Wild Life Drawing Online: Okapis

April Fools! Or is it...? Well, no actually it's the Okapi. Shrouded in myth and legend, dubbed the African unicorn or forest giraffe, this shy and elusive animal was believed to be made up until 1901. Admittedly, Okapis do look as though they've been imagined, with their giraffe-like frame, striped zebra legs and long, purple, prehensile tongues. But in fact, they are alive, endangered and living in the dense rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

We will be celebrating Okapis in all their curious glory with a relaxing, thought provoking drawing class. We are delighted to be joined by Dr Simon Pooley, Program Director MSc in Environment and Sustainability at Birkbeck University, a leading voice in Human-Wildlife Coexistence and author of Discovering the Okapi: Western Science, Indigenous Knowledge, and the Search for a Rainforest Enigma. Simon's own journey to discovering the okapi is an unusual one, a redemptive project which began with crocodiles and involves a brush with dengue fever and unopened postcards from family members long gone. I'll leave Simon to fill in the gaps at the class, but it's a great story. Simon will also be sharing some of his thoughts from the book, on how art can both influence the making of scientific knowledge, and educate and excite the wider public about those findings.

The class will be hosted by artist and nature lover Jennie Webber, who will begin with a nose-to-tail run through of okapi anatomy followed by a step-by-step guided demo from high quality reference images, meaning you can relax and enjoy learning as we draw. Jennie will have top tips on how to capture their unusual coats and tremendous tongues, to make sure your artwork comes out looking fact not fiction. The class is open to all ages and abilities – especially beginners – so whether you haven’t drawn since school or you draw daily, you’ll get plenty of joy out of the session.

All you’ll need to take part is some paper, a pencil, a sharpener and a rubber, but feel free to experiment with other materials if you’re feeling adventurous. We’ll email you an event link along with instructions, material options and reference images ahead of time. And as with all our online sessions, you’ll receive a recording of the class afterwards so you can watch it back whenever as many times as you like.

50% of profits will be donated to the Okapi Conservation Project.