30 day Course:
Fill your first sketchbook in 30 days

30 days
drawing, sketching and painting daily
in your own time
start from day one
33 video tutorials + extras
Lots of creative inspiration
step by step sketch templates
explore different art styles
learn about colour theory
try drawing in perspective, figure drawing, hatching, doodling and portraiture.
discover your own art style
access to the sketchbook discussion group

Yes, I am ready to start

For only £160 you will learn all the basics of portrait drawing

That is less than £5 per session, and you will get access to 20-25 hours of video material.

and if you don't complete the course in the 30 days, don't worry. You will keep access to all video materials.

I love it when people share their art with me and I will give feedback when you ask for it.

Fill your first sketchbook

This course is for you:

If you have always had a longing to pick up a sketchbook and draw
If you find it hard to think of how to fill those white pages
if you want to build a drawing habit and create on a regular basis.
if you don't know where to start and you would like to draw as part of a creative community
if you are looking for a creative, fun and artful month.
If you have started some sketchbooks in the past but lost momentum and now they are looking for a reason to fill them.
if you draw already but you would like to discover your art style.

Do I need to be good at drawing to join?
The course starts really easy, no prior drawing experience needed.

The course contains drawing tutorials at different levels, some are a little easier and other may challenge you more. I provided sketch templates to help you start the more complicated drawings.

What are we making?

In this course you will try out lots of different mediums and styles. we will look at the art of influential female artists that have inspired me and we will look at how to choose colour palettes, references and I will give you lots of ideas on how to fill your sketchbooks going forward

we will draw lot's of different subjects

30 days long you will receive a daily video.

Each day we will draw or paint something different. from still lives, florals, animals to imaginary scenes. Everything will come by.

we look at why you want to keep a sketchbook and what the purpose of your sketchbook could be.

Start filing those pages

With a little Help
You can fill a sketchbook too

Explore

What my creatives say

I really enjoyed the 'Fill Your First Sketchbook in 30 Days' on line course with Irene from Makings & Musings. It was very motivating. There were lots of ideas for images to draw and resources for where to find them on line. We learned many new techniques. The videos were really helpful. The live sessions were really well presented and complemented the coursework perfectly. I would highly recommend Irene's on line art courses, both to beginners and more experienced artisits.

"Irene was an excellent teacher and would highly recommend her classes."

Hannah

"Brilliant teacher. I found the class very relaxing and engaging as Irene patiently explained how-to paint. Appreciated the fact that she explains well the technique while also encouraging you and giving you the freedom to add your own touch."

Irina

Very enjoyable course and would definitely recommend.

I enjoy all of the classes and courses at Makings & Musings. I love the live Charcoal Drawing Classes on Sunday evenings, I have learnt so much about drawing with Charcoal in these sessions. I have just completed the Autumn Drawing with coloured pencils course on line. It was excellent and I now feel confident drawing with coloured pencils, using different techniques and different mediums.

Good drawing course.

I learned so much and was introduced to so many techniques that I never tried before . The option to draw along also helps to get going

Yes, I want to start too

What Materials Do I need?

Part of the course is experimenting with different materials. You do not need to have all the materials that I use and feel free to try using other materials if you have these already.

As a minimum I would recommend:

a HB sketch pencil, eraser and sharpener
a ballpoint pen
some colour (pencils, markers, crayons or paint)
a sketchbook with at least 33 empty pages.

If you want to use wet mediums, I would recommend picking a sketchbook that is mixed media or watercolour quality paper.

The course is really meant to inspire you and you may want to start with really simple materials (a pencil and pen) and later on add colour once you have watched some video's.

You can find my favourite art materials in the FAQ

Watch this video for my sketchbook recommendations

Join the course

If you would like to draw as part of a fun and inclusive group, why not check out the Makings & Musings Community.

In the community we draw and paint together twice a month, you will find art tutorials and lots of inspiration.

The community is perfect if you want to experiment with materials, if you are looking for a reason to make time for art and it is the perfect place to share your work in a safe non-judgemental environment!

It is the perfect opportunity to fill more sketchbook pages!

learn more about the community

Hands on approach

I love a no-nonsense approach to art as the best way to learn is by creating.

we start with quick sketches and I invite you to draw along from the start.

My goal is to get you comfortable with drawing as the more you draw, the easier it gets. My hope is that you will carry on sketchbooking after you have completed this course and that I help you finding your own creative voice in the process.

How does it work?

During the course you can see what I do as if you are looking over my shoulder. I explain each step I take and you can see exactly what movements I make.

If you sign up today you will immediately have access to the day one drawing plus all introduction video's. As I do not want to overwhelm you with video's you will get access to a new session every day after for 30 days.

Share your work

after each session I ask you to share your artwork with me, if you do that in the course I am the only person who will see it and I can give feedback if you like.

You can also share your artwork in the discussion group where all course participants can see it. (This may sound scary but it's a great step towards sharing your artwork with the world eventually if that's something you want to do.)