Wild Life Drawing Online: Vultures (Live)

Have you ever met a vulture? If yes, lucky you! If not, then you’re in for a treat. Vultures are the species of bird that have surprised us the most. Their reputation would have us believe that they are grotty, grotesque, covered in entrails and, in some cultures, omens of evil. That couldn’t be more wrong. Vultures are inquisitive, intelligent, fiercely loyal and very affectionate, we’ve witnessed some very tender beard preening in the past!

We are so lucky to be collaborating with Gauntlet Birds of Prey for an amazing live online class with three luminous vultures; Maverick the African Hooded, Chumley the White Backed and and Jeff the American Black Vulture. Our host Daisy, along with her dad and brother Jake, are a family of falconers and birds truly run in their blood. Together they run experiences and flying displays at their centre, they raise endangered hatchlings, they rescue birds in need and make frequently trips to Africa to ring and relocate wild vultures, helping to save their plummeting populations. The team have also researched and funded the world’s first and only vulture ambulance, tackling the threats of poacher poisoning.

Vulture fan and artist Jennie Webber will be hosting the class, beginning with an introduction to drawing moving models, and a look at vulture anatomy. The class is open to all abilities so whether you haven’t drawn since school or you draw on the daily, we promise you’ll get loads out of the session. The basic materials you need to take part are some paper, a pencil, a sharpener and a rubber, but if you’d like to experiment with other materials please free to get creative! We will be drawing from life but we'll also provide some reference images which will be emailed to you (along with instructions and the Zoom link) 48 hours before the event is due to start, or in good time if you book your ticket closer to the session. As with all our online classes, we will send out a full recording afterwards so that you can watch it back as many times as you like.

50% profits donated to the Gauntlet Conservation Trust.