Date/Time
Date(s) - October 31, 2026
10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Categories
Celebrate Halloween—and the golden colors of fall—at Hoyt Arboretum! In this colorful nature-inspired workshop, we’ll explore the many shades of orange found in autumn leaves, from golden ochre and pumpkin to rust, copper, and deep orangey-reds.
Using colored pencils, you’ll learn simple techniques for layering, blending, shading, and building rich color. We’ll work from a hand-illustrated worksheet of a Bigleaf Maple leaf (Acer macrophyllum), one of the Pacific Northwest’s most spectacular fall trees.
Along the way, we’ll add a little Halloween spirit, looking at how shadows, dramatic color combinations, and unexpected details can give botanical art a slightly mysterious—or even spooky—feeling. Weather permitting, we’ll spend part of the class in the Hoyt Arboretum classroom and the other half out among the trees, where you’ll choose a fall leaf and practice illustrating it on your own.
No drawing experience necessary. Beginners welcome! A hand-illustrated template will be provided.
Supplies to bring:
- Sketchbook – unlined, for pencil sketching
- Colored pencils – yellow, red, orange, brown. Recommended brands: Prismacolor, Artist’s Loft, Faber-Castell, or Blick Essentials set of 24.
- Eraser
Addition information:
- Class size is limited and pre-registration is required
- Registration closes Friday, October 30th at 4:00pm
- Details will be emailed closer to the program date
About the Instructor: Molly Chidsey is an artist, illustrator, and educator based in Portland, OR. She specializes in watercolor, illustration, drawing, hand-lettered calligraphy, and digital skills that combine all of these mediums.
Hoyt Arboretum Friends Education Policies:
Read our adult education policies HERE.
If you qualify for an Oregon income assistance program, please email [email protected] for details about further discounted program rates.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Hoyt Arboretum Friends member for discounted program rates, please click HERE.