Upper School Intersession 2025

In this hands-on workshop, you'll step into the role of both artist and scientist. After an introduction to the field of scientific illustration, you’ll get a crash course in botanical art — working with graphite pencils to sketch a chosen plant specimen. To capture its most intricate details, you'll use a Foldscope, a paper microscope (that you can take home after the session), to explore your plant at the microscopic level. This tool will allow you to observe elements like pollen and stomata, which you can add to your botanical composition.

Scientific illustration bridges art and science, helping to communicate and document nature's beauty and complexity. From its roots in early natural history to modern uses in conservation and education, this field brings visibility to the unseen and often unnoticed details of our world.

Foldscope is the paper microscope that began as an idea to make science more accessible. Since its invention at Stanford nearly 10 years ago, Foldscopes have reached over 2 million people and found applications in a variety of settings. Foldscope’s accessible design reminds us that scientific observation isn’t limited to professionals; it’s a universal skill rooted in curiosity and the desire to understand our world.

Participants will be able to keep their Foldscope after the session. No prerequisite skills or knowledge required to participate.