A five minute sketch can be a fantastic creative kickstart. Just a few minutes of drawing can set the tone for your whole day.
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
All tagged draw tip tuesday
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.
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.
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.
I filmed a beach drawing session in Thailand where I sketched the view with a brush pen, added quick figures and palm trees, then used wax crayons, watercolor, and colored pencils for texture and depth. A relaxed urban sketching moment and a free peek of my Patreon style content.
Learn how to use lettering to bring story and personality to your sketchbook pages. I show how I combine drawing and text, play with size and spacing, and find inspiration in everyday lettering. A simple way to make your pages feel more lively and personal.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In this Draw Tip Tuesday, I explore how to use negative shapes in urban sketching to make a scene come to life. Starting with the space around a building, I block in trees and foliage first, letting the building appear by what I do not draw. I share tips on mark making, layering, and using selective color to create depth and contrast. This approach trains your eyes to see differently and adds a fresh twist to your sketches, whether you work from a photo or on location.
Learn how to start a drawing with confidence by using simple subjects like your feet to frame a scene. In this Draw Tip Tuesday video, Koosje Koene shares her step-by-step process for building a sketch from foreground to background. You'll get practical tips on composition, observation, and creating depth using a fountain pen, water soluble ink, and a waterbrush. Perfect for anyone looking to improve their sketchbook practice.
In this Draw Tip Tuesday, I sketch my coffee twice in under 10 minutes using two different approaches: first with line, then with color. It’s a fun, fast way to loosen up and enjoy your sketchbook practice. Perfect for daily drawing and creative exploration.
Join me in Orvieto, Italy, for a coffee and sketch date in this Draw Tip Tuesday episode! I sketch at Piazza del Popolo, using ink, watercolor, and colored pencil. I'm capturing buildings, people, and dramatic skies. I share tips on using negative space, adding color for light and shadow, and working quickly when sketching on location. This spontaneous drawing session shows how fun and doable urban sketching can be. Want to sketch together? I’m teaching a workshop in Spain!
Join me for a relaxing sketching session in Lisbon, where I draw one of the city’s charming pink kiosks at Príncipe Real Park. Filmed during a day off between teaching two urban sketching workshops, this Draw Tip Tuesday video shows how I build up a scene using pencil, watercolor, and colored pencil - embracing imperfections along the way. Watch the process unfold, and get inspired to fill your own travel sketchbook. Next workshop coming up: Paris Sketchbook! Join me!
Urban sketching rarely happens under perfect conditions—and that’s exactly what makes it interesting. In this urban sketching tutorial, I draw a coffee truck on location in Lisbon. Rain starts to fall, ink smears, and I keep going anyway. Watch how I build the sketch step by step, embrace the imperfections, and let real life shape the page. This is what on-location sketching is all about.
A peek into my B5 sketchbook, filled with travel moments, mixed media play, and honest pages from daily life. From gouache experiments to drawing through a creative funk: this sketchbook is all about staying playful and drawing anyway.
Learn how to draw a quick and vibrant vignette using watercolor, crayons, and colored pencils. This easy sketching technique helps you capture a moment without filling a full sketchbook page. Perfect for beginners and urban sketchers alike!
Think you're too busy to draw? In this video, I share urban sketching tips and show how I use short pockets of time, like train rides, to fill my sketchbook. Learn how to stay creative on the go, and try the fun sketching assignment at the end!