Name: Urban Sketching in France with Ian Fennelly 2026
Start: 2026-09-07T09:30:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-11T17:00:00+02:00
Location: Sète

Welcome!

I'm a self-taught British artist with many years experience teaching adults sketching, drawing and painting skills and techniques. If you think about it, almost every artist is self-taught at some level. Creating art is a very personal journey as we give ourselves permission to express our ideas and push past our fears to experiment and learn. The challenges and opportunities are never-ending - that's just one of the reasons I find it so exciting!

It was a dream of mine to move to the south of France and pursue a more artistic life. As fate would have it, I could and I did.

That was in 2008 and most of the events listed in this website take place in the Languedoc region where I now live, and where I am also a regular Urban Sketcher.

I believe everyone was born to be creative. In our busy modern lives it's easy to forget the sense of well-being that comes from doodling, painting and creating something utterly unique.

It's even more fun to share your artistic journey with people that feel just like you. My teaching style is relaxed but intense! Whether you're a beginner or more confident sketcher I personalise every workshop to the experience of those taking part. No two workshops are ever the same and you can see some of the student feedback on Facebook or elsewhere on this website. There is a genuine feel-good factor and sense of community in all that we do!

Here you will find details for my online tutorials, art workshops and sketching holidays in the UK and France. These are for anyone who wants to learn, develop or improve their drawing, painting and observational skills. Informal and delivered with plenty of humour, these workshops invite you to face your fear of imperfection, embrace the unknown, experiment with different techniques and materials, connect with a new community and find your own unique artistic style.

Thank you for visiting this website. Like many creations it is a permanent 'work in progress' ....

I look forward to meeting you!

The workshops listed here are informal and fun. Most are ideal for beginners and for anyone lacking confidence to sketch (if you think you can't draw think again...!)

In these workshops you'll learn many basic skills and a range of techniques - and before long you'll have the confidence to sketch wherever and whenever you please.

I prefer to sketch on location, inside or outside - and discovering new places through the eyes of a sketcher means you'll see the world in a whole new light.

Each class is carefully designed according to the location and participants in the group, and can be taught in English and/or French. No class is ever the same!

If you have any questions or would like to know more, please just send me an email!

I just thought I would write to tell you how much I enjoyed that wonderful few days with Ian in Montpellier. I need hardly tell you that I have been on many art courses and holidays, and I have no hesitation in saying that that was clearly one of the most enjoyable. Let me pay particular tribute to the way in which you quietly and discreetly organised everything. I don’t remember any single thing going wrong. You may well be a born artist: you’re certainly a born manager.

Brian S. - September 2022

I thoroughly recommend Annette’s informal courses. Great for beginners like me. I took art at school but that’s where it stopped. Thanks for the encouragement Annette

Kate S. - October 2019

This was a great workshop by one of my favourite watercolour artists. The pace was fast (although I do appreciate the time restraints) and I was able to follow along for most of it and then complete any finishing touches afterwards. The PDF was a welcome addition as a step by step guide too.

Etchr Mini-Workshop - November 2021

Still buzzing nearly a week after Springtime in Paris with Annette. Excelled all my expectations and if you want Paris to get into your soul, and not just be a tourist, this is the way to do it! It’s exciting, exhilarating and enlightening and I recommend a good pair of comfy shoes along with a good quality sketchbook. Annette is not just an accomplished artist, she is an encouraging teacher who also happens to be the best tour guide, bus planner, café connoisseur, reserver of restaurants and much much more! You will never look at Paris in the same way and as a bonus you will meet a special band of brothers. You’ll come home with an extraordinary sketchbook souvenir.

Gillian A. - May 2023

I recently joined Annette’s sketching weekend in Carcassonne. I go sketching every now and then but I’ve always felt a little bit uneasy with watercolour, despite how much I like it. Annette met me where I was at and tailored her guidance and choice of subjects based on what I was keen to experiment with. I got to try many different ways of approaching a watercolour painting, some of which I wasn’t even aware of! Thanks to her excellent guidance, actionable tips, and infectious love for bold colours, I can’t wait to get out there sketching again (with watercolour, of course!). Sketching locations in Carcassonne are excellent, ranging from medieval structures to cute cafes and restaurants. Annette is a lovely human whose passion for sketching and for sharing her craft is truly inspiring. I look forward to joining another one of her workshops in the hopefully not-too-distant future!

Francesca G ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - May 2025