Frequently Asked Questions

I have 16+ self-paced courses at makingsandmusings.com/courses, with new ones added throughout the year. Prices range from £19 for short masterclasses to £139 for larger, in-depth courses, with most between £25-£90. Popular right now include Wobbly Fantasy Houses (£49, my most popular beginner course) and Paint Pen Patterns (£25, newest release). Check the site for current pricing and offers, as these change.

Yes! When you buy a course, you have unlimited lifetime access. You can watch the videos as many times as you want, on your own schedule, at your own pace.

My courses cover a range of mediums, including watercolour, coloured pencil, charcoal, ink and wash, and mixed media, organised into six categories so you can find whatever suits how you want to create. Most are beginner-friendly and build your confidence step by step, while a few go a little deeper into technique for people with some experience already. I create these courses because I believe you don't need to be good at art to start, you just need to begin. I trained in law and spent nine years in medical law and hospital risk management before leaving that career to become a full-time artist. Coming back to creativity later in life taught me how much it can offer, especially as a form of mindfulness and self-expression, and I want to make that feel accessible to anyone, however busy or unsure about their own creativity they might feel.

Each course lists the materials used, and I always teach in a way that lets you substitute with what you already own, the focus is on technique and confidence, not specific products. Sketchbook Circle members get 20% off all courses, with the discount code available inside the private community group.

Every face is different, and there's something endlessly fascinating about capturing a specific expression. Portrait courses use coloured pencil, charcoal, or a mix, depending on the course. For charcoal work, I use a mix of willow charcoal and compressed charcoal, often combined with coloured pencil, and I rely on a Tombow Mono eraser a lot for lifting highlights. This is not an exclusive list, just what I personally reach for. Every course page lists the exact materials used, and I always encourage using what you already have first before buying anything new.

There's something grounding about observing the natural world. Animal courses use gouache for bold, colourful studies, or marker and coloured pencil for more detailed work. Every course page lists the exact materials used, and I always teach in a way that lets you substitute with what you already own.

Not everything needs to be a direct copy of reality. I love the balance between observation and imagination in landscape work. These courses use watercolour, sometimes combined with gouache. Every course page lists the exact materials used, and I always teach in a way that lets you substitute with what you already own.