Skip to main content

Nature Sketching Workshops

Nature Sketching Workshops

Sketching outdoors takes many forms!
Come along this Summer to High Elms Country Park, for some outdoor sketching workshops!

There are many ways to enjoy and benefit from sketching! The outdoor sketching at High Elms is a combination of several forms of sketching. Here are some different approaches to filling a sketchbook that will be woven into the four nature sketching workshops created by Claire Murthy, local wildlife and nature artist.

Landscape sketching.
It can be the long, drawn out days of Summer, out in the wildflower fields, plein air sketching - a traditional way to capture beautiful scenery, surrounding wildlife and buildings and serve as aide-memoire to the experience or to be used later as reference work for landscape paintings and drawings. At High Elms we will be doing some quick landscape sketches of pond areas, woodland patches, wildlife gardens and formal gardens to record the habitats and environments of different plant, animal and other natural species that can be found in and around the Country Park.

Field sketching.
Nature Sketching Workshops in Kent: Flowers, Woodland, Ponds, Gardens.
Nature Sketching Workshops


It is often the repeated quick sketches of wildlife or plants (or anything that interests the sketcher) - the daily habit of capturing a particular subject matter that can be done anywhere: in the local fields or woods, in the garden, in the towns or villages, indoors and outdoors. This type of sketching develops memory banks of form and details of subjects to be used in later work. There will be plenty of subjects to sketch and make notes about at High Elms: flowers, herbs, trees, berries, nuts, cones, woodland animals, birds, butterflies, bugs, bees, fruits, pond life, gardens and dragonflies, to name a few!

Botanical sketching.
Sketching is for anyone who is interested in a subject and wants to record their findings creatively; it is quicker than note-taking alone: botanists may sketch parts of flowers in more detail - sketching often reveals more than a camera! The person sketching can use their understanding of a subject, or interest in a particular aspect, and focus a sketch on it, capture more information to be used as reference later. From wildflower species to garden standards, orchard delights to pond plants - many options to choose from at BEECHE, High Elms!

Wildlife sketching.
Sketching the repeated movements and habits of wild birds or woodland animals, for example, might also be the aim of a wildlife artist - gathering details to study more about the wildlife. High Elms is home to a range of bats, birds, mice and woodland animals including foxes, badgers, hedgehogs and even deer - although they are better at observing humans than vice-versa!

Sketching is not just for artists!

It is not just artists who can benefit from sketching: the aforesaid botanists are joined in their curiosity by other technical and scientific minds, including natural historians and explorers, who make good use of sketching as means to observing their subjects more deeply and discovering more through exploratory diagrams, notes and marks on the page. A few quick, rough sketches can ignite ideas for poetry and stories for writers. The outdoor sketching workshops at High Elms are great for recording sightings, as well as releasing more imaginative ideas - the past owner, John Lubbock, was friends with Darwin as well as the imaginative writer, Charles Kingsley (The Water Babies) and knew the joys of creative sketching and nature observations only too well!

Sketching for the process - not just the end result!
There is no need to be able to draw well to be great at sketching!

Many naturalists use sketchbooks to further their field-studies knowledge and learn about the plants, animals and natural history species they come across when outside in nature.

Sketching is not just about trying to achieve a beautiful sketchbook - the lines, shapes, diagrams, notes and quotes can all build up to create a valuable tool for discovering more about the natural world.


Sketching can be done in a variety of ways and styles!

FORTHCOMING OUTDOOR NATURE SKETCHING WORKSHOPS.

For more information on Nature Sketching Workshops in Kent for adults (and accompanied children aged 11+) starting in August 2019, please email:

 enquiries@clairemurthy.co.uk

or 

Visit BEECHE
Bromley Environmental Education Centre at High Elms


Outdoor nature workshops will run during August at High Elms Country Park, Kent - just up the road from the home of Charles Darwin - Down House and not too far from Chartwell House and Gardens, former home of Churchill.

Themes include: ponds, flowers, butterflies and bees, woodland patches, hedgerow, local wildlife and birds - and the many local wildlife and natural species inhabitants.There will be a number of natural history specimens for close detail observations, including woodland animals, bird nests and eggs, moths, beetles and birds, depending on the workshop theme. 

