HAVE you ever wanted to capture the character of your favourite bird in a drawing, but weren’t sure how?
Award-winning social enterprise NatureArt Lab, is offering two new art courses during late April and May on Illustrating Native Birdlife.
Artists will have the opportunity to learn tips and techniques for sketching birdlife from talented wildlife illustrator Zoe Lawrence.
The first is a weekend workshop on Saturday April 30 and Sunday May 1 titled ‘Sketching and Understanding Birdlife’ at Bellvista Meeting Place, Caloundra. This is a light-filled, lakeside venue surrounded by wetland species such as waterbirds, turtles and frogs.
Students will practise observation, field and studio sketching and focus on the unique features of our feathered friends. By the end of the workshop you can expect to have multiple sketches of your favourite backyard bird species as well as a finalised illustration of your chosen bird.
The second is a longer series of four classes to be held from the May 5 – 26 at the beautiful Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, which comprises 55 hectares of subtropical rainforest and is a living museum of diverse plant and animal life which will delight with its tranquillity and beauty.
Participants of ‘Illustrating the Birdlife of Mary Cairncross’ will learn about the birds of the Maleny region, as well as approaches for field sketching, understanding bird behaviour, avian natural history.
Primary mediums will be graphite and coloured pencil, with exercises to build familiarity and confidence.
Students will practise field and studio sketching, and create multiple sketches of favourite bird species as well as a finalised illustration capturing their chosen bird in a natural pose.
Zoe Lawrence is an established natural history illustrator and artist based on the Sunshine Coast. Zoe has a passion for illustrating all aspects of the natural world but with a particular love for bird life.
While studying her Bachelor of Natural History Illustration at the University of Newcastle she worked on many projects including animations for music videos, private commissions, logo designs and an artwork published in the Australian Geographic.
Zoe now works as a freelance commission artist while working full time in the zoo industry with birds and says that “it is important to properly study and have a thorough understanding of a particular species to accurately portray its true beauty and charisma”.