How to Decide What to Draw (and What to Leave Out)
You know I love sketching in a café. Today, I'm taking you to a café in town. There's a drawing assignment at the end of the video, and a pro tip!
I ordered a coffee, clipped down my accordion sketchbook and filmed my coffee-and-sketch moment.
I started with my cup, which could have been the only thing I drew that day. Maybe I’d keep going, I didn't know just yet. No plans, just enjoying that moment to myself with my sketchbook.
You decide
You may have heard me say before that there are no rules when it comes to your sketchbook practice. And it's true on so many levels. You decide. How long you'll draw, what and where you draw...
How long I draw can depend on how much time I have, how interesting the surroundings are, and what my energy level is. If my energy is really low, I think I won’t be able to draw much. Then I start, and it’s like plugging in a charger.
Remember: when you feel you have no time or energy, that’s exactly when you need it most.
What to do when things go all wonky
Along the way, of course I make mistakes. Adding more lines to fix it only puts extra emphasis on the part you’re unhappy with. So simply move on, and once other things surround it, it stops asking for attention.
I often don’t have a plan (I just want to draw!), which keeps it fun, and my expectations low. I like mixing new colors into the ones already in my mixing area. It keeps everything in the same color family, looks natural, and brings cohesion to the whole page. Then suddenly, it looks like I did the whole thing according to a plan! A handful of crayons at the end adds texture and darks.
Bonus tip: if you add too much watercolor, lift it with a tissue while it’s still wet.
Materials I used
Etchr accordion sketchbook
Lamy Safari fountain pen with calligraphy nib, size 1.5
Platinum carbon black waterproof ink
Watercolors, Daniel Smith and Schminke
Pentel Aquash Waterbrush
Caran d'Ache Neocolor II Crayons
Tissue for lifting color and for cleaning brush
If you prefer to watch my demo in real time, go to my Patreon, where I posted it.
