Zen Islands and the Art of Landscape Drawing: Workshop with Chris Wallbank

Join landscape and wildlife artist, Chris Wallbank, in this tutor-led workshop, learning how to build your own miniature islands to use as reference for making dramatic landscape drawings. From the comfort of an indoor winter studio, participants will be guided through a range of approaches for drawing landscape from observation, such as: composing a drawing, understanding perspective, creating scale and expressing a sense of atmosphere. You will be able to experiment with different wet and dry drawing materials whilst taking inspiration from the work of historical and contemporary landscape artists, spanning both Western and Eastern traditions. There will also be an opportunity to work imaginatively and explore techniques for populating scenes with narrative and nature, in the tradition of Chinese scroll painting.

Materials / what to bring: All materials required for the workshop will be provided, however participants are welcome to bring anything they like drawing with, including watercolour paints.

This workshop is suitable for adults aged 16 and over, including beginner to experienced artists as well as nature lovers interested in drawing as a means to engage with the environment and see nature in a new way.

This workshop is supported by the Creative Scotland Visual Artist & Craft Makers Award, delivered by East Lothian Council.

Chris Wallbank

Chris Wallbank, SWLA, is a painter, drawer and printmaker. His practice explores the experience of landscape and the wild environments where he is most at home working in response to the changing elements and rhythms of nature. Chris’ work is often concerned with ecological themes and he has collaborated with a wide range of conservation projects, such as the long-term monitoring of breeding Guillemot colonies on Skomer Island and the preservation of urban Black Kites in New Delhi. In recognition of this, Chris was awarded the Birdscapes Conservation Through Art Award in 2020. He has exhibited widely, including with the Wellcome Collection, Christies, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club and currently has work on show in The City Arts Centre, Edinburgh as part of the inaugural Scottish Landscape Awards exhibition. Chris has been an art tutor, predominantly with the Royal Drawing School and Prince’s Foundation since 2016 and also works as a marine surveyor and wildlife guide. He often combines knowledge and experience from both these roles to present uniquely taught workshops on drawing wildlife and wild environments.

All images/pictures ©️ Chris Wallbank

Host or Publisher Scottish Seabird Centre