Coffee Break Cats

A Complete coloured pencil course for absolute beginners

From doodles on your coffee break to a full colour, full realism piece. On your timescale.

Have you ever looked at a drawing of a cat and thought: I wish I could do that.

The light catching the eyes makes it feel so real. But crikey! All that fur.

You've thought about picking up coloured pencils for a while now. Maybe there's a set somewhere in a drawer. Maybe you were gifted a set last Christmas. You used to draw as a child, or you've watched someone create something beautiful and quietly wondered whether you could ever do that too.

But getting from where you are to a finished cat portrait? That feels impossible. You wouldn't know where to start. You'd need expensive materials. You'd need to be talented.

Coffee Break Cats is a different way in.

This course starts with three pencils and a sketchbook. It builds feature by feature — nose, eye, ear, fur, whiskers — in short sessions designed to fit into real life. Think ten to 45 mins with a cuppa. Something you can pick up and put down, but a sequence that you can follow.. Every key feature is taught twice: a short demo to learn the basics and, when you feel ready, a full-colour version to apply what you've practised. By the end, you'll have drawn a full cat portrait.

You won't just have drawn one cat. You'll have learned the foundations that work on any cat, transfer to different animals and you’ll have started your coloured pencil journey.

Get Early Access

Early Access Pricing

I'm building this course over the coming weeks. Rather than wait until everything's polished and finished, I'm opening early access now — for anyone who'd rather come along while I'm recording it than wait until it's done.

£20 until 30 June 2026.
I’ll then close to new subscribers and reopen at a substantially higher price.

My promise to you: Early-access buyers keep their access to all future updates and refinements as the course develops.

The first sessions are available now. New content arrives as I record it — usually within a week or two of each release. I can't promise exact dates for everything, but I'll keep you updated as the course builds out.

What You’ll Experience:

1. Four Live Sessions

Four focused Zoom sessions, moving from detailed bluebells to full woodland scenes. Each 90-minute session builds your skills progressively.
Can't make it live? Full recordings available within 24 hours and you’ll get the same personalised support.
2. Course Hub

Your central space for all workshop materials. Access reference photos, a materials guide, and session recordings. Track your progress, revisit techniques, and work at your own pace. Everything you need, organised and ready when you are. The hub remains available indefinitely, so you can revisit materials anytime.
3. Support Package

Daily presence in our private discussion space, optional office hours, and personalised feedback.
Genuine support, not just a recording library.

tell me more

My Approach to Teaching Art

Hello! I’m Amii. A busy mum and coloured pencil artist.

As an award-winning coloured pencil artist and experienced educator, I've learned that people actually get better at drawing when they feel genuinely supported.

So that's what I try to provide. Space to develop your own style, not just copy mine. Techniques explained more than one way. Room to experiment without fear of doing it wrong. Support that continues after the last session. And permission to slow down.

Reserve my place

Yes. The course is designed for absolute beginners. We start with three pencils and a sketchbook, and the first sessions introduce techniques slowly and clearly. In bite-sized chunks. If you've never picked up a coloured pencil, this is the right place to start.
If you're drawn to this workshop, you're ready. I break down complex landscapes into manageable, confidence-building steps. Everyone comes to this at a different stage, and honestly it's far easier to talk through my methods from scratch than make assumptions.
You'll learn not just how to draw bluebells and trees, but how to read a landscape and decide what to do with it. No previous experience necessary, just bring your enthusiasm.
No problem! You'll get full access to all session recordings, reference materials, and the same personalised support.
Our private community and optional office hours mean you can catch up and get guidance whenever it suits you.
For the pencils, I'll be working with Derwent Lightfast throughout. I tested a few options before settling on these for their rich colour and opacity, and they work beautifully for both the close-up bluebell work and the full woodland scene.
That said, use what you have. You'll get a full materials list with alternatives when you sign up, and honestly? It's often useful when a few people in the group are working with different things. We all learn from each other that way.
In terms of colours, for the bluebell sketches in Session 1 you'll want roughly:
A white or near-white for blending, a cream or yellow ochre, a purple-leaning blue, a pale blue, a violet, a magenta, a vibrant green, a muted green and a pale dull green. Most coloured pencil sets will cover these.
For Sessions 2 to 4 we'll add some reddish browns, yellows and neutrals into the mix. If you've got extra greens and blues, bring them along and have a play.
For paper, I'll be on Stonehenge Fine Art White (100% cotton, 250gsm). Again, alternatives in the full list.
If you're not sure whether what you have will work, drop me a message before we start.
Our private discussion space opens when you join, giving you time to prepare and ask initial questions.
After the workshops, you'll have continued access to share progress and get guidance until 17 May 2026.
You’ll also have access to me through office hours where I’ll be online to answer questions provide extra support, but with no pressure to attend live.