pronounced "Kōsha”
I’m an artist and creative entrepreneur living in the Netherlands. I love drawing and I do it every day. On this website, I hope to inspire you to develop a drawing practice too, because it can make you feel good.
Photo by Rick Keus
Learn how to paint bold shadows with just black gouache, a flat brush and a few pencil marks. I filmed this sketching demo in the UK in the early evening, when the light was low. See the dark side of a building as one big shape, keep it simple and let less be more. Try it at home!
Watch me sketch a row of colorful houses in Bristol using loose watercolor washes, water-soluble colored pencil and Neocolor crayons. Learn how to work quickly, add texture and darks, and balance your page by repeating colors. This demo includes handy tips for drawing on location!
Watch how I sketch a street in Bath, UK, using India ink washes and a big flat brush, then add loose line with an Inktense pencil. You'll get a handy trick for taking India ink on location, plus a fun 30-minute drawing assignment to try in your own sketchbook!
Inktober is here! Discover why I love drawing in ink, from easy, ready-to-go fountain pens (Sailor, Lamy, TWSBI and more) to a fresh rediscovery for my sketchbook practice. Get inspired to put some juicy lines on the page.
Sketchbook flip through from a drawing workshop retreat in Bristol and Bath, UK. See how black and white only practice, a timed sketch date, and unexpected chats (with a curious kid, a tattoo artist barista, and a welcoming restaurant) turned a solo trip into a sketchbook full of memories. Hahnemühle Nostalgie sketchbook, A5.
Watercolor and colored pencil sketching in the park, using minimal art supplies. Watch how limited tools lead to creative color choices and quick, expressive marks. Includes a fun sketch challenge and tips for getting great results with less in your kit. Bonus: this demo is a free peek from the Koosje Koene Patreon archives.
Join my Inktober challenge this October! I put together 31 fun drawing prompts, one for each day. Use any ink you like, keep it to 15 minutes, skip the days that don't excite you, and download the prompts list to print and check off. Life is better when you draw it!
Filling a 100% cotton Hahnemühle watercolor sketchbook: was it worth the price? In this flip through: a portrait sketch from my brother's professor inauguration in Amsterdam, a flea market urban sketch, ink, crayon, watercolor and colored pencil. Plus tips on adding text to your sketches. Includes a fun drawing assignment to try in your own sketchbook.
Learn how to add shadow to your watercolor paintings before adding color. In this tutorial I sketch potted plants and cacti, mix a simple gray wash for shadows, then layer on color for depth and life. Includes bonus watercolor tips and a fun drawing challenge you can try at home with objects from your own table.
Wax resist is a fun watercolor technique that's easier than it looks. Using wax crayons (or even a candle) I show how wax will block watercolor which creates texture, highlights and sparkle effects. And: what to do with mistakes when adding text! Also, a drawing assignment so you can try wax resist yourself.
Flip through my sketchbook full of travel sketches from Paris and the Black Forest, cafe scenes, rainy day drawing, and playful experiments like non-dominant hand drawing. Plus 5 bonus sketchbook tips to loosen up your own art, boost creativity, and make every wait (train station, cafe, transit) a chance to draw.
Curious how to use water soluble crayons? I took my Caran d'Ache Neocolor II crayons and Stabilo Woody pencils on a park walk to show you my scribble, wash, repeat process. Bold, playful, and a great way to sketch loose without overthinking every line.
Curious how to use water soluble crayons? I took my Caran d'Ache Neocolor II crayons and Stabilo Woody pencils on a park walk to show you my scribble, wash, repeat process. Bold, playful, and a great way to sketch loose without overthinking every line.
Feeling overwhelmed sketching busy urban scenes? In this Draw Tip Tuesday video I sketch the garden of the Royal Palace in Paris and share my top tips to sketch with ease. I’ll show you how I ditch the overwhelm and get into that creative flow, wherever you sketch.
I'm sharing my July sketching month, plus 6 practical tips to help you sketch more this August. Watch my free tutorial on drawing trees and foliage, celebrating 5 years on Patreon. I'm also packing for a workshop trip, and show you how to handle people noticing me sketching. Plus a reminder that flipping through your old sketchbooks can spark inspiration for your next drawing.
A rainy Paris sketch didn't go as planned. Wrong pen, no coffee, and a rushed, wonky drawing I almost didn't share. But weeks later I revisited the page with watercolors and colored pencils, and learned something about judging our art too soon. Plus a fun sketchbook assignment for you to try this week.
A short urban sketching video about starting anyway. Sketching in Paris on a busy square with an overwhelming view. The trick: use negative space to capture the shapes around the building rather than getting lost in the details. Then it starts to rain, which forces quick decisions and adds its own texture to the page.
Sketchbook tour through Paris, the Netherlands, and Germany. Lots of experiments with mixed media. Different approaches to the same subject. And a favorite page captured at a cafe in Germany. Flip through a filled Hahnemühle Nostalgie sketchbook and get inspired to fill your own!
I'm celebrating 5 years on Patreon with a free tutorial on drawing trees and greens using fountain pen, waterproof ink, and watercolor. I show how to capture foliage without overworking your sketchbook page, inspired by a discussion in our Discord community on urban sketching and nature drawing.
Grab a pen and your sketchbook next time you're on the go. No desk, no plan, no overthinking. See how a 35-minute commute can turn into a full spread of life around you, and learn why limiting your time and tools might just make your sketches better.
