Makings and Musings Community

We are drawing and painting with watercolour pencils! 🎨I will show you how I like to use them – first with a soft watercolour underpainting, and then drawing on top once it has dried.

We will be creating a lovely calm landscape with a little sheep. 🐑It will be beginner-friendly, step by step, and very relaxing.

👉 You can join with watercolour pencils, or simply use coloured pencils. If you like, you can also combine them with a layer of watercolours first.

📍 Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

🕕 6.00–7.30pm UK time (7.00pm CET / 1.00pm ET / 10.00am PT)

I am really looking forward to seeing you tonight!

Update: The clocks in the US have changed to daylight changing time but the clocks here in the UK don't change until the 29th March. If you are joining from the US that means you have to check the time difference as for a few weeks there is an extra hour difference!

https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/

Hello everyone,

A little reminder that our colour pencil class is tonight at 6pm (UK time) on Zoom.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83455631687

Hello lovely creatives,

Just a little reminder that tonight at 6pm we are painting together in our weekly art class.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83455631687

For March our theme is Signs of Spring, and tonight we are starting with a beautiful wet-on-wet watercolour painting in our sketchbooks. This technique is all about working with lots of water and allowing the paint to flow and blend softly on the page. It creates such gentle, dreamy effects.

We will begin by creating a very wet background with a large brush and plenty of water. After drying it with a hairdryer, we will add details on top.

Our subject is a peaceful little scene with a tower or church peeking through cherry blossoms. The cherry blossom tree in my neighbour’s garden is currently hanging over our fence in full bloom, and it inspired this painting. It felt too lovely not to capture in a sketchbook.

we are meeting tonight at 6pm UK time for our final February class under the theme Small and Close.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83455631687

We will be drawing primroses in mixed media, starting with a few gentle sketches together and then moving into a final layered piece. It is going to be playful and relaxed. Please bring a little extra paper, or allow a few extra pages in your sketchbook so you have space to warm up before your final piece.

You can use any materials you enjoy. I will be mixing watercolours, gouache, pencils and a few other bits, and seeing how they work together.

I would love to see you there. 🌼

Just a little reminder that our art class is happening tonight at 6 p.m. UK time, and I am really looking forward to creating with you.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83455631687

We are working on a sketchbook spread inspired by the theme “Small and Close.” I have chosen a winter garden as our reference, and we will slowly zoom in, creating a series of panels that focus on different details that catch our eye. It is such a gentle and playful way to explore a subject more deeply.

We will be using mixed media, so I will have my watercolours, pens, pencils and a few markers to hand. Please bring whatever you enjoy using. We will keep to a limited colour palette to make things feel simpler and more cohesive, and I will show a few examples at the start so you know exactly how we will approach it.

We did panel drawing…

Hello lovely creatives,

Just a reminder that our art class is happening tonight at 6pm UK time on Zoom!

We are painting a cute little frog in a loose, splashy watercolour style – fun, playful, and all about enjoying the process.

This is the zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83455631687

What to have ready:

• Watercolours

Just a little reminder about our class tonight, for our February theme Small and Close.

This is the zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

We are going to draw a puppy up close, and I will be working in coloured pencils on drawing paper. I personally prefer not to use graphite, so I will sketch directly in coloured pencil, but you are absolutely welcome to bring a graphite pencil if that feels easier for you.

We will go through the whole process together, starting with setting up the sketch, taking it nice and slowly, and then gradually building up the colours step by step until we have our puppy on paper. It is a very gentle, relaxed way of working.

I will mainly be focusing on coloured pencils, but as always, you are very welcome to join in with any art materials you enjoy using. There is no pressure to use the same…

We are going to be studying the work of Erin Hansen Tonight.

An American artist who is known for her vibrant, expressive style called open impressionism. Her paintings are full of movement, texture and light, and I absolutely love how alive they feel.

