pronounced "Kōsha”
I’m an artist and creative entrepreneur living in the Netherlands. I love drawing and I do it every day. On this website, I hope to inspire you to develop a drawing practice too, because it can make you feel good.
Photo by Rick Keus
Today, treat yourself.
I love going for a walk, then order a good cup of coffee in a cafe, and: sketch. If you can create these little moments that are real treats for you, then you are allowing yourself to recharge, in a meditative and active way - then go on with the rest of your day. You will feel so much better and different!
It’s a challenge to capture people and their characteristics. To choose the right subject and capture them quickly while they pass by, or are in conversation. To make them part of your Urban sketches without being afraid you’ll mess up your drawing. Together, we can develop your creative courage and make capturing people in your sketchbook a fun and playful experience!
Today I'm showing you another sketchbook that I filled on vacation in December.
You'll see that I have been playing a lot with limited palettes. Sometimes just two colors is more than enough to capture the essence of a moment or a place. You don't need to be that literal.
Hopefully by watching this tour, you'll get some ideas about how to fill your travel sketchbook pages when you're on a trip.
Did you know that you can use non-soluble wax crayons for glistening water? Apply a bit of texture with crayon first, and then add watercolor on top.
The wax will resist the watercolor and it’ll create a wonderful effect of highlights.
My small-group art retreat “Drawing In The Wild” takes place in Germany, May 27-30, when fresh leaves are growing and things start blooming again. It still feels a long time away, but in case you're interested: start planning now. Just yesterday, I received a call from Robin, our host, that three of the most popular tickets opened up!
In today's video, I'm sharing memories from my December vacation through sketches in my travel sketchbook. It's a Hahnemühle Nostalgie sketchbook, size A6. It's compact and perfect for on-the-go creativity and urban sketching, but I also learned some valuable lessons about size limitations.
In today's video, I'm super excited because I'm meeting up with my friend Annemieke Rodenburg in Rotterdam.
Annemieke is an illustrator, and sketcher, but she's also a creative powerhouse and entrepreneur. Recently, she returned from an epic three-month motorcycle adventure in the stunning landscapes of Scotland.
We'll dive into her Scotland sketchbooks, and she's even going to pull a valuable tip from them, to share with us.
Dive into the creative fusion of urban sketching and collage in today's video!
Last week, I prepped a double-page with a composition of collage pieces. I went to the park and drew my view there on top of the collage.
Trusting the process is key, but remember, it's all about being playful and having fun!
Curious about merging collage and drawing? During a workshop I took from @marinka71, I learned tricks on composition, color and shape. Today, I'm excited to show you my process!
Welcome to Draw Tip Tuesday!
In today’s video, watch me prep a collage page with pieces from Italy, France, Portugal, and Malta. Selecting, arranging, and gluing down - it's all about color and texture!
For collage pieces, you can use anything - printed paper, a brown bag, tissue paper. If you have a glue stick, you can do this!
I'll be back in a couple of weeks with new ideas and inspiration for you. I am very committed to keep helping you to sustain your creative habit, to keep developing as an artist.
Drawing can bring so much joy in your life so I will keep motivating to do it regularly.
Edinburgh is a bucket-list destination. I’ve never been to Scotland and I can’t wait to sketch in the streets of picturesque Edinburgh, and to explore historic sites and castles. The best part is that I get to do it with a bunch of inspiring artists who are eager to learn! Will you join me?
I am back at it with my Urban Sketching vibes from last week! I felt like my artwork needed a little extra flair, so I grabbed my colored pencils, which I love using on top of dried watercolor washes.
Much fun with markmaking and textures, to deepen the color and give more life to the drawing.
I'll also talk about letting go of "accuracy" , which means more room for "you" in your art.
People are all around us, so when you include them in your drawings, you are adding life to your sketchbook, and you are telling a stronger story, as the viewer can relate even more to what they see. You might hesitate to add the people that you see when drawing a scene in your sketchbook–they move so fast! When you try to add passers by in your drawing, they are already gone before you hardly even started. I will help you tackle that problem and overcome the ‘fear’ of drawing people.
Welcome to Draw Tip Tuesday!
In today's video, I am drawing a medieval city wall gate in Amersfoort.
You'll see me take decisions, add shadows, contrast, and a splash of color.
Dive into today's Sketchbook Tour!
I'll flip through the pages filled during my workshop trips to Paris, France, and Malta, with a glimpse of home in the Netherlands.
You'll feel the buzz of a busy workshop season as you'll see demo drawings that give you an idea of my teaching experiences.
When it comes to the creative process, there is no right or wrong. You can’t know on beforehand if the decisions you make will be the right ones. You’ll feel insecure at times, but excitement as well. You need to trust your intuition, be courageous but most of all playful.
Join me as I flip through my sketchbook filled with stories from my recent travels as well as back home. From the Swiss Alps to the vibrant streets of Lisbon, each drawing has a unique story and memory. Today I'll share the inspiration behind the drawings, things I learned, and approaches I took.
This week's Draw Tip Tuesday video looks a bit different than usual and I think you'll like it.
Today I am meeting my friend Sabine Wisman, who is a creative creature and very inspiring. She'll give us a valuable Draw Tip!
In today’s video, I've got something really special to share with you. I'll take you on a little journey through my trusty sketchbook. Looking at the pages brings me right back to an awesome week of drawing, collage, creativity and urban sketching in Italy.
In today's video on YouTube, I am sharing my experience with using a smaller sketchbook, even though I'm more of a big sketchbook fan. At first, it felt a bit weird, but then I started to enjoy the challenges it threw my way. It's a switch from my habit of drawing in a big sketchbook - which I started doing to learn to be bolder in my art.
And you know what? I've grown to like the little sketchbook's practical perks.
