Have you ever wondered if there’s a better way to add lettering to a sketchbook page than simply drawing it directly on the paper? Sometimes we aren’t sure exactly what style we want to use or what size we need to fit in a particular spot. So we sketch a title or a phrase, then […]
Find the Perfect Lettering Style for Your Sketchbook Page
Hand lettering can add so much to a sketchbook page… It can personalize your sketches and make them more interesting, meaningful, and graphically pleasing. You can change the mood of a page from serious to playful with just a few strokes of the pen. You probably use your natural printing or handwriting for the […]
ArtWalk Greece
You’ve seen the pictures…brilliant sunlight reflecting off whitewashed walls… blue dome roofs echoing the color of a cobalt blue sky… crystal clear water…. soaring mountains… and spectacular pink and orange sunsets over the Aegean Sea… Now put yourself in the picture! During my October sketching trip to the Greek Isles you’ll be bowled over by […]
Step-by-Step Watercolor: The Modern Illuminated Manuscript
I made a decision several months ago to give up the commission side of my art business. As my calendar had filled with teaching engagements and trips to far-flung places, it became more and more difficult to find time to squeeze in the labor-intensive custom artwork. But when my friend Mary approached me a few […]
Painting Lavender at Summerhill
It was a cold, dreary day with occasional rain showers and blustery wind here in western Pennsylvania on Thursday, but that didn’t stop my Summerhill Sketchers from gathering for a class on painting lavender fields. I’ve been working on the lessons for my workshop in Provence in June, and I thought I’d try this one […]
Casa Romantica Step-by-Step
One of the assignments I gave the students during my “Sketching on Location” workshop in San Clemente last month was to look for a view that was framed by something, like an arch, columns, or trees. Dutiful teacher that I am, I decided to set an example by sketching the view through the arches on […]
Sketching on Location at Casa Romantica
The second day of my “Sketching on Location” workshop took us to Casa Romantica in San Clemente. This beautiful place was built in 1927 as the home of the founder of San Clemente, Ole Hanson. It’s now a public garden and cultural center, and we were lucky enough to spend the day there painting together. […]
Sketching on Location at the Casino – Part II
As promised, here’s the last sketch I did during our day of sketching on location at Casino San Clemente… Ink & watercolor, 10×7 Handbook Field Watercolor Journal I used a composite page layout. This is a great way to squeeze in a lot of information about a place on one page, so it’s perfect for […]
Sketching on Location at the Casino – Part 1
After I finished up my “Sketch It Now” workshop in San Clemente, I launched right into “Sketching on Location” the next day. I started out the first morning with a little pep talk in the classroom. Or maybe I should call it a “prep talk” since the idea was to give everyone some practical ways […]
A Million and Counting!
I realized with a shock this morning that I’ve had over a million page views on my blog since I started it way back in June of 2010 with this blog post. So much has changed in my life since then! One of the first sketches I posted on The Everyday Artist Seven years ago […]