Makings and Musings Community

Hi everyone,

I have just uploaded the recording from last night's urban sketching class to the library. It is the first video under the Line & Wash Header Here

I thought it was such a fun session. I absolutely love urban sketching, and if you are watching the recording later and joining in at your own pace, I just want to remind you that your lines do not need to be perfect. They do not need to be straight. The whole point is simply to enjoy the moment, notice what catches your eye, and quickly put it down on paper.

There are so many different styles of urban sketching. Some people enjoy working in a very meticulous and precise way, but for me it is all about messy lines, quick splashes of colour, and capturing the feeling of being somewhere rather than creating a perfectly accurate representation of what I…

I think I made the skin too dark. The skin was darker than the shoes in the photo, but…I do like the pink colored pencil over the ink on the slippers.

Trouble with the hand lol

Hello everyone,

The recording of our Line and Wash Eagle class is now available in the library for you to watch back anytime.

It is the first video in the Line & Wash Category - You can find it here

I have to admit, before the session I was slightly worried that this topic might feel a little bit too difficult or intimidating because animals can sometimes be quite challenging to draw. And yes, I think it did push some of you outside your comfort zone a little bit… but clearly I was wrong to worry because you all did brilliantly.

I absolutely loved seeing your eagles appear here in the community group this morning. They all looked so different and full of personality, and honestly, that is one of my favourite things about teaching these sessions. I really love it when you share your artwork in the group because…

Such a lovely class this week, thank you to everyone who joined me. We explored a gentle line and wash technique using ink and watercolour, drawing these beautifully patterned pangolins.

You can watch the recording in the Classes Library - This one is the first one in the Line and Wash category.

Line and Wash is a wonderful balance between drawing and painting, giving you a bit more structure while still allowing the colours to flow. It felt especially nice for those easing into watercolour.

I really enjoyed seeing all your different interpretations. Every pangolin had its own personality, from delicate scales to bold colour choices, and it was such a joy to watch them come to life.

If you are catching up with the recording, take it slowly and enjoy the process. There is no need to rush.

In this session we created a cosy little village in line and wash. I guided you through the process from the very first ink lines to the final touches of snow and glow. We worked from a simple seasonal display photo, and I showed you how you can turn an ordinary scene into a magical winter moment.

I walked you through the waterproof pens I love to use and how you can get lovely results without needing anything fancy. We talked about choosing the right paper, how to keep your ink safe once you add water, and how to build your picture in simple steps. You started with gentle shapes, then added more depth, texture, bricks, cracks and little surprises. I shared some inspiration from the German illustrator Gabrielle Carasusan and we had a look at her charming villages and her circular backgrounds. https://www.carasusan.art/pages/watercolor-illustration

You then added colour with watercolours.…

Join me for a relaxed and playful Watercolour and Ink Drawing Class, where I’ll guide you through the line and wash technique.

Watch here: Apologies, the video is a little blurry

I’ll guide you through the line and wash technique. Together, we’ll explore drawing with ink first, then adding layers of watercolour to bring your artwork to life. In this session, we’ll focus on a Harvest-themed tractor drawing, adding charming details like birds, flowers, and even a goose to make your piece whimsical and full of character.

I’ll show you how to use different pen sizes, experiment with wobbly and straight lines, and layer watercolour in a way that is both precise and free-spirited. We’ll also cover tips for creating depth, adding shadows, and leaving white space to enhance your painting. Most importantly, I’ll encourage you to make the drawing your own, adding personal touches and playful details along the…

In this class, I will guide you in drawing your own personal map. Together, we explore how to turn your experiences, memories, and dreams into a beautiful and imaginative artwork. You will learn simple drawing techniques that help you shape islands, forests, mountains, and other landmarks—each one representing something meaningful in your life.

Watch Here:

You can follow along with me, or you can make the map truly your own by adding symbols and stories that matter to you.

I created five themes to help get you started:

• A meaningful journey

In last night’s art class, we created a mixed media landscape of the colourful castle in Sintra, Portugal. It was a slightly more challenging piece than usual—but such fun to explore! We started with big, loose blobs of watercolour and slowly built up the painting with layers of detail using mixed media.

Watch the recording here:

You can add whatever you have—coloured pencils, pens, markers, crayons, or fineliners.

After the live session, I looked at my painting and felt it needed a little more work, so I finished it this morning and filmed that part too. I’ve added that second video here for you.

I finished the painting this morning in another 45 minutes:

Sketch notes, or visual note taking is a fun way of recording your thoughts.

In this class I will introduce you to the basics. How to organise your page, the basic shapes to use for any drawing and we are sketchnoting a route we regularly walk or run.

Watch yesterdays live session back now and sketch along!

This is the pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/makingsandmusings/pins/

Today, I invite you to get creative with spring florals.

I created a video tutorial that shows step by step how I create these spring florals in watercolour markers.

This design makes a great postcard!

I am super curious to hear what you think of this drawing exercise and I would love to see your creations. Make sure to upload some pictures of your drawings in the creative community gallery.

Inktober is probably the largest art challenge going around on the internet at the moment.

Last year I participated and I wrote a blog post about it: https://www.makingsandmusings.com/post/inktober-2021

You can watch my finished pieces here: https://youtu.be/ifOwO1yvtFQ

Inktober is a lot of fun and I will likely join again in 2022. Let me know if you will be participating with me!

#artchallenge