Recently, we welcomed artist and illustrator Tessa Lyons to The Epicentre in Ambleside for Fells in Charcoal, a creative charcoal drawing workshop in collaboration with Arc’teryx, taking inspiration from the fells right on our doorstep.
The sessions began with teas and coffees on arrival, before everyone got warmed up with a little music and some simple drawing exercises to loosen the wrists and get the creativity flowing. With a mix of music genres setting the pace, it was a relaxed start to the afternoon and a chance to settle in.
Tessa then took everyone through her approach to charcoal drawing, sharing an insight into how she builds up her illustrations through layers, explores different textures and gradually brings each piece to life. It was a great opportunity to learn from her experience and pick up a few new techniques along the way.
With a selection of photographs of the Lake District to choose from, guests then got stuck into creating their own interpretations of the surrounding landscape. Using the techniques Tessa had demonstrated, everyone had the chance to experiment with charcoal, playing with light, shade and texture to capture the character of the fells. No previous drawing experience was needed, and that was very much part of the fun. By the end of the sessions, there were some brilliant pieces taking shape, with plenty of people pleasantly surprised by what they'd managed to create.
The workshops finished with an opportunity to spend some time exploring the Arc’teryx collection in store, bringing a great afternoon of creativity and the outdoors together.
A big thank you to Tessa Lyons, Arc’teryx and everyone who joined us at The Epicentre. We loved seeing everyone's take on the fells and sharing a creative day here in Ambleside.
Want to see a little more of how the day unfolded? Take a look at our reel below for a glimpse of the workshops, the drawing process and some of the finished pieces.
