TEN professional artists will be encouraging people to pick up a pencil when The Big Draw comes to Tavistock next month.

Based at three venues in the town on October 2, the Big Draw is part of the Campaign for Drawing and is aimed at bringing the pleasure of drawing to everyone ? free of charge.

Wildlife artist and potter Jennie Hale of Coryton has brought the artists together and her environmental art project ?Workshop Under the Sky? is organising all of these venues.

A yurt, a kind of tent, will be put up in Bedford Square, where wonderful bug specimens will be supplied for people to draw.

A special stall is being set up in the pannier market where artists will be encouraging people to capture the colour and vitality of the market in drawings.

Other artists will be based at one of the town?s ancient ruins dating back to medieval times ? Betsy Grimbal?s Tower ? with some fascinating drawings sure to come out of the interesting architecture.

?This will be a brilliant opportunity for people to learn techniques from professional artists,? said Jennie. ?They won?t have to pay a penny ? all the materials are being provided. I hope people will discover how much fun it is to pick up a pencil and draw.?