ONLINE SKETChING RETREAT - 01-07 June 2025
Inspired by nature
🌿 A week of creative renewal 🌿
retreat into nature with your sketchbook
Join the Inspired by Nature 🌿 7-day online retreat to reconnect with yourself through mindful sketching and nature observation. Suitable for all skill levels, this journey offers daily guidance to help you slow down and find joy in the natural world.
Here’s what you’ll enjoy:
🎨 Daily Sketching Tutorials: Step-by-step guidance to bring nature into your sketchbook.
📝 Journaling Prompts: Simple daily questions to help you to reconnect with yourself
🧘 Guided Meditations: Optional sessions to to help you to relax and unwind
🤝 Supportive Community: Access to a private Facebook group of like-minded creatives.
And so much more!
Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned sketcher, this guided week-long retreat will help you to relax your mind and connect with both yourself and nature on the page.
Get ready to ‘retreat’ into your sketchbook this June.
Inspired by Nature
About the retreat
There is nothing more relaxing and inspiring than nature. Getting outdoors and slowing down to observe nature in all its glory is one of lifes true gifts. And that’s what this week is all about.
As a keen horticulturalist, fine artist and yoga teacher, I spend nearly all of many own personal sketching practice engaging in mindful sketching of nature (mostly plants and landscapes). I love to switch off in green spaces and want to bring you with me on a journey of relaxation and mindfulness over the course of a week.
In this online retreat I am bringing together my three-stage teaching methodology that will show you how to observe nature, understand it and then express yourself in your sketchbook.
🌿 Reserve Your Spot for the June 2025 Retreat – Begin Your Nature-Inspired Sketching Journey Today! Register to join the waiting list to be the first to hear about the doors opening.
HOW IT WORKS
Dust off your sketchbook, gather some basic art supplies and join me to observe nature in a relaxing and inspiring week of wellness!
The Inspired by Nature, online sketching retreat brings together like-minded creatives (and beginners) from around the world in a 7-day guided sketching retreat. Each day for 7 days, I’ll send you an email that explains the theme for the day and guides you to get outdoors and observe and sketch nature.
Throughout the week, you'll enjoy tutorials that show you simple ways to engage and sketch nature. You will be given journal prompts, guided relaxations to listen to (optional) And generally supported to really observe nature through simple sketching and drawing methods. This is all about the process of sketching, about stopping to look and be still, before then expressing yourself in your unique way.
This week is a breath of fresh air in a fast-paced world and will help you to learn to slow down, observe and really appreciate the small details in the green spaces around us.
This journey of sketching nature will really help you to look at nature in a new way and understand what really inspires YOU in nature and give you the opportunity to find your own unique style and voice in your sketchbook.
No pressure, just sketching for wellness and enjoyment!
Inspired by Nature
features you'll love
Daily sketching tutorials
Receive a video each day showing you step-by-step how to tackle a simple sketching exercise focussed on plants and nature. These videos are the core content of the retreat and will show you new ways to look at and sketch nature. Suitable for all levels - only basic materials required.
Journalling prompts
For those that like to journal as well as sketch (and those willing to give it a try) each day you will receive a few simple journalling prompts to help you to reflect and reconnect. Simple questions to help you to ease into yourself And unpicking your creative blocks.
3-step methodology
Inspired by Nature takes you through my carefully crafted teaching methodology that will help you to get he most out of your creativity. We flow through three main stages, split across the seven days. Each day has a specific theme (more details below).
Guided relaxations
No retreat would be complete without some guided relaxation. Suitable for everyone, all you have to do is sit or lie down in a comfortable position and hit play whilst I guide you through a compete relaxation. The perfect stress-buster!
Register for the online retreat today
An online sketching retreat
Join me LIVE from 01-07 June for a week of nature sketching.
Register now
Click the button below to join the waiting list for the event today ** and receive a special discount on the early bird fee! **
Prices as Follows:
Early Bird: £45 (02 May - 10 May 2025)
Full Price: £50 (after 10 May 2025)
Inspire Members - 50% discount.
We start on 01 June 2025.
01-07 June 2025
let's get nature sketching
Here's what participants can expect each day:
- Morning: Receive an email with the day's theme and tutorial.
- Daytime: Engage in your sketching and journaling exercises at a time that works for you. You will need around 15 minutes or a little longer if you feel inspired.
- Evening: Optional guided meditation to unwind.
I would love for you to set aside time for YOU and gift yourself the space to really slow down and savour this experience.
This online sketching retreat is suitable for everyone, whether you have never picked up a pencil before or are a seasoned pro.
Enjoy some time just for you
Relax - Sketch - Reflect
Take time out
One of the most important parts of this online retreats is committing to take time out just for you. Time to retreat from your everyday routine) if only for just 30 mins per day), time to reflect and time to allow your mind to wander.
Understand nature
Through this 7 step journey into nature sketching you will spend time looking and understanding nature. Observation is one of the most important parts of a sketching and drawing practice and we will spend quality time each day looking at nature and all its beauty.
Personal growth
No creative practice is complete without taking time out to reflect and understand what floats your boat. What is it that really inspires you? We are all unique and throughout the week you will get to understand yourself and your sketchbook better.
No pressure
Although this retreat is structured over 7 days, there is no pressure to stay on track. You can take this retreat at your own pace, savouring and lingering on each step as long as you need. Recommended times are just a guide. Finishing is optional!
"Words cannot express how much I have enjoyed this and how it has made me find time each day for myself.”
About your host
Hello, I’m Susan
Hi, I’m Susan, an artist and author.
My current body of work is an expression of my love of plants, botanical knowledge and connection to nature.
