, health and nature subjects, and I've been teaching observational drawing for almost 20 years. I've always loved to draw, and really enjoy sharing that enthusiasm when I teach. Observational drawing is a fun way to connect to the world around you – to record your experiences, respond to nature, think through a problem, express yourself. If you're interested, but new to drawing, or want to build on your current skills, please check out my classes, which work well for people at all skill levels. Classes are located at the Harvard Museum of Natural History or are offered independently. (I've also taught at the Arlington Center for the Arts, Maud Morgan Visual Arts Center and other venues in the past). I also hold private classes and workshops for individuals and groups.
If you'd like to check out some of my illustrations, visit my freelance illustration website: www.mbcgraphics.com; and you can see more of my work (and work by lots of other amazing artists) at the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators' Visual Science Communication in Action Gallery. I also have a Facebook page and an online store for nature-related prints and gifts at: www.cafepress.com/mbcgraphics
For inquiries about current classes, or to receive e-mails about upcoming classes and workshops, please contact me.
Thanks for checking in!
-Erica Beade