Dorset artist, Shaun Forward’s runs regular Outdoor Sketchbooking Workshops. You can take a look at one which took place in Wimborne town centre on Tuesday 20th May 2025. Read review article or Watch snapshot video… The upcoming Workshops are listed below…
NEXT WORKSHOP: Wednesday 11th June 2025 – Wimborne
FOLLOWING WORKSHOP: Wednesday 25th June 2025 – Westbourne
Limited to a maximum of 5 places, this is suitable for anyone from total beginner through to improver – members of this friendly small group will gain an immersive insight to Urban Sketching and Sketchbooking – which is a very portable, affordable and popular art form. Participants will acquire a skill which can be easily taken anywhere – and enjoyed for a lifetime. Sketching from life outdoors is unbeatable – you absorb the feel of the location and retain the sounds and smells… (this is just not possible when simply using a photo as your drawing reference at home).
Images from 20/05/25 Workshop
The format
During our six-hour workshop we will gather initially in a hired function room above a town bar where coffee, cakes, lunch snacks and drinks may be purchased and consumed in our workspace.
The first hour will be dedicated to grasping the objectives of outdoor sketchbooking, handling and experimenting with various materials and sketchbooks – and examining the wide range of sketching styles. I’ll gauge everyone’s ability levels and tailor the workshop to suit both the group as a whole and specifically for each individual – I want participants to feel comfortable wand at ease…
Stage two will take see ourselves going out into the town to sketch outdoors. Although we might all choose slightly differing locations or viewpoints, I will circulate constantly, to guide and tutor as required. I’d expect us to spend one-to-two hours on this, depending upon the group, weather etc.
Stage three will see us return to our indoor workspace for lunch and having a ‘throwdown’ – where we all lay our sketches together on a table and compare how we all got on. We’ll have a friendly and constructive critique to help us learn from each other, whilst we enjoy a brief social lunch.
Final stage will be a second outdoor sketching session. The aim will be to build upon the achievements of our morning sketching session and implement our improved skills or different approaches, (perhaps something you’ve liked from a fellow sketcher). This will cover between one-to-two hours and culminate in a second ‘throwdown’ back at our indoor base and critique.
Round up and FAQs will form the final 20 minutes, where I aim to field questions that have arisen through our days’ session, and hopefully offer helpful advice to guide you onwards with your sketching journey. This might result in your wishing to take a progressive workshop with me in the future or simply in the recommendation of various art stores and suitable sketching equipment to suit your particular needs.
We bid each other ‘adieu‘ in the knowledge that we have made some new friends and started out on a new and rewarding artistic journey…
Expect to discover and start learning…
DISCOVER:
• Various styles of sketching…
• Progressing to perfect your preferred style
• Explore numerous techniques
• A range of different media and mediums
• Create characterful mark-making
• Experiment with papers and surfaces
• Confidence to sketch in open spaces
• Urban, coastal and rural sketching
• Sketchbook Journaling/Diary
• Your local Urban Sketching Chapter
LEARN:
• Observational skills
• Composition
• Spotting key details to include/exclude
• Perspective
• Scale
• Linework and mark-making
• Rendering textures
• Tonal values
• Loose and tight styles
• Representative and impressionist styles
Complete details will be issued upon enquiry, and specific questions will be answered upon request – but please see foot of page for an outline of more general information, which answers a number of frequently asked questions.
Sketchbooking workshops enquiry
To express an interest in a workshop or to find out more, please contact me using the form below.
You can book and pay for the Tuesday 20th May 2025 workshop in the ‘Buy art‘ online store.
Thank you, Shaun 🙂
POLL: Which days, times & workshops suit you best?
Please click button to launch the Google form and submit your preferred days, times and workshops.
No obligation, and even if you’re not planning to take a workshop, I’m interested in what is most popular. Thank you.
General outline information
All-abilities welcome. Tutoring matched to each personal level within the group. A positive and friendly attitude is encouraged. Own transport needed to join given location(s). Always sketching outdoors from life, unless very wet, when an indoor public venue will be switched to. Bring own equipment, but occasionally some materials supplied or available to try for experiment with. Basic typical equipment; cartridge or watercolour paper/pad, pencil, eraser, fineliner pen(s) or fountain/ dip pen & ink, watercolours or coloured pencils/pastels, or charcoal. Lightweight carryable seat.
NB: Choice advice on all materials will be given upon booking, as well as in the workshop.
Cancellation: To avoid 50% non-returnable cancellation fee, notice is required at least five days prior to the event day.
A wide choice of refreshments, drinks, cakes, snacks, soft and alcoholic beverages will be available to purchase at our base venue.
There is no on-site parking at the venue – but plenty of car parks in easy walking distance. Venue is also mere minutes away from main bus stops.
All participants are responsible for their own belongings, safety and wellbeing.
