Life Drawing Stag Do

A life drawing stag do is a hen do classic hijacked by the lads, and that’s exactly why it’s funny. A professional artist hosts the session, a professional life model poses, and your group sits round with sketchpads and a drink trying to draw something that looks vaguely human. Nobody will be any good. That’s half the fun.

The host walks you through the basics, sets timed poses and keeps things moving, so even the lad who hasn’t held a pencil since his GCSEs gets something down on paper. By the end you’ll have a pile of drawings ranging from “actually not bad” to “please never show my mum”.

Life drawing is far more often booked for hen dos, so a group of lads turning up and taking it seriously is a big part of the joke. It’s relaxed and sociable, and it makes a great story when people ask what you did on the stag.

The twist I like best is getting the stag involved. Depending on the provider, he might end up as the subject himself (decently covered, thankfully), or the host can give every drawing his face. Either way he goes home with a portfolio of his mates’ worst artwork, and the bride gets a keepsake she definitely didn’t ask for.

It suits a mixed group, too. The quieter lads who’d swerve a nightclub will happily sit down with a drink and a pencil, and the loud ones get to critique everyone else’s efforts.

• Respect the model. They’re a professional doing a job. The banter is for the stag and each other’s drawings, never the model. The host sets the tone, so follow it.
• Drinks, in moderation. A drink is part of the fun and plenty of sessions include one. Keep it at a level where everyone can still hold a pencil and behave.
• Phones away. Assume photos of the model are off limits unless the host says otherwise. Take pictures of the drawings instead. They’re funnier anyway.
• Know the format. Some providers come to your accommodation, others host at a venue. Ask how long it runs, what materials are supplied and if drinks are included.
• Agree the plan for the stag. Talk to the provider about what’s on offer and pick something that suits the group and the stag’s sense of humour. Embarrassed is good. Mortified is too far.

Life drawing works best as a warm-up to an evening out. Have it at the house or in a private room early in the evening, then head out for dinner and drinks with the artwork under your arm. For more evening ideas, try a cocktail making class, a comedy night or a proper pub crawl.

A big house weekend somewhere like Brighton is a good fit, as you can host the session yourselves before hitting the town. If you want the whole thing planned for you, our concierge service can help.