I’ve been meaning to go back to life drawing classes since I left uni (so, only like 15 years or so…) but I felt a little daunted at the prospect – I wasn’t sure which classes were good, how serious they’d be, and whether I’d inadvertently see someone I know in the nude.

Enter: Dog Life Drawing – the least intimidating and most accessible and inclusive life drawing I could possibly imagine, and instead of drawing humans – clue’s in the name – you get to draw dogs.

Dog Life Drawing is organised and led by artist Cai from Joyful Design, who also happens to be one of my colleagues at Studio Cotton, and coaches creatives and gives arts funding advice.

As he’s a very nice guy, when I asked if I could come along and try out Dog Life Drawing in return for a backlink, he kindly obliged (here’s a quick overview of backlinks from @studio.cotton on Instagram – if you have a website too, they’re really important).

So here’s how I got on at Dog Life Drawing, featuring some photos of my artworks at home in daylight, as I was far too busy drawing at the event to take many photos.

My evening at Dog Life Drawing

After walking to Stokes Croft in the sleet, I walked into the cosy and bustling KIT FORM in Jamaica Street Studios, where I spotted Cai getting set up, and my friend Joey who brought her dog Wallace along to model.

I made a beeline for them, which was the right choice for many reasons, not least because there was an available seat next to one of the heaters. I always try my best to battle through the anxiety of going to an event where I know almost no-one, but seeing a friendly face amongst the many strangers really put me at ease.

On the night I went, there were 3 dogs (one had sadly dropped out) and about 40 people. The dogs were spaced out around the large room, with seats surrounding them in circles. There are usually about 10 people to each dog.

Cai led us throughout the evening (he’s really experienced in running workshops, so he knows what he’s doing), starting with various timed drawings between 30 seconds and 10 minutes, which were great to get loosened up and into what we were doing, before it was time to all switch seats and find another dog to draw.

The next dog for me was Oscar, and this time we drew with our non-dominant hand, as well as working on a few different drawings at the same time. I loved working with my charcoal pencil for these – it worked great for Oscar’s beautiful freckles.

After that, we had a short break to use the facilities, get another drink, and most importantly, walk around the room for a peek at everyone else’s drawings. I absolutely loved looking at all the different drawing styles going on. Here are a couple I really loved.

The third dog life drawing model for me was Izzy, who did not want to stay still, but that just made the challenge even more fun. We did a continuous line drawing or two, as well as experimenting with simplifying our drawings down as much as possible. After that, I managed a slightly more detailed drawing of Izzy’s face, while she was staring at the bar person, hoping for a treat.

We then moved back to where we started, and did a couple more drawings as the class was winding down.

As I sat scribbling my last scribbles and gently chatting with Joey, I reflected on how much I enjoyed my evening, and how glad I was that I didn’t cancel, even though the sleet was really putting me off leaving the house.

Dog Life Drawing was a really low-pressure, relaxed and creative event, and it didn’t matter at all that I went on my own – most of the time was spent looking at my paper or at dogs, so for an introvert like me, it was perfect, and I’ll definitely go again.

I highly recommend it for a wholesome, mindful activity, and whether you’re on your own, on a date, with a friend or your family, or on a work social, it’s a great excuse to practise drawing and hang out with cute dogs.

Dog Life Drawing in Bristol – the details

If you fancy trying this fun activity, Dog Life Drawing is currently held twice a month in Bristol – one daytime date, and one evening date – and it costs £5-12 (depending on child/adult/concession) for a 2 hour session.

It’s for all skill levels, including children (must be over the age of 12), so you definitely don’t have to be a professional artist. Some paper and materials are provided, but feel free to bring your own along too.

Cai is with you throughout the 2 hours, facilitating guided sketching activities, using different techniques and timed exercises to draw the cutest models around – multiple dogs of all shapes, sizes, and breeds.

Dog Life Drawing is held at KIT FORM in Jamaica Street Studios, which is on the ground floor with step free access, a bar for refreshments, and toilets.

You can book directly through Yuup or Eventbrite.

For more information, upcoming dates, or if you have adorable dog that would make a great life drawing model, head to the Dog Life Drawing page on Cai’s website.