Drawing Real Animals with Sandra Morris

Led by celebrated author, illustrator and art educator Sandra Morris, this two-day school-holiday workshop teaches children aged 8–12 to draw animals from life. Working with subjects such as guinea pigs, rabbits, chooks and dogs, young artists start by identifying basic shapes before building up to finished observational drawings, with tonal work exploring how light and shadow fall across a three-dimensional form.

Live animals are on site at various times during the workshop — likely including a friendly dog, a rabbit or hamster, a bird or a reptile — so families should bear this in mind if a child has allergies. Children move between quick gestural studies and longer, more focused observations, picking up a range of drawing techniques along the way.

All materials are supplied. Children should bring a packed lunch and a water bottle; an iPad or iPhone can be a useful optional tool.