10am to 12noon on Saturday, 16th January 2027
£50 per person. All materials provided. No experience needed at all.
This class is suitable for adults.
We are a nation of pet lovers so you won't be surprised to hear that having run this class in the Autumn, it was one of our fastest selling classes of all time! For early 2027 it's back by popular demand.
You are cordially invited to join award-winning artist Mel Cairns for a fun, fast-and-loose ink illustration workshop where you’ll learn how to draw your pet!
In this 2-hour workshop, Mel will guide you through simple layout, proportions and inky techniques, making this session ideal for complete beginners as well as confident doodlers keen to try a new style or medium.
In a relaxed, informal setting you’ll experiment with expressive line, mark-making and detail, and you’ll leave with a finished illustration, mounted and bagged, ready for a 10" x 12" frame. No experience needed and all materials are provided – just bring your curiosity and be ready to play with ink.
Mel will generously share her way of drawing, including planning, technique & tips for illustrating your very own pet. Mel will show you how to study your reference photo, sketch an accurate outline in pencil & add your pet’s unique features. You’ll then ink your outline, add colour and finally be ready to mount your very own illustration ready for a 10” x 12” frame. Surely this would make a really personal pressie for a loved one as the festive season approaches?
Mel will provide you with A4 art paper, pencils, a rubber, brush pens, marker pens, the mount, backing board & a clear presentation cover but we will need you to bring a printed out A5 photo of your chosen pet (that bit we really can’t do for you!). Please note you are welcome to bring a print out A5 photo of a different animal if you don’t have a pet!
Mel’s award winning art has been sold through galleries, art exhibitions and fairs in Buckinghamshire and her commissioned work is in collections all around the world, so we are in the hands of someone admired by pet lovers globally.
At Where Inspiration Blooms, we’re big fans of delicious cake! In this class, you can enjoy a choice of traditional and herbal teas from Chesham-based tea connoisseurs, Two Spoons, as well as both caffeinated and decaf coffee. We have dairy and non-dairy milks to suit every preference, and our homemade cakes are always sourced from good local bakers. We also make sure those who need gluten-free options aren’t left out, with carefully selected treats that are safe from cross-contamination — a top tip we’ve taken from Jules’ niece who is coeliac! If you have any allergies, please do let us know when you book so we can make sure everyone has a wonderful and worry-free treat.
If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me — I’m always happy to help. You can reach me at Jules@whereinspirationblooms.co.uk.
Thank you so much for booking one of our workshops. I’m really looking forward to welcoming you, and I hope your class will be a space where your inspiration can truly bloom 😉
Please note that we will only be able to run this class/course if we have a minimum of 5 guests. All of our teachers are highly skilled in their fields, but being an artist isn't always a well paid profession so we hope you understand why it's important that we ensure that our teachers can afford to run each of their classes. Should the class not be able to go ahead we will contact you no less than 2 weeks before it is due to start and we will of course, offer you a full refund.
