Have you ever been to one of our birds of prey classes? If so, you’ll have seen how beautiful our raptors are, with their sharp talons, piercing gazes and delicate feathers. But how about a chance to see them do what they do best; flying! Take it from us, it’s a truly magical experience. We are delighted to bring you the opportunity to do exactly that, at an immersive all-day session, drawing and flying birds of prey at Eastwell Manor in the glorious Kent countryside.

We will spend the morning drawing birds from all over the globe- Xavier the Bald Eagle, Bailey the Makinders Owl, Moet the Chilean Blue and Maggie the Hooded Vulture – who will be stationed on their perches in the tranquil grounds of the manor. The Wild Life Drawing team will be on hand for all the creative guidance you need, and the expert falconers at Sky Birds of Prey will teach us about each of the species in turn.

Then in the afternoon, it will be time for the birds to take to the sky. Paul and his team will give a flying display with in-depth information about each bird’s unique characteristics. Then, after an introduction to falconry, you’ll each don the glove and experience the unforgettable feeling of flying the birds yourselves. There’s nothing like it! There will also be plenty of time to photograph and sketch the birds as they soar through the grounds.

This workshop is open to all abilities. With our top tips on drawing animals from life, you’ll be sketching away in no time. We will provide paper, drawing boards and a range of materials for you to use, but you’re welcome to bring your own kit if you like.

Eastwell Manor is easily accessed by car and there is parking available. The nearest train station is Ashford International, which is a 35 minute journey from London St. Pancras, and is 15 minutes away from the site by taxi.

Join us for a wonderfully wobbly evening at the London Aquarium. This after-hours drawing session will take place in the jellyfish area, where we will meet a host of species including mesmerising moon jellies, flouncy and fabulous sea nettles, and tiny jellyfish larvae that look like shooting stars. With their pulsing motions and ethereal forms, drawing these ancient creatures is relaxing, hypnotising and so much fun.

The class will be hosted by nature illustrator Jennie Webber, who will get your creative juices flowing with a drawing demonstration and her top tips on drawing underwater animals. We will then be given a short talk by one of the aquarium’s “jellyologists” who will introduce the different species and give us plenty of fascinating facts about them. Although we will be concentrating on the jellyfish, you’ll also be free to wander around the other areas to meet the other species- sharks, turtles and rays to name but a few. Aquarium experts will be ‘floating’ around throughout the class, ready to answer all your questions, and Jennie will provide all the creative guidance you need to get your artwork shipshape.

50% of each ticket will be donated to SEA LIFE Trust.

Take a leaf out of a botanist’s sketchbook, at our first class focused on illustrating interesting insects and fascinating foliage. We will be joined by a globe-trotting bunch of invertebrates- giant snails, sun beetles and millipedes from Africa, tarantulas and stick insects from South America and scorpions and locusts from Asia. The slower moving of our models -think snails and stick insects- will be perched in amongst a mini rainforest of plants, and the faster fellas will be safely contained in their enclosures. (No free range tarantulas, we promise!)

The class will be hosted by artist Laura Cuppage, who will begin with an introduction to drawing plants and animals from life. Inspired by some of the trail-blazing botanical artists of their time (Marianne North and Maria Merian to name a few) the focus of the session will be on creating compositions which include insects and plants, and by the end of the class your pages will be teeming with life! While we draw, animal expert Amy will provide lots of information about the bugs; their biology and adaptations, and their habitats in the wild.

10% of each ticket will be donated to London Wildlife Trust.

We’re taking wing and flying up to Manchester, for an evening drawing three stunning birds of prey. Leading the flock will be the fastest species of bird on earth- the peregrine falcon. These birds reach staggering speeds of 200mph! We will also be joined by a pure white Gryfalcon. With their artful camouflage, this beautiful arctic species blends into its snowy surroundings perfectly. Finally, we will meet a very rare species- the African harrier hawk. These raptors have incredible climbing skills- thanks to their double-jointed knees!

The class will begin with an introduction from wildlife artist Jennie Webber, who will give her top tips for animals drawing from life. We will then be introduced to our fine feathered models by expert falconer David. While we draw, we will learn all about these fascinating species, and there will be plenty of time for any questions that you have. No prior art experience is needed to join the session- all abilities are welcome, and all artistic styles are celebrated! We will provide everything you need- drawing boards, paper and a colourful range of materials to experiment with.

10% of each ticket will be donated to Gauntlet Conservation Trust.

Sharpen your pencils and your claws, and come join our pack! At this class we will be drawing our favourite family of British Lupine wolf dogs. This stunning hybrid species have real wolves in their bloodline- and are dead ringers for their wild relatives. They howl at the moon and live in a pack, but are gorgeously tame and friendly. The pack also happen to be quite the celebrities, having starred in many photoshoots, and films- try to act cool when you meet them though, yeah?