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

https://www.erinhanson.com/portfolio

The artwork we will be using as our reference is her beautiful painting Ruby Beach. We will look at her bold use of colour, her brushstrokes and the way she builds up the scene, and then I will guide you step by step as you create your own study of this piece.

Tonight we are going to draw a still life together, and I am really looking forward to it. I love still life because it has a different atmosphere to landscapes or animals. It feels a little quieter and more focused, but it is also very playful.

We are going to look at colour first and Choose a colour palette together.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

I like to keep my stills loose and a little bit wonky. I enjoy playing with colour and letting things be imperfect. This evening I am planning to work with wax crayons and wax and oil pastels, but you are very welcome to use any materials you enjoy. You can use pencils, paint, pens, or anything else you have nearby.

We will start with a simple sketch and then slowly add colour. I want this session to be about exploring colour, texture, and form, rather than…

Tonight at 6 p.m. UK time we are meeting on Zoom for our art class.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

We are going to paint a quiet wintry night scene, with the borealis in the sky and a little house in the foreground. It is a calm landscape and fits beautifully with our January theme, Winter Quiet.

We will be working in mixed media and playing with colour and materials. I will be using watercolours, and I may also add watercolour markers, coloured pencils, crayons, oil pastels, or wax crayons. I might use a pen or a pencil too. Please bring whatever materials you enjoy using. There is no right or wrong way to join in.

We will paint together from 6 p.m. until around 7.30 p.m.

Hi Everyone,

Tonight we are drawing in colour pencil together.

We will be drawing a cardinal bird sitting on an icy branch.We are staying with our quiet winter theme for January.

I will guide you through the whole drawing in small, simple steps.We will do this together.There is no pressure and no rushing.

Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

Hello lovely ones 🌿

Just a little reminder that our first art class of the year is tonight at 6pm (UK time). I am really looking forward to starting this new creative year with you.

We will be working with watercolours and coloured pencils, creating a quiet winter scene. Nothing detailed or perfect. Just soft layers, calm marks, and space to breathe.

This is the zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

If you have those materials, that is perfect. If not, come anyway and just watch or sketch along with whatever you have to hand. There is no pressure at all.

Hi everyone! 🎨

Just a reminder that we’re painting together tonight! You voted, and watercolours (and mixed media) came out really high, so we’ll be in watercolours tonight with a little colour pencil or other mixed media at the end.

Since it’s our last session before Christmas and New Year, we’re doing a festive reindeer portrait – it’s going to be so much fun!

See you on Zoom at 6pm UK time:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

Irene

Hi Everyone, Next week is the last zoom class of 2025. What would you like to do?

Tonight we paint our final class of November, and I am very excited to end our month of stories with the Storyteller’s Table.

Zoom Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

I have chosen a lovely autumn and early winter scene for us. It has a coffee cup, a pocket watch, glasses, books, autumn leaves, fruit, and a bit of knitwear. We will pick a few details that catch our eye and create a small painting inspired by the picture.

I will work smaller (on A6 or A5 paper) with gouache. If you do not have gouache, you can join in with watercolour or colour pencils. I just want to show how enjoyable and flexible gouache can be. (It is very similar to watercolour but a little bit easier (in my humble opinion).

We start at 6 p.m. UK time and finish around 7.30. I will guide you step by step. Watercolour paper or mixed-media paper both…

Tonight at 6 p.m. UK time we meet on Zoom for our coloured pencil class, and I am very excited for it.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

We will draw a detailed hare together. Our theme this month is stories, and hares have made their way into so many of them. They are often linked with curiosity and quick thinking, and they feel perfect for these November evenings.

You only need drawing paper, coloured pencils of any kind, and a sharpener. We will take our time and build the drawing in slow layers, step by step, so it will feel calm and manageable.

I have fallen in love with coloured pencil all over again, and I am looking forward to sharing this with you. I hope to see you tonight.

