Studio Arts: What's New

Step into the National Museum of Natural History after hours to enjoy a fun and lively sketching experience in the museum. With graphite and sketchbook in hand, study and sketch objects in the museum’s collection.

It’s getting chillier outside, and there’s no time like the present to knit gloves and mittens for yourself or a loved one. Learn the skills you need to craft a pair to keep the winter’s cold at bay. In class, make a small sample mitten for a child or as a decoration.

Embark on a maker’s journey as you create a fiber art labyrinth modeled after an ancient convoluted circular path. Explore a selection of materials, create a reusable pattern, practice handwork techniques for couching and quilting, and learn finishing and installation techniques.

Take your ideas from banal to beautiful by learning how to create mind maps worthy of framing. Choose from three styles to illustrate your thoughts and goals.

Learn the techniques required to capture great nighttime photos, including how to use exposure modes, exposure compensation, white balance, and ISO. For the second session, meet in the field to photograph the World War II Memorial, Washington Monument, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Korean War Memorial, and Lincoln Memorial.

This year, send friends and family bespoke holiday cards. Learn tips and see demonstrations of techniques for creating simply elegant, unique cards that will be keepsakes long after the season ends.

Learn to create three different chain designs for a pendant or to wear alone as a unique piece of jewelry.

Learn exactly what a camera obscura is and how this simple technique once used by da Vinci and Vermeer works. Find out about the beginnings of the camera obscura and its creation of images and then make your own “dark chamber.” (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Using watercolors and graphite, capture the nuances of the light and flora at the beautiful United States Botanic Garden. This intensive landscape painting experience focuses on helping you see the gardens through Cézanne’s eyes and then develop your own Post-Impressionist interpretation. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

After painting in enchanting Giverny during the summer, Cindy Briggs brings her passion for the idyllic scenery painted by many of the Impressionists to the Smithsonian. Whether you're a seasoned artist or an experienced beginner, come on this colorful journey to create your own watercolor painting inspired by Monet's legacy.