Sketchbook Challenge - Part 3: Paint & Line
Welcome to Draw Tip Tuesday!
Remember the challenge of drawing a subject repeatedly? In today’s video, I’m back at drawing that same coffee still life.
Today's approach is fun and playful one. Instead of starting with detailed lines and outlines (my usual go-to), I’m jumping straight into color! First we paint, then we draw. With bold and bright colors, this makes for an even livelier sketchbook page.
Grab your watercolors and choose a bright, bold color.
Forget the outline for now and paint your subject as a big, abstract shape or "blob."
Once the paint is dry, draw on top of the blob using a colored pencil.
The goal isn’t perfection — it’s about experimenting, embracing wonkiness, and finding joy in the process. The shapes don’t have to be exact, and you’re free to go outside the lines - or in this case, outside the paint.
This technique also shows you that so-called "mistakes" can actually become part of your drawing in an intentional way.
Materials I used in the video:
Stilman & Birn Beta Series sketchbook
Watercolors (Daniel Smith)
Flat brush (da Vinci, 30)
Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencil
Have you joined the challenge yet?
Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced artist, this challenge is for everyone. By drawing the same still life over and over in different ways, you’ll learn to see it from new perspectives, and "attack" it with many creative approaches.
If you do join in, be sure to tag me on social media (@koosjekoene on instagram, Koosje Koene Illustrations on Facebook). I’d love to see what you make.
Exciting Workshop News for 2025!
In the video, I also mention something I’m really looking forward to: my 2025 Capture the Lisbon Wow workshop! I’ll be teaming up with my talented friend Cynthia Morris for an artistic adventure in the beautiful city of Lisbon. If you're interested, check out the details here. Tickets are limited!