Hello my lovely creative friends,

I’m so looking forward to seeing you tonight at 6 p.m. UK time on Zoom for our live art class — Line and Wash: Tales from Around the Fire.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

This evening, we’ll create a cosy little scene inspired by the treasures you might find on a seasonal table — wooden figures, leaves, twigs, tiny houses, and a small pond where a candle might have been. It’s a gentle, storytelling piece that captures that comforting November feeling of warmth and connection.

We’ll start with a pencil sketch, add outlines with a waterproof pen, and then bring it all to life with soft layers of watercolour. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the materials — you can always adapt and use what you have on hand. I’ll guide you through it step by step.

Hello lovely creatives,

As the days grow shorter and the nights longer, I always think of how, through history, these months were a time for sharing stories around the fire. I absolutely love this tradition, and this month we’re celebrating it through our art.

Tonight we’re starting with Folk Tales and Forest Magic. We’ll be painting a misty forest in watercolours, and at the end, I’ll add a little red fox in gouache or coloured pencil to bring a pop of character to the scene.

This is the zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

Here’s what you’ll need for tonight’s session:

My apologies, I just realised that the sound did not record. I am looking into why that is and I am sorry if you were planning to watch the recording. I will leave the video up in case someone wants to watch it anyway.

In this cosy drawing session, I invite you to join me for a relaxed evening of coloured pencil drawing. We’ll create a glowing pumpkin design together, exploring how beautifully coloured pencils can shine on black paper. I’ll show you my step-by-step process — from building soft layers of colour to adding highlights and depth — so your pumpkin comes to life with rich contrast and warmth.

You can work along with me on black paper if you have it, or on white paper if that’s what you prefer. I’ll talk through how each surface gives a different result.

It’s all about experimenting, enjoying the process, and…

Hello everyone,

Tonight we’re drawing with colour pencils.

I’ll be creating jack-o-lanterns on black paper, to show how beautifully vibrant colour pencils can look on a dark background.

You don’t need anything special — any ordinary colour pencils will do.

We’ll just need a bit of yellow and orange for our pumpkins.

If you don’t have black paper, no problem at all — white paper works perfectly too.

Join me tonight at 6 p.m. (UK time) on Zoom for a relaxing, colourful session.We’re going to draw a beautiful sunset in oil pastels — full of creamy blends and glowing colours.

Bring your oil pastels, a pencil for your silhouette, and a bit of kitchen roll, tissue paper, or cotton wool to blend your pastels.

If you don’t have oil pastels, don’t worry — you can join in with soft pastels, coloured pencils, or even watercolours.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

It’s a beginner-friendly class, and it’s all about enjoying the process and creating something bright and joyful together.

Hi everyone,

I just want to let you know that the class this week will go ahead as scheduled without changes.

I’m travelling back to Holland this week so I will host my class from location.

I’ll share the zoom link again before the class.

Irene

I just want to welcome the new people who joined the community in the last few days. Welcome everyone!

Please don't hesitate to introduce yourself, share pictures of your creations, ask questions, join the Thursday zoom classes and watch the recordings. Let me know if you cannot find something, I am here to help!

We are painting a landscape in mixed media tomorrow, I will work small (A5 or A6) and start with a pencil sketch, then waterproof ink and then use watercolour and colour pencil for colour and details.

This is the zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

See you tomorrow,

Irene

We will create a glowing candle and play with warm and cool colours. The background will be wet-on-wet, so expect soft blends, and we will explore the magic of light and dark.

This is our first October live session and the theme for this month is light and dark. We begin at 6 p.m. UK time on Zoom.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

You will need:

• A sketchbook or loose watercolour paper

We will create a glowing candle and play with warm and cool colours. The background will be wet-on-wet, so expect soft blends, and we will explore the magic of light and dark.

This is our first October live session and the theme for this month is light and dark. We begin at 6 p.m. UK time on Zoom.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

You will need:

• A sketchbook or loose watercolour paper

Hi everyone, we are painting in line and wash tomorrow. In line and wash we combine waterproof ink (line) with watercolours (wash) and it’s the best of both worlds. Line for details, wash for those loose watercolour textures.