Hosting the session will be animal-obsessed illustrator Laura Cuppage, who will guide you through the process of drawing wolves from life. She will provide her top tips on drawing moving models and will be all ears for any questions you have. We will also be joined by “head wolf” Natalie Langstrom, who will share the extensive knowledge of these animals she has gathered over her many years working as a canine behavioural expert. Natalie is a fierce advocate for wild wolves, and will give an insight into the species and their conservation.

10% of each ticket will be donated to Wolf Watch UK.

Sharpen your pencils and your claws, and come join our pack! At this class we will be drawing our favourite family of British Lupine wolf dogs. This stunning hybrid species have real wolves in their bloodline- and are dead ringers for their wild relatives. They howl at the moon and live in a pack, but are gorgeously tame and friendly. The pack also happen to be quite the celebrities, having starred in many photoshoots, and films- try to act cool when you meet them though, yeah?

Hosting the session will be animal-obsessed illustrator Laura Cuppage, who will guide you through the process of drawing wolves from life. She will provide her top tips on drawing moving models and will be all ears for any questions you have. We will also be joined by “head wolf” Natalie Langstrom, who will share the extensive knowledge of these animals she has gathered over her many years working as a canine behavioural expert. Natalie is a fierce advocate for wild wolves, and will give an insight into the species and their conservation.

10% of each ticket will be donated to Wolf Watch UK.

This half-term, get your brood beaming with an outdoor drawing class at Battersea Children’s Zoo. We will be focusing on unusual farmyard animals, some of which are on the Rare Breeds Survival List. We will meet Swiss Valais blacknose sheep, with their gorgeous heads of shaggy curls, Oxford sandy pigs with their enormous ears, and one of the UK’s oldest goat breeds- the Bagot goat- which has been around since the 1300s! We will be shown around by animal expert Gemma, who will provide fascinating facts about each species, and answer lots of questions. While we will be concentrating on the farm animals, you’ll be free to draw all sorts of other animals too; otters, monkeys, lemurs and lizards to name just a few. Plus, once you’ve got your sketching done you and your little ones will have a special opportunity to feed some of the animals!

The class will be led by wildlife artists Jennie Webber and Laura Cuppage who will provide plenty of creative guidance to help you capture the animals’ fabulous features on your page. We will begin with some fun warm-up drawing games to get the whole family sketching away. All abilities are welcome, and all artistic styles are celebrated! We will bring along everything you need- drawing boards, paper and lots of colourful materials, but feel free to bring your own kit if you’d like to.

Ticket price does not include entry to the zoo, which will need to be bought separately.

10% of each ticket will be donated to the Rare Breed Survival Trust.

This half-term, give your flock a chance to stretch their wings at an outdoor drawing class at Battersea Children’s Zoo. We will be focusing on the rare birds there, starting with two of the second largest bird species in the world- Ant and Dec the emus! We will also sketch the kooky kookaburras, charismatic cranes, and beautiful Bali starlings (this species is critically endangered, but the zoo is part of a breeding programme to conserve them). We will be shown around by animal expert Gemma, who will provide fascinating facts about each species, and answer lots of questions. While we will be concentrating on the birds, you’ll be free to draw all sorts of other animals too- otters, monkeys, lemurs and lizards to name just a few. Plus, once you’ve got your sketching done you and your little ones will have a special opportunity to feed some of the animals!

The class will be led by wildlife artists Jennie Webber and Laura Cuppage who will provide plenty of creative guidance to help you capture the animals’ fabulous features on your page. We will begin with some fun warm-up drawing games to get the whole family sketching away. All abilities are welcome, and all artistic styles are celebrated! We will bring along everything you need- drawing boards, paper and lots of colourful materials, but feel free to bring your own kit if you’d like to.

Ticket price does not include entry to the zoo, which will need to be bought separately.

10% of each ticket will be donated to the zoo’s Bali Starling Conservation Fund.

Join us for a very special class with the largest (and perhaps the loveliest) rodent on earth- the Capybara! These South American stunners are known for their friendly and chill personalities, but did you know they are also excellent swimmers? Being semi-aquatic, capybaras can run along the seabeds with impressive speed. They also carry their young on their backs while swimming, and have even been known to hitch the odd ride on a crocodile’s back!

You will spend half an hour inside the capybara enclosure at Hobbledown Heath to not only sketch the herd, but feed them too! You will each be given a colourful pile of veggies to hand feed to the capybara- an experience you’ll never forget. You’ll also be given a guided drawing tour of the rest of the park to draw the other residents; lemurs, yaks, reindeers and highland cattle to name just a few! Your ticket price includes entry to the park, where you’re very welcome to spend the whole day if you’d like. Artists Laura Cuppage and Jennie Webber will be on hand to help you fill your pages with life, and the expert keepers at Hobbledown will be happy to answer all your questions.

