I aim to capture the vibe and the feeling of the place, not to create a perfect representation of what I see. I like "editing" in my drawings too, meaning: when a tree is in view, but it would fall off my composition when I would stay true to all the elements that I see, then I just draw it anyway. I "move it" closer into my composition. It might be much more to the left in the street for example, but if I think it should be included in the drawing for my "story", my interpretation, I can totally decide to do that - it's a drawing after all and I can do what I want. It's all very exciting how creative you can get when drawing.

Will you join me in the free (!) online sketchbook workshop Sketchbook revival? We’ll have fun filling up our sketchbook pages with everything from drawing and painting, to collage and mixed media, to stitching and printing so we can loosen up, develop our imaginations, practice our observation skills, express our emotions, tap into our intuition (and so much more), while also learning about color.
The workshop starts on March 20th and runs through April 1st

As you know, a filled sketchbook is a memento unlike any other. Sketchbooks are intimate and personal and carry the power to bring you back to that moment and all its sensual detail instantly. You think: I wish I could do that. Well, now you can! Alongside a group of new creative friends, you will have a ton of fun learning and exploring - in Paris! You’ll get instruction and inspiration from a different teacher each day, and you’ll get to enjoy time to explore the wonderful city Paris.

If drawing makes you happy, put your drawing time at the top of your list! In today’s video, I'll show you how I make a fun, colorful and playful drawing of a very mundane subject, in just a few minutes.

Let’s not forget to prioritize a date with yourself and your sketchbook.

After last week's video, some may disagree but I dare to state that I'm not good at drawing nature. Yet.

We make up these rules for ourselves that when drawing from observation, we have to create a perfect representation of what we see. What if you let go of that idea?

Welcome to Draw tip Tuesday! Nature is all about texture, pattern and shape. Today, let’s play and, try to find our way, with these three elements.

I’d like to invite you to my vacation workshop in Valetta, Malta this November 4 to 8, 2023!

My book Life is better when you draw it, is self published and available as print-on-demand online. But there are now a few book stores in the Netherlands who sell it. One of them is also one of my favorite book shops: Hoogstins , in Amsterdam. To celebrate that my book is available in this wonderful shop, come draw with me and let me sign your book.

We can wait for some opportunity (or worse: “inspiration”!) to miraculously pop up, or wait for the moment that finally the week turns into 8 days, life gets less busy, or an hour consists of 80 instead of 60 minutes. But let’s be honest… who are we kidding anyway?