Walk & Draw Club
Connect with nature and your surroundings by journaling your walk with variety of drawing techniques.
Join Henry St.Leger on a group walk in the stunning landscape of the Forest of Dean. Along the way Henry will guide you through different drawing techniques as a way to log your journey and enjoy the surroundings through art.
These sessions are open to adults new to drawing and accomplished artists alike, with an emphasis on exploration and accessibility.
Pre-booking is essential. All drawing materials are provided on the day to help you get the most out of your walk. Walking is along well-surfaced tracks with gentle uphill or downhill terrain. Weather-appropriate clothing and footwear are advised. Not all walks have places to sit so be prepared to sit on the floor, logs etc.
Why Walk and Draw club?
We all know the benefits of walking. We are told to do a minimum of 10,000 steps a day to manage our weight, improve our cardiovascular health and reduce risk of chronic diseases. There are also multiple mental health benefits, such as reducing stress and improving mood. However when we walk do we actually take in our surroundings at any point? Do we stop to connect with nature? Do we take in the sights and sounds of the outdoors?
For so many walking is just about getting from point A to point B. Completing a circuit. A lap to tire out the dog, a route ticked off an OS map, a rush to get to he highest point. Where as it should be the journey is as important as the goal.
That’s where drawing comes in. Stopping in a quiet spot for even just a quick 5 minute sketch lets you experience a place in full. It opens your eyes to the rich tapestry that makes up each environment. Whether sketching out a full landscape, drawing the intricate way one plant climbs up another or looking closer still at a single leaf, you start to notice things unique to the route you have taken and even unique to that day.
Henry St.Leger is a freelance illustrator who lives in the Forest of Dean. He was a storyboard artist on several projects for the BBC Natural History Unit, including ‘Planet Earth’, ‘Life Story’ and ‘Prehistoric Planet’. His personal work is inspired by nature and the surrounding area.