Refreshments will be available and the visitor centre with shop and cafe on site will be open. Free parking.

Visit Bromley’s Environmental Education Centre at High Elms (BEECHE) for more information about these workshops and other events.














Popular Posts from this Blog

Drawing Hares

Drawing Wildlife. When asked to present a wildlife art demo in March, one animal sprang to mind! The month has been all about March hares! Here's a work in progress study of a hare using coloured pencils. Getting ready for an art session. As preparation is key for any art demo, several images of hares were selected to be used as reference material - and so the wildlife sketching and drawing was ready for working on the easel at home. Drawing Hares and other Wildlife. Planning time to a hare's hair's breadth! The aim of the art demo was to go through the stages of completing a pencil drawing of a hare using coloured pencils. The demo was scheduled for about 2 hours' drawing time... Detailed, realistic coloured pencil drawings can take a very long time to complete, even in the comfort of an artist's usual studio or dedicated art space. Natural nerves in drawing a hare, or any animal, in front of members of an art group (in this case, consisting of

British Wildlife Watercolours

British Wildlife Watercolours. British wildlife, birds and flowers are carefully painted using watercolours, based on the wildlife and botanical subjects from the garden and local woods. Wildlife such as small British woodland animals (badgers, foxes, squirrels, mice, bats, deer, otters, wild cats, stoats, weasels - even wild boar, pine martens, beavers and, one day, lynx may return to the wilds of Britain!) and UK garden birds, butterflies and bees, along with ladybirds and dragonflies, add to the joys to be found in the garden, or just beyond, all year round. Watercolours can be used to capture the beauty in the animal or plant subject using the fluidity of the paints. Everyone's favourite! A beautiful owl resting amongst the bluebells.   British Wildlife Watercolours : Watercolour Owl and Bluebell British Wildlife Watercolours : Watercolour Bird Painting of a Sparrow and Worm Watercolours can be used in a variety of wildlife paintings for different effects bas

Wildlife Drawing Classes

  Wildlife Drawing Classes   Wildlife art classes in drawing wildlife. There is more to be gained from drawing British wildlife than drawing and sketching alone – with wildlife art classes, there can be enjoyment in discovering about some of Britain’s favourite animals and birds in the company of other artists and nature enthusiasts, through drawing wildlife classes which bring together like-minded individuals in a pleasant setting. Drawing animals and birds from life is an excellent way to engage with the natural world around us. An understanding of wildlife anatomy, behaviour and environment, through observations and sketches, can help build the skills and knowledge necessary for more detailed graphite or coloured pencil drawings of British wildlife and birds. Drawing class subjects include the familiar favourites such as: foxes, squirrels, hedgehogs, mice, deer and birds, plus some of the more elusive characters from the British countryside – badgers, otters, wildcats, newts

British Wildlife Coloured Pencils

Drawing wildlife using coloured pencils Coloured pencil wildlife art paintings and drawings.  Detailed wildlife and botanical drawings and paintings can be gained using coloured pencils which range from student grade to professional grade. The following animal pencil paintings were achieved using a mixture of coloured pencil brands but mainly Faber-Castell Polychromos and Caran D’ache Swisscolour. Detail is captured as realistically as possible whilst retaining the creative style. Realistic British wildlife art by wildlife and botanical coloured pencil artist. British Wildlife : Coloured Pencils : Mouse and Apple British Wildlife Art : Coloured Pencil Drawing of a Robin Snow Leopard : Coloured Pencils Coloured Pencil Drawing : British Bird : Owl Wood Avens : Coloured Pencils Coloured Pencils : Grape British Wildlife Art : Squirrel

Bird Drawing Workshops

Bird drawing workshops can be a good source of information for anyone who loves birds and wants to draw them, especially beginner artists and improvers. Drawing Workshops. Wildlife Art. Kent. Surrey. Sussex. London. Drawing workshops and classes are a great place to pick up advice and resources that can be used to discover more about birds in the local area. Workshops can help introduce the beginner to outdoor bird sketching and keeping a bird diary or nature journal that can be used to identify birds and develop the drawings to produce more detailed, realistic bird paintings. Regular sketching can significantly improve bird drawings and paintings whilst developing knowledge of bird anatomy and habitats. There are many strange and wonderful aspects to a bird’s body (skeleton, muscles, feet, feathers and beaks) that serve a function and it is often through sketching and detailed drawing that these anatomical wonders are closely observed and begin to be understood.

