Wild Life Drawing Recording: 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.

Back in April we celebrated Okapis in all their curious glory with a relaxing, thought provoking drawing class. We were 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. Simon fills in the gaps in this story throughout the class, so you can listen while you draw, and it's a great story. Simon also shares 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 recording begins with an introduction from artist and nature lover Jennie Webber, covering 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 shares top tips on how to capture their unusual coats and tremendous tongues, to make sure your artwork comes out looking fact not fiction. 

The recording of this class is open to all abilities so whether you haven’t drawn since school or you draw on the daily, 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 feel free to get creative! 

After purchasing this recording you will receive instructions, the reference images and the video of the full class that you can watch it back as many times as you like.

25% from this recording sale will be donated to the Okapi Conservation Project.