An Update On Drawing Daily, Quickly, and Without Worry.

*This is a revised version of this morning’s email with a few additions, so I have changed some of the art for your viewing pleasure.

Paris to NY. The cold and the big snowstorm on my return were a big change from wandering the beautiful streets of Paris. Plus, all the terrible turmoil happening here, when I opened my phone upon landing on Saturday, the news was devastating. It’s hard to get centered. How do you balance what’s happening with staying sane? I know creating helps me, and I hear from so many of you that it’s a balm for you.

I haven’t painted anything new since I got home; I have so many plans and ideas that I will get to in the next few weeks. But first, here’s more detail on how I create my everyday drawing sketchbooks. It’s important to me that the process is simple and stress-free. I do what I can, when I can. I carry a lot of marker colors in my bag, but I only use 1-3 at the most while I’m working outside. *The link to my post on supplies is at the bottom of this email. Here, I’m using a Muji sketchbook and watercolor markers. Even though the paper is thin, it doesn’t bleed through much; if it does, I just shrug and move on.

I don’t really consider myself an Urban Sketcher. But maybe I’m being too literal. I do it my own way. I’m never trying to be accurate or get the proper perspective, and I don’t care if I get the correct number of windows or columns on a building. People move in and out of view, and I draw the parts that I see or remember. I like to catch the essence of what I’m experiencing. I often keep my sketchbook and one marker in my hand as I move through my day. When I see something that catches my eye, I draw. It may be 10 or 20 minutes here and 2 minutes there.

What catches my eye is always something different. Walking through a museum is twofold for me. On one hand, I will stop and absorb a piece I love. Other times, I want to stop and draw a face or a shape, something odd that I see. I take notes on them too, so I remember where I was.

While I’m out, I mostly do simple line drawings. I usually don’t have time for the color. I am on the move. More detailed coloring happens when I am back at home, and I can spread out a bit and play.

I get so much satisfaction from creating these sketchbooks. They are like a small diary of what inspired me at each moment and place. It’s doable, give it a try!

Click here for a post on a roundup of the supplies I use for both my drawings and paintings.

We have a new online painting class! Gayle Kabaker and I are hosting a new Zoom painting workshop with special guest Samantha Dion Baker. February 22, 1-3 EST. Expressive painting & handwritten words

Our live workshops are chatty, informative, fun, and low-key, great for any level. In this class, we’ll explore a travel memory and combine handwritten lettering.

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We’ll show you how we loosen up, trust our memory over accuracy, play, and allow the work to evolve naturally and intuitively. We love and encourage imperfect marks, shifted colors, and intuitive choices. It’s all about responding to an image, not copying.

Zoom Workshop Feb 22nd

Sam will show us how she explores adding handwritten words, capturing a place, a moment, mood, or a memory, and weaves her writing throughout her art.

Join us if you love travel sketchbooks and getting your memories down on paper, want to loosen up, let go of perfection, and begin to see how to trust your instincts. Come to learn, have fun, or if you feel stuck and need a motivating few hours!

This is a donation-only class. Suggested donation is $40.00, we put a lot of work into bringing you these classes, but please pay what you can. We’d love to have you there!

For more information and to register

Want to paint with us live for a week? We have some fun plans up our sleeves for the next trip to Morocco. Spending a week in Morocco with 16 other artists at all levels is an incredible experience. We often have students who are traveling for the first time alone, at a life-changing point in their lives, haven’t painted in many years, or have never painted but have always wanted to, as well as a few seasoned painters. Maybe it’s time for you to go on an adventure?

Wednesday, January 28th at noon EST, @gaylekabaker and I are doing a live 1 hour Patreon for all members. We will be creating a new book cover illustration for The Fall of Marigolds or a book of your choice. We usually do 2 of these a month for our Opera Pink group but this one is open to all members.

Join our Patreon

Thanks so much for reading, I’d love to hear from you! I’ll try to answer any more questions you have.

xxJennifer