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
Paris Sketchbook is a week-long workshop where you'll fill an entire sketchbook while exploring one of the world's most beautiful cities. You'll learn from three teachers, combining words and images to capture your experience in your own unique style. It's fun, it's deep, and Paris in autumn is just the best!
If you’re ready for something to get you’re creativity going, you’ll love the Sketchbook Revival Challenge!
11 Days filled with 30+ hands-on creativity sessions. This can shift your energy and will get your creativity flowing in new directions.
You’ll be guided by a wonderful group of more than 30 practicing artists, sharing some of their favorite ways to explore their creativity in a sketchbook.
Do you ever catch yourself thinking: there’s noting to draw? Or maybe you have convinced yourself that you’re bad at drawing a certain subject - and then avoid it? These tips will be helpful!
A five minute sketch can be a fantastic creative kickstart. Just a few minutes of drawing can set the tone for your whole day.
By keeping your pen on the paper the whole time, you train your eye to notice angles, relationships, and depth.
You’re no longer relying on traditional perspective rules or drawing what you think you know. Instead, you trust your eyes and draw what you truly see.
I love how a continuous line creates movement and energy. It makes the pages feel more organic and alive.
Let's visit a Parisian street corner using Google Street View.
Today I tackle drawing buildings, people passing by, mixing grey tones, and using some bright color accents. I'll also give you an assignment for a virtual urban sketch in your own sketchbook.
Feeling stressed or restless? Sketching can calm your mind and bring you into the moment. Your sketchbook isn’t just for making art. It's a powerful tool for relaxation and mindfulness. Learn how drawing can help you unwind, even when you think you feel too tired. Give it a try now and thank yourself after.
If you’re curious about trying a different sketchbook format, or experimenting with limited tools, you'll enjoy this sketchbook tour. And I hope you'll try something new too!
Let's flip through the pages I filled: urban sketches of a snowy city, experiments with negative space and foreshortening. Quick café drawings, experiments with water‑soluble ink, brush pen and watercolors. Plus the wonderfully messy process behind some favorite spreads.
There's another live online Mini-Workshop coming up on Tuesday March 10.
We'll gather on Zoom for a 90-minute session of drawing and creativity. I’ll guide you with instructions and an assignment, and by the end, we’ll have a "show & tell" where you can share your work, ask questions, and get inspired by others. Sharing is optional; feel free to keep your drawings to yourself if you prefer!
Set aside this time just for you:
This is your chance to unwind and focus on your art. No special supplies are needed. Just bring your favorite tools and a sketchbook.
If you ever feel stuck and you don't know what to draw, just know that it happens to all of us.
In today's video I show a simple, playful way to get moving again using something you already have with you every day.
A gentle reminder to let go of perfection in your sketchbook. Drawing is about exploration, play, and personal expression, not about “getting it right”. You’re not a camera. Every drawing counts. By loosening your grip and reconnecting with what you want from drawing, your sketchbook can become a place that truly supports you. Come back to your WHY, and you’ll get clarity and inspiration.
Let me show you a loose, playful way to create an expressive sketchbook page, using watersoluble crayons. Different tools change the mood of a drawing completely. Express yourself!
Learn how to create an expressive sketch using just a pen, water, and a few simple choices. In this video I draw a coffee pot and glass with watersoluble ink, showing how line, negative space, shadows, and loose ink washes add depth and atmosphere in a short, relaxed drawing session.
Sketchbook flip through with mixed media experiments, watercolor, water soluble crayons, ink, coffee stains, and collage. I share what worked, what failed, and how drawing in cafés, from TV shows, and with fewer tools helped me loosen up and enjoy the process more.
Feel the joy of drawing! News about a new online program in the making, and upcoming in-person workshops. I’ve got some quick tips to boost your creativity. And a reminder to join my live mini-workshop this Wednesday. Let’s keep spreading art, kindness, and connection.
Drawing can be a simple way to feel happier, calmer, and more present. A sketchbook doesn’t need rules, plans, or lots of time. One small drawing is enough to begin. By adding little moments of drawing throughout the day, your sketchbook becomes a mindful practice that grows naturally.
Learn how light and shadow can add depth and drama to your drawings. In this video I explore how changing the direction of light affects shadows, highlights, and color. You will get an easy sketchbook exercise using a simple household object to train your eye and build confidence when drawing from observation. It’ll be fun!
Another live online drawing session is happening in February. Koosje Koene will come up with a theme and an assignment to work on during the 90 minutes together on Zoom. Are you joining?
How do you draw transparency? In this Draw Tip Tuesday video I explore drawing glass from observation. By slowing down and really looking at distortions, reflections, highlights and shadows, I show how transparency can be suggested without tricks, just curiosity and experimenting with different tools.
Looking for what to draw? You don’t need special subjects or inspiration. Everyday objects around you are perfect sketchbook prompts. This post shares simple drawing ideas to help you start, stay relaxed, and build a regular sketchbook practice using things you already have at home.
