This month sees the start of six sketchbook challenges in both Leisure Painter and The Artist.

A new subject will be set each month, along with top tips to help you complete the challenge, by David Bellamy in Leisure Painter and Adebanji Alade in The Artist.

Yellow Backed Widow Bird, sketch by David Bellamy

Each month we will send the winning artist in the Leisure Painter competition a Caran d’Ache sketching pack worth £50(rrp), comprising 12 water-soluble coloured pencils and a book to illustrate and four graphite pencils with sharpener, from Jakar.

The Artist winners will receive £50 worth of art materials vouchers to spend at www.greatart.co.uk, through the GreatArt catalogue or at GreatArt’s shop at Kingsland Road, London E2.

Make sure you are logged in and visit the competitions page to find out more.

Below is Whistler Statue, Chelsea Embankment by Adebanji Alade