Fearless With Ink

Fearless With Ink

Koosje Koene

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.

How Your Sketchbook Turns Strangers Into Friends

How Your Sketchbook Turns Strangers Into Friends

Koosje Koene

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.

Small Sketch Kit, Big Results

Small Sketch Kit, Big Results

Koosje Koene

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.

Inktober Challenge | Prompts List!

Inktober Challenge | Prompts List!

Koosje Koene

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!

A Summer Visual Diary (Sketchbook Tour)

A Summer Visual Diary (Sketchbook Tour)

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

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.

Why Shadow Should Never Be an Afterthought

Why Shadow Should Never Be an Afterthought

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

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.

This Trick Makes Watercolor Sparkle

This Trick Makes Watercolor Sparkle

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

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.

Sketchbook Tour + 5 Tips to Loosen Up

Sketchbook Tour + 5 Tips to Loosen Up

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

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.

You Are Your Own Best Source Of Inspiration

You Are Your Own Best Source Of Inspiration

Koosje Koene

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.

I Almost Didn't Share This Sketch

I Almost Didn't Share This Sketch

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

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.

How to Use Negative Space in Urban Sketching

How to Use Negative Space in Urban Sketching

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

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.

A Sketchbook From Paris to Germany

A Sketchbook From Paris to Germany

Koosje Koene
Drawing Tips

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!

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