8 - 9 February 2025, Bush Stone-curlew in Pencil - with Zoe Lawrence

Create your own coloured pencil illustration of a Bush Stone-curlew. 

• Dates: 8  - 9 February 2025
  
• Day/Times: Saturday - Sunday 9.30am - 4.30pm
• Venue: NatureArt Lab Studio, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith, Canberra
• Field visit to Mulligans Flat (details TBC)

About the course/workshop
The Bush Stone-curlew is an iconic bird species endemic to Australia. It's favourite habitat is open plains and woodland areas, where it can hunt at night for invertebrates. It was formerly quite common, but has declined in numbers due to loss of habitat and predation by cats and foxes. In Canberra, these birds were re-introduced in 2014 at Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary after becoming extinct in the ACT for more than 40 years.  

During this two-day workshop we will take a look at the unique behaviours and features of this bird, and spend some time developing bird sketches with observational drawing techniques of different postures. We will also arrange a field visit to see some of these birds in their habitat. Basic pencil and coloured pencil techniques will be demonstrated and practiced. We will work together towards a completed colour pencil illustration by the end of the workshop. 

Learning Outcomes 

• Knowledge of materials and equipment used in studying and sketching the Bush Stone-curlew.   

• Knowledge of pencil and coloured pencil rendering techniques.
• Understanding of how to illustrate various textures/features of the curlew with a focus on representing feathers.  
• Understanding of the importance of live observations and natural history research when creating an accurate illustration.

Level of course/workshop
Suitable for students from beginners to intermediate who wish to develop their skills with sketching birds and creating a beautiful coloured pencil illustration. 

About the tutor
Zoe Lawrence is an established natural history illustrator and artist based in Queensland. She has a passion for illustrating all aspects of the natural world but with a particular love for native Australian fauna. Throughout her years studying Natural History Illustration at the University of Newcastle she worked on many projects from animations for music videos, private commissions, logo designs and being published in Australian Geographic. After graduating she now works as a freelance commission artist while working fulltime with animals. She believes that it is important to properly observe and have a thorough understanding of a particular species to accurately portray it’s true beauty and charisma within artworks. Zoe works with a range of medium from pencil, coloured pencil, watercolour, acrylic and digital illustration.

NatureArt Lab Awards:

2022, Telstra Best of Business Award Winner for Promoting Sustainability, ACT; and National Finalist Award

2024, Telstra Best of Business Award Winner for Building Communities, ACT; and National Finalist Award