This is our reference photo:

https://unsplash.com/photos/a-blue-tractor-parked-next-to-a-pile-of-wood-qJbIw0FFQX8?utm_source=unsplash&utm_campaign=unsplash-ios&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=view-photo-on-unsplash

And this is the zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

See you there at 6pm UK time

Irene

Hi everyone, I just want to remind you that this weeks class is taking place tonight.

If you cannot make it the recording will be available tomorrow morning.

We are drawing in colour pencils.

Any colour pencils work and make sure you don't draw too large as colour pencils take a bit more time than paint.

This is the zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

Hello everyone,

Tonight at 6 p.m. UK time we are painting colourful harvest treasures together on Zoom. We will create a loose and joyful autumn spread of fruit and vegetables in our sketchbooks. This is going to be a playful and fairly quick practice, and we might even fill more than one page.

We will explore how much water we use in our painting and try both wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry techniques. The colours will flow and dance across the paper as we let them mix and merge.

📅 Time zones:

• 6:00 p.m. UK (BST)*

  
  

🖌️ Materials to bring:

Hi everyone,

We are about to start painting together at six o’clock UK time, so in a little less than an hour. Sorry this reminder is a little late today—the day has gotten away from me with computer crashes and lots of other things happening.

I am really looking forward to painting with you. For me, just like for you, this is a mindful moment in the day.

Today we are painting mixed media sunflowers. Because it is mixed media, you can bring any art materials you enjoy. Do make sure you have some bright yellows and oranges, as we want to capture the sunny, vibrant colours of these flowers.

I will be using watercolours, paint markers, crayons, coloured pencils, and maybe even a fineliner. Feel free to bring what you like.

Here is the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

Hello everyone,

I am back from my honeymoon and I am so excited to paint with you tonight!

We are meeting at 6pm (UK time) on Zoom for our koi carp in watercolours class. This is a lovely, beginner-friendly session where we will explore watercolour techniques, rippling water, and the gentle movement of the fish.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

Reference photo:

https://unsplash.com/photos/a-fish-that-is-swimming-in-the-water-gIYwREUlqR4

Hi everyone! How are you feeling today?

Last Thursday, we had a Zoom session on how to build a travel journal using

visual thinking.

As promised, here we go with the Visual Dictionary - just an idea, you can build your own later - and my Pinterest board with some other inspirations :)

As soon as Irene is back, we will upload the video here. I had to re-record it, so the new version is better than the live version ;)

See you soon!

Hello everyone!

Today is the day! I will be waiting for you in the Zoom room :) Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

6pm UK time ;) see you, bel x

Hi everyone! 

I am Bel, the guest teacher for this week's class!

I am looking forward to meeting you all this Thursday. 

We will create travel journals. The objective is to keep records and memories beyond just photos. 

A quick reminder about the materials that I suggest you use: 

• One sketchbook/notebook with a sturdy cover, or any loose paper (small or large) that you have at home;

I am sorry for my late responses to peoples lovely posts, I am getting married this week and it is taking over my life a little. I am seeing everyones posts and very much enjoying them but responding slower than usual!

I will pick a winner for the July giveaway when I am back from my honeymoon so please keep sharing your creations! I love seeing them and I know the others do too! remember we have a guest teacher next week. The lovely Bel is teaching us how she uses her travel journal to collect memories in a more mindful way. Please show her some love this week and I will be watching the recording myself when I am back from my honeymoon.

X Irene

Hello lovely creatives,

Tonight’s live class is going to be a joyful, relaxing one. We’ll be drawing a vibrant sunset over a lavender field using oil pastel crayons.

Think warm skies, glowing colours and peaceful purple fields – the perfect midsummer scene!

I’ll guide you through it step by step, so it’s very beginner-friendly and calming.

🕕 Time: 6–7.30pm (UK time)📍

Where: On Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

In tonight’s Zoom class, we are going to create a travel map.