I’m founder of the popular 30-Day Sketchbook Challenge, now in its 10th year and engaging a global audience. I‘m also an author of 6 creative titles, her most recent book Sketchbook Challenge: 100 Prompts for Daily Drawing, was featured on HobbyMaker TV.
I am an educator producing monthly creative content for Inspire members, delivering sketching workshops and retreats, a growing library of online courses and a successful creative YouTube channel.
My teaching methodology enables time for personal growth, mindfulness and connection, evident in my online membership community where Inspire members explore and support each other’s creativity, whilst embracing the programme as a focus for wellness.
I can’t wait to welcome you into this online sketching retreat.
So what exactly is an Online Retreat?
An online retreat is the opportunity to spend some time relaxing and creating in the comfort of your own home. No need to travel anywhere - the retreat comes to you (although this also works if you are away form home!)
Each day you will take part in a selection of relaxing activities, just say ou would find on a sketching retreat in person with me. From sketching exercises to journalling prints and guided relaxations - ot’s all designed to hel you enjoy the process of sketching nature for your own wellness and mental health.
This is perfect if you are:
- tired and burnt out
- looking for inspiration in your sketchbook again
- feeling creatively stuck
- need some well-deserved time for yourself
- just love drawing nature and plants!
All in all, the retreat will help you to feel relaxed and calm again, with a new-found love of sketching nature in your own way!
what do we get up to?
What happens on the 7 days
Across the 7 days of this online sketching retreat we work through a carefully crafted journey into nature sketching. From this implest of free sketching and observation exercises on day to to more expressive work on the final day, this really is a transformative experience not to miss (and only happens once per year!)
Day 1, Sanctuary
For the first step we look to making your sketchbook a sanctuary and work on grounding exercises to make you feel safe and secure in yourself and your art practice. A day to be kind and gentle to yourself.
Day 2, joy
Step two is all about finding the joy in creativity and nature. A day to observe and get creative with fun, joy filled exercises, really embracing creative play and simple techniques.
Day 3, Gather
Step three is part of the move into understanding our subject matter. We will focus on listening to your gut instict when you create and carry out some confidence boosting sketching exercises.
Day 4, Nurture
Step four is about both nurturing yourself and nurturing the green stuff we see. We work on compassion and kindness towards yourself and really look at how to slow down and savour our art.
Day 5, expression
In step five we move into ways that you can express yourself on the page. Communication of what you see and understand is a fundamental part of any art practice.
day 6, imagination
In day 6 we look towards our imagination and intuition. Sketching is not always about drawing exactly what we see in a realistic way.
Day 7, awareness
And on our final day we reflect back on the week-long retreat. We bring the journey to a close with another lovely sketching exercise that helps you to articulate your own preferences.
The first annual
’Inspired by Nature’ retreat starts on 01 June 2025
7 steps to reconnecting with yourself and your creativity through observing and understanding the beauty of plants and nature.
Plant trees with me!
In 2025, one tree is planted for every person that joins Inspired by Nature. I am donating to the climate change charity Ecologi to plant trees in a responsible way. Hopefully together as part of the challenge we can make a difference to our planet.
Note: The donation / tree planting happens automatically on sign up.
FAQ
pricing and access
The retreat costs £50 for a full price ticket.
The army bird price is £45 (valid from 01-07 May 2025.
Inspire members receive a 50% discount.
The early bird pricing for the one-off purchase ends at 8pm on 10th May 2025. After that the price increases to the full registration fee of £50.
Inspire members receive a 50% discount (code will be sent via email to all members).
Absolutely, this online sketching retreat is open to everyone and a really welcoming place for beginners. It might seem a little intimidating at first, but we are all here to guide you through your first 7 days of sketching (and beyond!) with advice, positive comments, helpful tips and some handy ways to relax into your sketchbook, with no pressure.
Yes! You can access the learning portal that hosts the videos on a PC or Mac - in fact we recommend viewing the videos on a bigger screen. This is the same portal (Podia) that hosts all of my online courses as well as my sketching membership Inspire - so everything is in one place.
For this week-long retreat I would recommend:
- A sketchbook for sketchign and notetaking
- A pencil
- A rubber and pencil sharpener
- Some coloured pencils
- A fine liner pen
- Some paints (watercolour or acrylic)
- Scissors
- A brush pen or marker pen (optional)
It can be helpful to use whatever materials you already have in your stash. It is not essential to have any specific brands of pencils, pens and paints and I would love for you to ease into the retreat by using materials you love and enjoy.
Troubleshooting
Inspired by Nature opens for registration on 02 May 2025. As soon as the course is live, please register on this page to access everything. Once you have registered you will start receiving emails from me. Then login using the credentials you used to sign up in the course platform here: https://courses.susanyeates.co.uk/login and everything will be there and waiting for you...
Other
The Inspire Membership is an online sketching community that I run throughout the year. This wonderful group has been running for over 4 years now and for many it has been the natural progression from the 30-Day Sketchbook Challenge. We work with monthly themes to pace the year out to be sustainable and enjoyable, accompanied by new tutorials each month and a live sketching session. The 30-Day Sketchbook Challenge is included for all Inspire members and makes up the January content of the membership. Find out more here.
The daily sketching tutorials are pre-recorded videos, to make sure that the tuition and editing is of the best quality to share via email and the learning portal. They will be released at a rate of one per day and then stay available in the learning portal for you to enjoy again and again after the event has ended.
You can contact me via email learn@susanyeates.co.uk with any questions! I will be happy to assist you. Please expect a response within 24-48 hours during weekdays. I do not work weekends. I am unable to respond to DMs on Instagram and Facebook for any queries. Please do email.