• Portfolio containing four (4) finished botanical plates selected from any of the following
media (maximum plate size 11” x 14”).
Portfolio must include at least two different media:
• Graphite
• Carbon dust
• Polycarbonate pencil
• Ink (technical pen, quill,
brush, scratchboard)
• Colored pencil (oil and/or
wax-based)
• Watercolor
• Gouache
• Watercolor pencil
• Transparent acrylics
• Egg tempera
• Silverpoint
• A mixture of the above
Oils, pastels or digital media are not accepted as part of the portfolio.
• Completion of a supervised independent study (a minimum of six weeks or 240 hours).
Previous independent explorations have included:
• Research on a rare species, an invasive species, noxious weed, fossil,
pollination biology or other that included an essay and a minimum of four
illustrations (containing dissections).
• Draft children’s book, complete with educational text and original illustrations.
• An internship as an illustrator at a museum, botanic garden, science center or
other relevant institution that provides on-the-job experience as a
scientific/botanical illustrator.
• Collections research with accompanying original illustrations.