This will be an imaginary map, and we’ll take inspiration from one of the following themes—or you can choose something entirely your own:

• a meaningful journey

• your life story

• a place from your childhood

• a wellness landscape

Hello lovely creative community,

I wanted to share a little plan for the next few weeks as I prepare for my wedding and take a short break.

July:

This Thursday, I’ll be guiding you through the fun process of drawing an imaginary map.

The following Thursday, we’ll get creative with oil pastels.

After that, I’ll be taking a short break, but don’t worry—I’ll add an extra recording for you to watch at your own pace in the community.

In tomorrow’s community live session, we are going to create a painting inspired by places and spaces.

The place I have chosen is space—outer space, to be exact. I thought it would be wonderful to use our watercolours to make an abstract painting of space.

This is the zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84300217173

We will be working with deep blues and purples, and I am planning to embellish my painting a little using some gold and silver.

We are mostly using watercolours, but if you have any metallic pens or black fineliners that you would like to use for extra details, please do bring them along.

This evening we are meeting for our weekly Zoom art class, and I have something really fun planned for you.

Our July theme is “Spaces and Places – Places and Spaces”, and tonight we’ll be creating a mixed media travel page inspired by a truly magical place – a fairytale castle in Sintra, Portugal.

The colours are so vibrant and joyful, it looks like it’s been pulled straight from a storybook!

We’ll start with a layer of watercolours, then build up with colour pencils, pens, and maybe a few touches of felt tips or markers to bring it all to life. We will start super messy and slowly add details.

You do not need the exact same materials as me – just make sure you have something for larger areas of colour (like watercolour or soft pencils) and something for finer details on top (pens, markers, or coloured pencils).

📍Live session: 6.00–7.30…

What We’re Drawing Tonight (6:00–7:30pm UK Time*)

Hi Everyone,

Join me this evening for a calm and creative live session, where we’ll be drawing a lovely summery scene with raindrops and a cheerful little ladybug. It’s going to be a soft, reflective image and a very relaxing process.

These are the reference photos:

https://unsplash.com/photos/close-up-photo-of-ladybird-perching-on-stem-covered-with-water-droplet-igQx3ETkKZY

Hello All, is there a zoom link for tonight’s zoom please as I can’t find the link ?

Hello lovely creatives,

Just a little reminder that we are painting together in watercolours tonight! We’ll be creating a wild, springtime garden filled with dandelions – a joyful, loose and flowy piece using the wet-on-wet technique.

We’ll be blending bright, cheerful colours and letting the water do some of the magic. So bring your mop brushes, round brushes, and good watercolour paper (something that can handle a good amount of water). If you have a hair dryer or heat gun handy, that’s a great help for drying between layers.

This is the reference photo for tonight: https://unsplash.com/photos/close-up-of-green-summer-meadow-at-sunset-full-of-dandelions-nature-background-nCNx4ssGHA8

I’ll be using my usual set-up: watercolour paints, paper, brushes, and a hair dryer. Think fresh spring colours and playful brushstrokes – this session is all about relaxing and enjoying the process.

We start at 6:00pm UK time and paint until about 7:30pm.

Join in using charcoals.

#event #class

we are drawing this tiger in colour pencils - make sure to register for your zoom link!

Hi everyone,

I am looking forward to seeing you at the live session tomorrow.

Remember to RSVP (link underneath) as you will need the link emailed to you to join the session.

we will be drawing in our sketchbooks in colour pencils tomorrow. I might also use some felt-tip pens or oil pastels but my main material will be colouring pencils.

We will draw some quick sketches together and the session will approx be one hour long.

Hi everyone,

I have decided to host the live sessions in a slightly, more interactive format going forward and this does change how you join them.

Going forward you will need to RSVP to the live session you would like to join and you will be emailed a link to the session.

The session will take place online, in a virtual classroom on Makings & Musings.

the recordings will still be available to watch back in the community classes section after.

These are the sessions for April: