Drawing Garden Birds | Sat 20th March 2027

Garden birds are the perfect subject for sketching. They're everywhere, they're endlessly varied, and once you know how to break them down into simple shapes, they're far more approachable than they look!

In this friendly three-hour workshop, you'll learn to observe and draw small garden birds with confidence, working through two techniques that are brilliant for beginners: pen and ink wash for a blue tit, and mixed media (watercolour and coloured pencil) for a robin.

What we'll cover

• Warm-up exercises to get your eye and hand working together

• A brief introduction to bird anatomy — the key things to notice before you put pen to paper

• How to build a bird from simple shapes, refining your outline gradually

• Pen and ink wash — how to use a fineliner and watercolour together for fresh, characterful results

• Mixed media — combining a watercolour wash with coloured pencil for colour, texture and detail

No experience is needed — just a willingness to have a go. All materials are provided, and every participant takes home a copy of my hand-illustrated Drawing Birds booklet to keep practising at home.

Workshop details

• Duration: 3 hours

• Venue: Berwick-upon-Tweed location tbc

• Cost: £55 per person, including tea and coffee refreshments and your copy of the Drawing Birds booklet

• Suitable for: complete beginners and anyone returning to drawing after a break, or sketchers who want to improve their understanding of drawing garden birds

• Group size: Max 10 participants

Any questions? Drop me an email and I’ll be happy to help!