Illustration + Nature Sketching
As I’m slowly painting more blue landscape sketches there are a lot of things going through my head.Mainly that right now it seems very hard to wait for the paint to dry. I mean, it’s always been a bit of a challenge for me.It’s not the act of mixing and applying the paint itself, which …
I’ve made it into the new year, but I don’t exactly feel ready for it. Anyone else? It’s just been cold and foggy here and there are not very many inviting sketching subjects in my immediate surroundings. Plus I’m not very mobile right now.At least my (hopefully last) surgery is behind me. Now I’ll just …
As the year draws to a close, I’d like to look back a bit on this year, and talk about what I have planned for 2025. First off, thank you so so much for the feedback and kind words you left me in my survey!I feel very humbled by all of your positive, encouraging words, …
In the spirit of experimentation, I’ve tried out something a bit different and that is a new format: I’ve put together a mini class that I hope you will enjoy: “Sharpen your observation with blind contour drawing” is all about quick and fun exercises to boost your observation skills and hand-eye coordination. In just 10 …
While reorganizing my art supply drawers recently I stumbled upon the small W&N Cotman palette I’ve used for a while last winter, and I realized I never wrote a blog post about how I perceive the differences between student and artist grade paint, and whether I find student grade paint is worth using especially for sketching …
Over the summer, I’ve been simplifying my sketching approach and mainly worked with ink and added only loose washes. I’ve had less patience for very elaborate watercolor sketches, particularly when sketching outside. There’s something very freeing about letting go of a very tight, layered painting style, maybe because it lets you explore another beautiful side …
It’s been a while…and summer has gone, it’s getting stormy and cold outside here in Germany. As I went through my recent sketchbook pages with a cup of tea in hand, I rediscovered this page of strawflower sketches that I had completely forgotten about. They seem to carry the memory of the last warm summer …
I’ve tried out a few new fountain pen inks recently, and I think I have a few good candidates for replacing the Rohrer & Klingner Sketch Ink I’ve been using in the past. As some of you know, I’ve been using waterproof Rohrer & Klingner Sketch Ink for a while in my fountain pens. They’re …
I’m currently exploring sketching more in graphite and ink, so I’ve also revisited my sketching kit and tried out ways to make it lighter. It’s not that I’m completely obsessed with minimalism, but the thought of carrying a minimal amount of weight when I go sketching sounded very appealing. I’m actually changing my sketching tools …
Recently I’ve focused a lot on the drawing aspect in my sketches, letting watercolor take a break or only adding a little bit of it. I find I enjoy and get lost in the drawing process a lot more than when I’m painting. I think it has to do with the drying time of the …
I’ve been enjoying the time in my community garden a lot lately, and I thought it would be nice to sketch a few things related to gardening, too. I’m not really up to date to the current harvest with my sketches – the zucchini/squash season is starting so that’s what we’ll likely be eating for …
When you’re drawing, it can sometimes be hard to get some of the angles right, or to draw shapes in the right size. Translating what’s in front of you to the paper is challenging. This might be the slant of a hill, a tree trunk, or the petal of a flower. You can see the …
I’ve tried lots of different white pens and paints for adding highlights to my sketches, looking for a portable and really opaque(!) white. I’ve tried all kinds of gel pens, gouache, acrylic ink, colored pencils…you name it. It’s been like being stuck in a weird time loop: I would discover a new tool, then think: …
Today, I’d like to share a flower painting tutorial on how to sketch yellow irises, using the sketching technique I like to call “Loose but Precise.” This demo also shows how to sketch slightly more complex flowers. Irises are one of my all-time favorite flowers to draw. I just love figuring out how their complex, …
With summer approaching, I’ve noticed how I’m naturally gravitating to sketching more flowers. Many beautiful garden flowers are already in bloom (iris, roses, peonies), and during spring I always enjoy seeing the first dots of color that are blooming apple and cherry trees. I’ve minimalized my sketching gear to mechanical pencil and watercolor for these …