Illustration + Nature Sketching
It’s been a while, everyone! As I’ve recovered from Covid (can’t recommend, wouldn’t buy again, zero stars), I’ve thought about a question from one of my wonderful students I got a while back. Anne asks: “I’d love to know how you balance your time as a working artist: I always struggle to balance art-work, art-learning … Read more
I’m excited to announce that another sketching class is finished and ready for you. It’s called: Wildflowers in Watercolor and Ink: Introduction to Botanical Sketching and it’s available directly from me or through Skillshare. The class has a lot of the energy I was after this summer, with long field trips, concentrating on new sketching … Read more
As I’ve already mentioned in my sketchbook tour, recently I’ve slowed down my sketching process a bit. As much as I love quick and spontaneous sketching, I’ve found that when I take my time for the drawing I often like the results better. Just to clarify, “taking my time” still means that I will typically … Read more
Welcome to another sketchbook tour! In this one, I will share what I’ve been up to in my sketchbook since June 2022. I started a new sketchbook back then and took a longer break during August, so it’s only one quarter full – somehow I enjoy taking my time for drawing lately, and don’t want … Read more
Last time, I took you with me on a day of field sketching rich with local plants and orchids. There were so many and the day became increasingly hot that I didn’t finish all my sketches on that day. So I took a few close-up photos and made some color notes, and decided to finish … Read more
I’m taking you on another field sketching trip today. In this location, I found lots of different wild orchids at the beginning of June, and I was happy to spend a long time sketching, so the video got a bit longer. You can follow me around the entire day while I’m exploring the area and … Read more
Today I’m going to take you with me for a field sketching session. I’m drawing Early purple orchids on location and finish my sketches at home, where I also do a few experiments with ink. I’ve also changed a few colors in my palette and I’m talking about how that happened. Here’s the video: Sketching … Read more
Today I have something a bit different for you, a calm painting video in which I sketch apple blossoms. I enjoy spring time so much, the apple and cherry orchards are always breathtakingly beautiful when they’re in bloom – and it’s always over so soon! This year, I managed to paint some apple blossoms in … Read more
Last week I showed you how effective it can be to limit the colors on your palette for a sketch. I find it can be a good method to get better at mixing, and to really get to know your paints (or some colors that you have lying around that you don’t use enough…) As … Read more
Last week I rediscovered a landscape sketching video I must have made last year and totally forgot about. I remember the scene though, I took the photo I painted from later very early on a summer day, with morning mist still densely on the fields, and the sun just about to peek through. It was … Read more
“Learning to see like an artist” is often described as noticing your subject as a combination of simple shapes instead of a cartoon object that you have in mind. We’re trained to think in object-mode: I see an apple. Apples are supposed to be round, so you draw a round shape – a circle. That, … Read more
I’m happy to announce that my new class Sketching Fundamentals is out now, available on my website and on Skillshare. This class is a foundational drawing class that will teach you basic sketching techniques. In this in-depth introduction, you will learn how to see like an artist, explore different drawing techniques, create quick sketches from … Read more