All tagged Tips

A Single Line Can Capture More Than You Think

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.

How Drawing Can Ease Anxiety

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.

A Little Reminder For Your Sketchbook Practice

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.

How Light and Shadow Change Your Drawing

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!

Why Looking Back at Your Sketchbooks Matters

Looking back at your sketchbooks helps you see how much you’ve drawn, learned, and experienced. Sketchbook pages capture everyday moments, big days, and quiet times. This reflection brings joy, shows growth, and reminds you that you often do more creatively than you realize.

People Sketching on the Go

On the go sketching is a great way to capture real life moments. I draw people in busy places using a watercolor pencil for fast lines and quick shading. It keeps my sketches loose, lively and full of energy. Try people drawing to bring more movement into your sketchbook!

Seeing the big picture and narrowing down

Fun challenge for your sketchbook practice!

Switching between wide, medium, and close can help you avoid overwhelm, find your focus, tell better visual stories, and bring variety in your sketchbook pages; you keep things fresh (even when you’re drawing the same stuff over and over again).

How I Choose My Palette

In this Draw Tip Tuesday I show the colors I use most (watercolors, colored pencils, crayons, gouache) and why you do not need to buy the same colors.
I explain how you decide on YOUR colors, how a simple limited palette can boost creativity and why keeping your sketch kit light helps you draw more.

Why drawing in nature feels so good

Drawing in nature can boost your mood, calm your mind, and bring joy back into your sketchbook practice. In this post I share how I find peace and creativity outdoors, and how you can try it too. Plus info on my upcoming small group nature sketching workshop in the Eifel in June 2026.

Urban Sketching with Just 3 Colors

In today's Draw Tip Tuesday I take you sketching on location with just a few simple tools. Limiting materials helps keep your drawing playful, loose, and alive. I start with messy marks in color, layer shapes, and then add pen lines to bring clarity and energy. Along the way I share pro tips for drawing in public, for staying mindful of your stuff, and for trusting your inner artist. It is not about perfection but about capturing the moment in your own way. Materials: Strathmore Mixed Media sketchbook, Neocolor crayons, fountain pen, water brush.

Quick Café Sketch in 5 Minutes

In this Draw Tip Tuesday I show you how I sketch people quickly and loosely using a water-soluble pencil and a simple waterbrush. You can capture the energy of a barista with confident lines, light washes, and simplified shapes. This is about drawing with ease, focusing on movement and light instead of details, and embracing the wonkiness.

Just a few quick marks are enough to tell the story and bring your sketchbook pages to life.

4 Self Portraits in 10 Minutes

In this Draw Tip Tuesday video, I share a quick and fun self portrait exercise you can do in under 10 minutes. Using a mirror and a timer, I draw my face 4 times, each with fewer lines than the last. This simple practice helps you focus on what really matters in a drawing, sharpen your observation skills, and discover how much you can simplify while still showing expression and resemblance. I also talk about why self portraits are a great subject for building your drawing habit.

Fresh Adventures, Fall Plans, Sketchbook Joy

Explore sketchbook ideas from black & white drawing to limited palettes and watercolors. Join my upcoming drawing workshops, follow my travels to Spain and Paris, and find simple sketchbook inspiration for your own daily practice. Discover how life gets better when you draw it!

How I Drew This Bike Without Drawing It

In this Draw Tip Tuesday, Koosje Koene shares a fun way to draw tricky subjects by focusing on negative space. Using a bike as an example, she sketches the shapes around it instead of the bike itself. With watercolor and pencil, the drawing comes to life. A great technique to improve accuracy and gain confidence in your sketchbook.

Your Sketchbook Can Help You See More

Sketching helps you slow down, notice small details, and feel more present. A sketchbook makes you see patterns, colors, and quiet moments you’d otherwise miss. Even a quick train drawing can shift your mood and bring unexpected joy. One line at a time.