Today I’m starting my post a bit differently than usual, but we live in unusual times. Here in Germany, we are preparing bit by bit for a complete lockdown due to the coronavirus situation, a measure that is already in place in several European countries. I still have the hope that Germany can avoid it somehow, but we’ll see. Today we actually took a walk through the (almost) deserted but sunny park. Spring colors are appearing everywhere, and a lot of birds are out enjoying the calm surroundings.
I only try to catch up on the news in the morning and the evening to keep informed. I mostly listen to public radio, which doesn’t dramatize what’s happening (unless every other news source), and read my local news, and I steer clear of all kinds of social media. So far this has helped me a lot to stay calm. I hope you too can find a routine that helps you to focus on the less scary aspects of life right now.
I’ve already heard from quite a few people that they’re sitting at home in self-isolation, some them with their kids, and need ideas to keep busy and calm their thoughts in these unusual times.
For the time being, I’ve decided to make my stand-alone classes available at a significantly lower price. I know that sketching outside and being in nature is not really possible for most people right now. But you can sketch everywhere, and we’re actually surrounded by nature almost everywhere. Even looking out of the window and sketching what you see can be a good pastime. Maybe you have things from nature at home that you can draw. I often paint from photos right now – landscapes, cloudscapes, birds. I find it helps me to take my thoughts from all the weird and scary things that are happening in the world, if only for a few minutes.
I want to make my sketching classes available to as many people as possible right now. I think we need to stay active in times like these to fight uncertainties and fear, so I’ve tried to make things around the house and kept my hands and head busy, including picking up my brush as often as I can. I know that there are a lot of other things that are more critical right now, but when we have met these needs and want to get our thoughts to a different place, maybe art can help us a little bit to stay sane.
If you find making art is a good use of your time, but need more ideas:
I’ve changed the prices of all my classes to $8 – which is almost 70% off from the regular price. The price has a little “+” next to it, so if you want, you can give more. I don’t earn a fortune with these classes anyway, and I want to contribute however I can. You can keep yourself occupied with these classes for quite a while, most of them have over 1.5 hours of video and a ton of ideas, and I’m currently filming new lessons and painting demos for some of them. All of the classes are easy sketching tutorials based on nature topics, showing different techniques (colored pencil, ink, watercolor, gouache) to approach a subject.
Take a look at all the classes here.
I also have collected a few free resources that I’ve created in the past and put them on a separate page for all newsletter subscribers (you’ll get instructions to access in your welcome email or today’s newsletter if you’re already subscribed).
To follow my own advice, I try to distract myself with action and use the internet as a place to spread calming thoughts instead of panic. I’ll try to put up new painting tutorials on my Youtube channel in the next weeks, and will keep posting things that are art-related.
With this in mind, if you have questions you’ve always wanted to ask me (about the topics I usually write about: art, sketching, minimalism), then let me know in the comments. I’ll try to answer them in the coming weeks.
Wherever you are and whatever you do these days, please stay calm and safe!
Thank you so much, Julia, for your generosity and calming message. I’m currently watching your classes through my Skillshare subscription but, on behalf of those who aren’t, I wanted to express appreciation for your generous pricing offer and free resources. Here’s hoping we all make it out of this crisis in good health, and all the best to you.
Thank you Barbara. Stay safe, and I hope you enjoy the classes!
Thank you, Julia! I am going to share this post. You have brought a lovely solution to us in this most challenging time. Bless you and be well.
Thank you Nancy, I really appreciate that, that’s so nice of you! Take care and stay safe.
Dear lady, you are such an inspiration and comfort right now. I’ve just shared your blog link in my tiny tiny mountain tow community in the hopes it will inspire my neighbors to document not only nature, but these interesting times.
I am hopeful about the positive impact on the environment this virus is having. There must be a silver lining.
Thank you so much Heather. I hope you’ll all be well in your community. I’m also looking for silver linings and positive aspects, although it’s admittedly harder these days. Take care!
This virus is forcing people to slow down. Reflect on what we have instead of what we want. I live very remotely in a tiny house. It is normal for me to go a month without seeing a single person. My animals, art as well as other interests can all be done on my property. Please take this time and remember who and what is truely important in your life. If you live in a city and are forced to stay indoors, use your time wisely. All of this will past and before we know, things will be back to our normal routines. Remember that measures are being taken to avoid spreading the virus. Stay healthy and enjoy these solitude times rather than fear them. You are in control of what you feel. With the internet, we can all connect to family and friends without being there physically.
Take care,
Irene from Canada
Thank you Irene for your thoughtful words. Hope you stay safe and healthy!
Thank you Julia for all your great ideas and your generous offer of discounting your classes. I will share it.
Thank you Edith, I really appreciate it!
This is very decent of you, Julia.
This may turn out to be a creative period for us. Even better if our good sides come out. We can really use that here in the US.
: )
~Mark
Thank you so much Mark! I really hope we will find some of our good sides, at least now we have the time for it. We can definitely use more of that over here, too! Hope you stay healthy and safe.
Dear Julia,
I’m one of you’re Skillshare students and also follow your blog and newsletter. Your words of encouragement and price reductions for your lessons are all gracious acts of kindness and a blessing during these troubled times. I have been revisiting your classes and enjoying the second time around and learning more with each visit. Keep up the good work and more of your European birds, I really like to see the little creatures familiar to your part of the world. My great great grandparents came from Germany in the late 1800s and Germany has always held a fascination for me.
Thank you, Betty
Hi Betty, thank you so much for your support and kind words! Revisiting the classes on Skillshare actually helps me a lot (they pay you by minutes watched), so I’m extra grateful for that, and happy that you find so much useful information in my classes! And that’s so interesting about your ancestors. Do you know which area they came from?