Dinosaur Art Workshops

Dinosaur Art Workshops. Reflections on being asked to run some art workshops and my first reactions. Wildlife art can cover such a broad range of subjects in all mediums - birds, beasts, bugs and wildflowers...in pastels, coloured pencils, oil, acrylic, watercolour, even mixed media. So, when I was asked earlier in the year to run some children's art workshops for Berkeley Group at a school activity camp in the middle of the Weald of Kent countryside, Cranbrook, I didn't hesitate to jump at the chance - I'm happy to draw, paint and teach virtually any wildlife and nature subjects, in different mediums, and didn't expect any surprises... I wondered what wildlife they might want to draw or paint...a bird, hare or squirrel? Maybe smaller creatures, such as butterflies or bees, and how about wildflowers? Perhaps we would glimpse a fox whilst exploring the beautiful grounds of the school in search of inspiration...even a deer might be possible given the abundance of wildlife

British Wildlife Watercolours : Garden Birds

Bird Art : from the Garden There are a number of British birds that visit the garden daily for the abundance of naturally growing berries and seeds - and it's a good way to get ideas for later watercolours and drawings of birds. The traditional garden bird, the sparrow, seems to have been replaced by the more colourful birds such as bluetits, goldfinches, long-tailed tits and chaffinches – although a few sparrows do usually manage to make a daily appearance – especially around their favourite bird table where additional nuts, seeds and worms tempt even the most reluctant visitors. A favourite garden visitor is our British National Bird – the robin redbreast – or rather three of them! Plus all the wood pigeons and doves, crows, blackbirds, thrushes, woodpeckers – green and red - even fieldfares – it can get quite a busy! That is the best time to make sure a pencil and paper is nearby – for the birds are always entertaining to watch and sketch – it’s a most enjoyable way to

Traditional Bee Drawings

Honey Bee Illustration Traditional Bee Drawings at wildlife workshops. Enjoy a wildlife art workshop drawing bees! Beginner artists and nature enthusiasts can explore the world of bees and bee art through bee drawing workshops, alongside artists wishing to improve their art skills and discover more about the wildlife world of bees! This wildlife drawing of a honey bee was initially created as a quick sketch in preparation for a bee show. The original rough sketch had been done and, with a few colours applied to give an impression, it was left only partially coloured and a very rough version of what had been planned for a complete drawing of a bee. Before it was completed, however, several enquiries had been made, asking to purchase the rough bee drawing and, eventually, this bee was created but not before several hours of research into the anatomy of bees had been carried out! It was a good experience, though, because it provided the necessary information to get on and

Art Workshop Christmas Robin at High Elms Country Park

Art Workshop Christmas Robin at High Elms Country Park  My next art workshop planned is set in the beautiful natural setting of High Elms – home to a host of British wildlife and countryside birds and plants  and past home to John Lubbock, naturalist and friend to neighbour Charles Darwin. This one-off Christmas art workshop offers participants the chance to create a beautiful mixed media plaque featuring Britain’s National Bird and well-known symbol of Christmas – the robin, which you can take home and use as a festive wildlife-themed stocking hanger or decorative wall art. If the weather is good, we might find time to step outside into the wildlife garden to spot a resident robin in its natural habitat. The workshop will include some demos, tips and the chance to try out mixed media art effects - drawing on my experience as a local wildlife and nature artist. All materials will be provided. Refreshments will also be offered but please bring lunch (or visit the on-

British Wildlife Pastel Art

British Wildlife Art in Pastels. Fine art, traditional animal paintings and bird paintings in detail: local wildlife, animals and birds of the countryside - meadows, woods, riversides and gardens. Paintings and drawings undertaken using soft pastels, occasionally enhanced using pastel pencils. Wildlife pastel classes, workshops and demos available. British Wildlife Painting : Pastels British Wildlife Painting : Pastels Countryside Painting : Pheasant British Wildlife Art : Small Mammals