10% of your ticket price will be donated to Hobbledown Heath’s own research and conservation fund, which you can read more about here.

P-p-p-pick up a pencil, and meet us at the aquarium for an after-hours sketching session with Gentoo Penguins! On land, these penguins can look a bit like they have two left flippers, so you may be surprised to learn that they are the fastest swimming birds on earth! When hunting for fish or evading predators they reach speeds of more than 20 miles per hour. They are expert divers, capable of reaching depths of 200 metres. Since the penguins are fans of an early night we will begin our class a bit earlier, to make sure we get all our sketches done before the birds hit the hay. 

The class will begin with an introduction to drawing from life from illustrator Jennie Webber, who will be on hand throughout the session with plenty of creative guidance. A penguin expert from the aquarium will take you on a deep dive into all things Gentoo, discussing their social groups, habitats and conservation. You don’t need any art experience to take part in the session, and we will provide everything you need to get sketching; drawing boards, paper and lots of colourful materials.

50% of each ticket will be donated to SEA LIFE Trust.

You really ‘otter’ join us for this one. At this live online class, we will draw Ozzy and Ola- two beautiful northern sea otters. Around 90% of these charming animals live in Alaska, which is where these two hail from. The pair were taken in by a rescue centre when they were found stranded. They now live in a state-of-the-art facility at SEA Life Birmingham where they are ambassadors for their species, raising awareness of the issues affecting their wild relatives. During the 18th and 19th centuries sea otters were hunted to near extinction for their fur. Thankfully since becoming a protected species in the 1900’s their numbers have recovered slowly, but there is still a long way to go in their conservation.

We will be introduced to Ozzy and Ola by otter experts Meg and Nat, who are part of the dedicated team that keep them happy and healthy. We will have a chance to watch the otters from both above and below the water from two different viewing areas, so we will get a great view of the way they move those streamlined bodies as they swim. The class will be hosted by nature illustrator Jennie Webber who will guide you through the process of drawing animals from life, beginning with a demo. Throughout the session there will be time for you to ask plenty of questions, so you’ll come away with both some otterly fabulous sketches and a greater understanding of the species.

50% of profits will be donated to SEA Life Trust to support their mission to protect aquatic habitats around the world.

At this class we will study one of the largest and rarest raptors on Earth- the Harpy Eagle. These incredible animals have wingspans reaching 6.5ft, and their rear talons are as large as the claws of a grizzly bear. In ancient times they were revered as divine creatures- if only the same could be said for today. The species is subject to human persecution, and has reached critically endangered status/extinction in several countries. The remaining population is spread out across Central America where their range is wide but their numbers are few. Education is proving to be an effective conservation method, and there is hope that by instilling a pride and love for the species in younger generations, the fate of these majestic birds could be turned around.

We will be joined online by Anna Bryant, who is the biology coordinator at ARCAS- a grassroots wildlife rescue organisation set up by Guatemalan citizens. Anna will tell us the story of an injured male that ARCAS cared for, which they believe could have been the last harpy eagle in Guatemala. She will explain the reasons that the species have been driven out of the country, and what she and her colleagues are doing to help in the fight to save the species.

50% of profits will be donated to ARCAS Guatemala.

Whale imagery is all around us, adorning our clothing, crockery and wallpaper, but have you ever really looked at those illustrations? Most are totally incorrect – often square shaped whales with twisted tails, water spurting from their blowholes? We have Moby Dick to thank for that. Luckily we have world-renowned comparative anatomist and cetacean expert Joy Reidenberg with us for an online class in June to bust those myths so we can nail our narwhals and perfect our porpoises. Together we will be making quick sketches of different whales and dolphins from reference images, with Joy picking out notable anatomy and evolutionary features as we draw.

Joy Reidenberg is a professor at Icahn School of Medicine based at Mount Sinai, New York City specialising in cetacean anatomy, and a talented scientific illustrator. You may have seen her enthusiastically clambering over beached whale carcasses with her huge knives performing dissections on a colossal scale on the BAFTA winning BBC documentary Inside Nature’s Giants. Or you might have heard her animatedly discussing animal reproduction on Born in the Wild on America’s PBS channel. Whatever the subject, Joy is such an engaging and inspiring speaker (watch her TED talk here) we can’t promise that this class will finish on time!

50% of ticket profits will be donated to Joy’s nominated charity the Marine and Coastal Ecology Research Center, in Florida, USA.