The Fantasy Fieldbook: Sketching Fantasy from Life
Explore the beautiful grounds and buildings of Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, and discover how museums, gardens, farms and homes can inspire fantasy worldbuilding. Together, we’ll explore how to:
Use drawing activities and prompts with our surroundings to generate new ideas for fantasy worlds, characters and stories.
Record ideas and drawings in sketchbooks, and learn how other creatives, animators and concept artists use sketchbooks.
Location: Gressenhall Farm & Workhouse, Beetley Meadows, Beetley, Dereham NR20 4DR
Google Maps link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/G9mJWQ1gQCxr4oom8
Dates and times:
Tuesday 17 June, 10:30am - 1pm
Tuesday 24 June, 10:30am - 1pm
Tuesday 1 July, 10:30am - 1pm
You can also explore Gressenhall for free after the workshop has ended, until 3pm.
Who’s it For
Anyone aged 18 and over who is interested in imagining and drawing fantasy creatures, environments and stories.
The workshops will be tailored to beginners and those new to drawing and fantasy worldbuilding, but adventurers with all skill levels and experiences are welcome to join.
We especially welcome introverted and neurodivergent explorers, and anyone who is usually unable to afford creative activities.
The workshops at Gressenhall will include walking or travelling round the site, using gravel paths and uneven surfaces, and there’s a rough, sloped track to the farm. We will also be drawing outside, if the weather is nice enough. We have more accessible workshops in this series later in the year.
What’s included
All materials and resources are included, but you’re welcome to bring your favourite drawing equipment if you’d like to.
We’ll also provide teas, coffees, water and some snacks, but you’re more than welcome to bring your own. If you have any allergies or dietary requirements please include them in the sign-up form.
There is also café on site, which is open 10am-4:30pm, and they serve hot food until 2:30pm.
Travel Bursaries
If you’re unable to afford the travel to and from the workshops, we may be able to cover the costs. We have a total of £200 to support participants’ travel for this three-week workshop series.
This can include train and bus tickets, taxi fares, petrol costs or other costs from travelling to and from the workshops.
If you’d miss out on this workshop without financial support for travel, please complete the ‘travel bursary’ section of the sign-up form and we’ll be in touch.
Please note, if we cover your travel for the workshops, we’ll pay you back for the cost once you’ve sent us a receipt, and we’ll make sure to do this as soon as possible after we receive your receipt. You can email your receipt or give it to us at the workshop. We can pay you back via a bank transfer or PayPal.
Facilities
There is a free car park on site.
There are individual, gender-neutral toilet cubicles throughout the venue, including at the welcome area, where we’ll meet for the workshops, and in the same building as the workshop space.
There are accessible toilets in the welcome area, cafe, workhouse building and on the farm.
Access
View all of Gressenhall’s access information here: https://www.gressenhall.norfolk.gov.uk/article/30619/Access-facilities-at-Gressenhall-Farm-and-Workhouse
If you have any requirements we’ll work hard to meet them. Before booking, please get in touch with anything you would need to access this course, and we’ll try our best to put things in place for you to feel safe, supported and comfortable.
Please email: greetings@waywardadventurers.co.uk or Phone: 07774080378 with any access questions and requirements.
About the Workshop Hosts
Jaz (she/her)
I created the Wayward Adventurers Guild back in September 2020 to share the joy and excitement of making new fantasy worlds.
I've taught art, design and photography for over ten years in schools, universities, and independently. I've worked with children in care, those with special educational needs and children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
I love worldbuilding, but a lot of the time I find it overwhelming and intimidating. I'm terrible at in-depth Dungeons and Dragons campaigns and shy away from rule-heavy games for fear of getting it wrong, which is very common for me. I wanted to create a space for people to dabble in worldbuilding without rules and to find their way of doing it.
Ben (he/him)
I’ve played Dungeons and Dragons and larped for over ten years, and my background is in Gymnastics coaching. I now support workshops, build our event set-ups and support the day-to-day running of a small business.
It can be hard to find time to fully commit to big larps or complex tabletop games, and so we’re hoping our workshops will be more manageable and less pressured.