On this virtual safari we imagine ourselves in South Luangwa National Park in Zambia.  We immerse ourselves in the sights of this incredible national park and indulge in the beauty and biodiversity that this region has to offer.

Dividing our time into game drives we focus on the skills which allow us to develop a safari sketchbook to create a visual storybook about the wildlife we are seeing. We start each day with quick warm ups before progressing onto longer, more considered works which we can use to inform studio work later on.

Your tutor, Shelly Perkins, loves line – and she’s going to introduce you to quick line based techniques as well as the additions of speedy colour to get the most out of working in the field and to prepare you for the quick and unpredictable movements of wild animals.

We study many of the animals which populate this amazing wildlife area and show you how to observe them with a pencil in your hand.  Learning each animal thoroughly we look at their movements, behaviour and anatomy and learn how to translate that into lively and informative sketchbook work.

Spend four days sketching wildlife with Shelly, who will be leading an Art Safari tour to Zambia in April 2021 . Shelly also leads our ‘Wild Rosemary and Oranges’ tour in Spain in June 2021. (travel advice permitting)

Via Zoom, Shelly leads you through the rich valley of the great Luangwa River.  We will have the chance to draw from stills as well as moving footage. We will sketch along together and learn how to document our safari experience capturing creatures great and small! With step-by-step demonstrations, interaction and information about detail Shelly will show you how she tackles various species – including leopard, impala and wild dog as well as some of the fantastic birdlife of the region.

In between your sessions Shelly will give you exercises and homework to help your technique for drawing animals.

We will give you some recipes from our lodge to try out between your painting sessions.

Learning via Zoom is highly concentrated and productive.  It allows you to delve into technique and imagination.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

All sessions start at 2pm GMT

Day 1: Meet Shelly on Zoom for three hours of art demonstration and tuition time, which includes advice on sketching wildlife.

Before heading out into the bush we have a quick introduction to our fellow safari goers, and chat about the sort of work we like to create.

Shelly will share a meditative introduction to the region with some of her own stills, examples of her own sketches from South Luangwa as well as some video footage to really get us immersed in the African bush.

The first drive focuses on capturing the quick movements and behaviour of animals in a series of speedy sketching sessions. We look at the unique shapes and forms of individual animals and how we can translate them into successful images. We move through the afternoon with increasing detail and study, aiming to add in colour to help illustrate movement, and light.

We end our first days drive with a slideshow of work from other artists who have been influenced by African wildlife.

You will be left with a series of homework exercises to complete the following morning.

Day 2:  We meet again the following afternoon for a second session through the same process. Quick studies as a warmup before progressing to longer scenes as we stop for breaks at waterholes and vantage points to take in our subjects more fully, As we enjoy the textures, patterns and palette of the African bush and look at how to create dynamic composition.

Shelly gives a little talk and demo on her studio work and digital collage with Photoshop.

You will have a series of homework options to continue on your solo safari the following day…

Day 3:  The third day is free for you to sketch and/or paint all day with the option to contact Shelly for help or advice on a drop in session at 5pm on zoom or via email – bring your sun-downer drinks with you! 

Day 4: We hold a final short meeting (around two hours) to review and share your work and insights from the course. We will study everyone’s individual pieces and chat about how they can move their work forward into more finished studio pieces. 

The workshop will be recorded so you will be able to watch the video online afterwards.

You have time in between sessions to complete your work and submit images of your paintings for feedback on our private Facebook group or by email.

It’s going to be a fun and highly informative safari!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• A laptop, Macbook, PC, iPad or tablet
• An assortment of paint brushes, suitable for your medium in different shapes and sizes

Shelly will work in watercolour but you may use any medium – she often works with a simple, ‘double primary’ palette comprised of Cadmium Lemon yellow, Cadmium Yellow Golden, Cadmium Red Light, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt and Cerulean Blue. This course isn’t specifically about colour, so just use colours you are familiar with and those you already have.

• A laptop, Macbook, PC, iPad or tablet
• A sketchbook or multiple sheets of paper, a range of pencil types that you wish to work with, Shelly recommends 3b or softer or even drawing pens. A range of mark making materials for colour such as water colour, coloured pencil, acrylic pens, pastels, whatever you feel comfortable working with.