One of the questions I get asked most often when I am teaching and when new people are introduced to my work is, “Which of your books should I start with?” So I thought I’d put together a post about what you’ll find inside each one, and who it’s best suited for. Of course you really should have them all, but if you have to choose, this post will help!
The wonderful thing about all of my books is that they’re designed for both complete beginners and seasoned artists. I truly believe that everyone is an artist, even you! My books provide gentle guidance, tons of inspiring prompts, and approachable techniques to help you begin (or continue) a lifelong creative practice.
My first book is an illustrated guide to building a daily drawing practice that is part diary, part sketchbook. Inside you’ll find guidance on materials, approachable instruction (but not a step-by-step guide), samples in a variety of art mediums, inspiring prompts, and plenty of practical tips and tricks. Part instructional guide and part creative manifesto, Draw Your Day celebrates the idea that making art can make life more mindful, memorable, and meaningful.
Whether you’re an experienced artist looking for fresh inspiration or someone who’s always wanted to draw but needed a friendly nudge, this book will meet you where you are.
Draw Your Day is my first book, born from a genuine desire to remember my life and my children’s milestones while rekindling an analog drawing practice that had been dormant for many years. Writing it taught me something unexpected: that I could not only make art, but also write and teach.
This book holds such a special place in both my career and my personal story, and I’m incredibly proud that it continues to be my best-selling book. Its ongoing success has given me the opportunity to write and create every book that followed.
And if the thought of starting with a blank page feels intimidating, the Draw Your Day Sketchbook is the perfect companion. Filled with prompts and inspiration, it helps you begin sketching, painting, collaging, and documenting both the beautiful and wonderfully ordinary moments of everyday life.
This book gives you everything you need to begin a new art practice or deepen an existing one. You’ll explore my favorite tools and materials, learn approachable techniques like composition, light and shadow, symmetry, and perspective, and try motivating exercises including drawing from memory, urban sketching, travel journaling, and experimental art.
Filled with step-by-step demonstrations and examples from my own sketchbooks, Draw Your World will help you build confidence while capturing the details of your unique and remarkable life.
I like to call Draw Your World the "mama bear" of my books because it's the one that teaches the most. After writing Draw Your Day, I realized I had so much more to share, and this book became the place where I could dive deeper. Along with approachable technical lessons, it offers new ways to see the world around you, guidance for discovering your own artistic style, and encouragement for building a sustainable, joyful art-making practice.
This book invites you to slow down, notice more, and create lasting memories with just a sketchbook and a few simple art supplies. Through prompts, creative challenges, scavenger hunts, and inspiring examples, you’ll discover new ways to document your adventures while seeing the world through the eyes of an explorer.
Whether you’re planning a big trip, enjoying a staycation, or simply exploring your own neighborhood, Draw Your Adventures offers countless ways to turn experiences into meaningful keepsakes.
Draw Your Adventures is my newest book, and the first one where I was given complete creative freedom to write not only from the heart, but also about my own quirky ways of exploring, observing, and making sense of the world around me.
This book is all about adventure, whether you’re traveling across the globe, wandering through your own neighborhood, or simply paying closer attention to an ordinary day. Filled with unique prompts, creative challenges, scavenger hunts, and playful ways to engage with the world around you, it encourages you to become both an artist and an explorer.
More than anything, it’s a hopeful book. It’s about seeing your sketchbook or journal as a place to notice beauty, preserve memories, and mark the passing of time. No matter what’s happening in our personal lives or in the world around us, we’re still here, and there is always something worth noticing, appreciating, and capturing.
If you’re looking to invite more creativity into your life but aren’t quite ready to commit to a regular drawing practice, Color Your World is the perfect place to begin.
Grab your favorite coloring supplies and spend time bringing wildflowers, seaside scenes, charming storefronts, thrift store treasures, adorable dogs, and other everyday delights to life. Featuring 40 original illustrations printed on thick, non-bleed paper (80 pages total) with perforated edges for easy removal, this coloring book offers a relaxing way to slow down, notice the beauty around you, and enjoy the simple pleasure of making something colorful.
I also wrote Draw Your Day for Kids!, which was published in 2021. The response was amazing—many adults have even told me they love it as much as (or more than!) my books for adults. The entire first printing of 10,000 copies sold out, but it was never reprinted, making it something of a collector’s item.
The good news is that I now own the rights again and have all of the original files. I’d like to make a few updates before self-publishing it, so hopefully it’ll be back out in the world one of these days. Until then, you can hunt down a print copy (there are some out there in the wild) or download the digital edition here.
No matter which book you choose, my hope is that it encourages you to slow down, pay attention, and discover just how creative you already are.
I’d love to know—which one is your favorite? Leave a comment below and help someone else find the perfect place to begin!
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