The Art of Beasts: Life Drawing Class at the Cauldron Edinburgh

Megan Amato checks out a life drawing class at the Cauldron, Edinburgh.

Edinburgh’s festivals may bring a host of exciting and novel acts, and while the Cauldron Pub has never needed an excuse to introduce intriguing and magical entertainment, they have upped the ante with enough month-long worth to fill your wizard boots.

One alluring option is the Art of Beasts mythical life drawing class that has patron’s sketching the human body in not so human make-up. In the Cauldron’s dark and atmospheric basement bar, we were greeted with a glass of prosecco and introduced to the buff dragon and cheeky fawn we would be drawing. 

We were each given several sheets of paper, a pencil, and of course, a wizard’s robe and wand to start the process. Our fantastical models posed for two minutes at first as we warmed up our granite and got used to quickly sketching the diverse shapes of their bodies.  

As the time limit increased, so did my awe in how well the models maintained their still poses in different and dynamic positions. With more time also came more detail. 

Moving on from quick sketches, we were briefly taught ways to get those tricky proportions right. Though I will never be able to draw a hand that looks remotely human, I enjoyed adding detail to my sketch to make up for my lack of skill in drawing the human form.

Overall, it was a delightful and relaxed evening with delicious cocktails and even though we were given helpful tips and tricks by artist Katrin Blackwater to better utilise our pencils and paper, we were never made to feel we were doing the wrong thing. 

If you haven’t done life drawing before, the Art of Beasts is a good place to start. It’s a safe and comfortable place you can go to learn and do something outside your comfort zone. If you have done a bit of life drawing, the class offers a creative alternative with a boozy twist.

If you wish to try out some mythical life drawing, the Cauldron has one more class on 23 August.

Tickets cost £45 per person and include basic art supplies, as well as one glass of Prosecco, a Bubbling Shot of Death, and a Magic Wand poured Creature Head Cocktail.

Read more on Scottish Field’s News pages. 

Plus, don’t miss the September issue of Scottish Field magazine.