Urban Sketching Tip: Don’t Color Everything

Urban Sketching Tip: Don’t Color Everything

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

Want to make your urban sketches more vibrant without coloring everything in? In this Draw Tip Tuesday, I show you how using less color can actually make your drawings stronger. It's all about making conscious choices: what to highlight, what to leave out, and how that tells a clearer story. I sketch two musicians in Spain and share tips on simplifying a scene, creating focus with color, and letting go of perfection. Plus, I share a little teaser about my upcoming Costa Brava workshop with The Blue Walk this September. Tune in for sketchbook inspiration!

Drawing with Just One Color! Here's What Happens

Drawing with Just One Color! Here's What Happens

Koosje Koene

Discover the power of drawing with just one color! In this Draw Tip Tuesday, I’m using a Sailor fountain pen with water-soluble ink to create a monochrome drawing. This minimal setup is perfect for sketching on location or at home. Learn how focusing on contrast, light, and shadow can simplify your drawing process and make your artwork even more striking. You might be surprised by your results.

Not Every Drawing Has to Be a Masterpiece

Not Every Drawing Has to Be a Masterpiece

Koosje Koene

Not every drawing has to be perfect. Social media shows polished art, but not the years of practice and failures behind it. Art reflects emotions and life’s ups and downs. Sharing imperfect work helps others feel encouraged. Keep drawing and trust the process; creativity will flow again.

Want to Get Better at Drawing People?

Want to Get Better at Drawing People?

Koosje Koene

Struggling with stiff figures, slow sketching, or capturing movement? My “Let’s Draw People” workshop helps you loosen up, draw faster, and make your sketches more lively. These are a few demo drawings from my live classes. Want to improve your people-drawing skills? Join my interest list to be the first to know when the next session opens! Let’s draw people together!

Travel Sketching - What to Pack

Travel Sketching - What to Pack

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

Want to know what art supplies to pack for travel sketching? Keep your sketch kit lightweight and compact while bringing everything you need. In today’s video, I share travel sketching essentials, urban sketching tools, and packing tips to avoid overpacking. From sketchbooks and pens to watercolors and a sitting mat, I cover it all. Plus, a pro tip: skip the 'just in case' supplies!

Sketchbook Experiment: Let’s See What Happens!

Sketchbook Experiment: Let’s See What Happens!

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

Playing with tempera sticks today! They’re like glue sticks, but filled with colorful paint. Fun but tricky! I test out the blob method, make some surprising discoveries (did I just paint a Smurf?), and figure out what works. This week’s challenge: grab a tool you’re unsure about and just play! Love it or hate it, it's all part of the creative process.

Fearless Drawing: How to Let Go and Have Fun

Fearless Drawing: How to Let Go and Have Fun

Koosje Koene

Loosen up and enjoy drawing! Stop overthinking, silence your inner critic, and embrace the wonkiness. The more you draw, the more confident you’ll become. Just like learning to cook or a learning a new skill, practice is key. Relax your grip, play with lines, and make it fun. Your sketchbook is a creative playground, not a test. So grab your favorite tools and start drawing fearlessly!

Why Fewer Art Supplies Make You More Creative

Why Fewer Art Supplies Make You More Creative

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

Feeling overwhelmed by too many art supplies? Try limiting your tools! In today's Draw Tip Tuesday video, I use just three simple tools to show how constraints can spark creativity. With fewer choices, you focus on the essentials and make bolder creative decisions. See how it works, then apply what you learned by following the assignment!

Depth Made Easy: A Simple Trick for Better Drawings

Depth Made Easy: A Simple Trick for Better Drawings

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

Learn a simple drawing technique to add depth without using color. By using a black pen for the foreground and a pencil for the background, you create natural contrast and dimension in your sketches. This easy method helps you grow your drawing skills with minimal tools. Try it with any subject and experiment with layering and shading. Perfect for sketchbook practice and improving your art skills.

Tip To Get Out of a Creative Funk

Tip To Get Out of a Creative Funk

Koosje Koene

Are you in a bit of a rut?

Or do you inspiration but don’t know where to get it? First of all - don’t worry. We’ve all been there - staring at a blank page, unsure where to begin.

Here’s a simple trick to get started: draw frames first.

Draw Your Way Out Of a Rut

Draw Your Way Out Of a Rut

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

Feeling creatively stuck? A simple sketchbook project can reignite your inspiration. In this video, I share my ongoing "Dos and Don’ts in Italy" series, show you how I create a new page, and give you tips to stay motivated.
Join me for an art retreat in Orvieto, Italy, this May for daily sketching, delicious food, and cultural inspiration!

Small Pages, Big Impact | How to Use a Tiny Sketchbook

Small Pages, Big Impact | How to Use a Tiny Sketchbook

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

Learn how a tiny sketchbook can boost your creativity and fit into your daily life! This video shares tips for quick, on-the-go sketches, building a regular drawing habit, and experimenting without pressure. Perfect for improving your skills and finding inspiration anywhere. Watch today’s Draw Tip Tuesday video for sketching tips and a fun creative challenge!

Drawing Lisbon: a week to remember

Drawing Lisbon: a week to remember

Koosje Koene

Last year in Lisbon, my sketchbook came alive with memories—busy pastelerias, calm gardens, and inspiring moments. Teaching Capture the Lisbon Wow with my friend Cynthia Morris was a dream, and even on breaks, we couldn’t stop sketching.
If this seems like a fun adventure to you, join us for a magical week of drawing, exploring, and creativity this April!

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