Watering the plants in my studio (and drawing them) before going to Paris, where I will do-teach the workshop “Paris Sketchbook”

Have you heard of habit stacking? It’s pairing something you do already with something you want to do more. I like stacking coffee + sketching. This morning I drew with a grey brushpen while having coffee with my husband and a friend visiting for the week. An idea for your #inktober project?

Welcome to Draw Tip Tuesday! Sketchbook tour of a sketchbook in black and white only, no color at all! Limiting my tools taught me so much about value, contrast, and texture. In today's sketchbook tour on YouTube, I share what I learned and why you might want to try it too. youtu.be/CYNmHw1CBQ4

Studio days with a friend means accountability + progress. She works on her project, I on mine. Coffee, tea, breaks, and before we know it, boxes are checked. I sketched this during breaks: lines first, details later, color in the last pause.

Happy to be home again. And to be reunited with the man who is always a willing subject to be sketched (even if he doesn’t know he’s being spied on while he’s deeply focused in a game) Also: a fresh, new sketchbook! Materials used: -Hahnemühle watercolor book, size A5 -Pentel pocket brush pen

Funny how something so familiar can turn into a real challenge when you start drawing it. Great practice, and fun too. Soon I’ll trade this view for Spain, where I’ll be teaching another workshop! Take a workshop with me too! Check out koosjekoene.com/workshops

Everyday things turn into patterns when you look again (and again)

Great art exhibition in Museum Arnhem, coffee (in their fantastic sculpture garden), conversations, snacks and sketching with two dear friends. This sketchbook page is holding a precious memory of a special trip.

Today I had a coffee-and-sketchdate at a coffee shop with about 60 people! OK, it was on Zoom but it definitely felt like we all hung out and were about to order a pastry or cookie with our virtual cappuccinos! Join me in the next session: www.eventbrite.com/cc/online-wo...

September is #selfietember, the perfect excuse to practice self portraits. Drawing yourself is a fantastic way to improve observation skills, notice new details, and build confidence. It’s also fun to play with different views! It stretches your skills and keeps your sketchbook dynamic.

Drawing in the late august sun, along with sketching friends, coffee and good conversation. Without knowing where or what I would be drawing later, I prepared the spread at home with Quinacridone gold watercolor wash, and outlined it with ink.

I’m dog sitting this morning - great opportunity for cuddles and sketching!

Lunch and sketch break Materials: -Hahnemühle Nostalgie sketchbook, A4 -Sailor Fude fountain pen (55° nib) with Platinum Carbon Black ink -Faber-Castell watersoluble pencil, black #lifeisbetterwhenyoudrawit #everythingisinterestingwhenyoudrawit #drawingmeditation #sketchbook #urbansketch

Earlier this week, I spent an afternoon in Utrecht with my inspiring friend @ellenvesters (founder of @vensteracademy, new semester starting soon; you can still apply!). No plan but drawing. She suggested @theaterfestivaldeparade Great vibes, good talks, and sketching until it got too dark to see.

Welcome to Draw Tip Tuesday! Drawing something tricky? Try focusing on the shapes around it. In this sketch I used negative space to draw a bicycle, and it totally changed the way I saw it. Materials: fineliner, watercolor, colored pencil. 👉 youtu.be/9oWot74Lrto

Today’s color palette: green. I can’t believe how fast I am going through this sketchbook - just a few pages left and I still haven’t grabbed for my go-to watercolors. I better start getting back into it, otherwise I’ll be out of practice when teaching in Spain on the @_thebluewalk trip!

I went into town with just a few tools, so today’s page turned into a yellow/ochre study. And look at that… My coffee showed up in the same sunny yellow! Sketching in Amersfoort before heading to the museum with a friend felt extra golden.

Just a little virtual stroll at MontMartre in Paris, because I feel excited about the Paris Sketchbook workshop I will be teaching in October. You can still sign up: www.originalimpulse.com/paris-sketch...

Seeing all the posts by people at the Urban Sketching Symposium gave me a little FOMO. A day in Rotterdam with my artsy friend Zeynep, with good talks, tasty food, and sketching together, cured me of it. What can you do this week to spark creative connections close to home?

If you’ve been seeing me posting my drawings here lately, you may have noticed that I’ enjoying watersoluble tools. I used to think I didn’t like watercolor pencils, but combined with other materials, and in a minimal palette, I actually love the versatility!

Welcome to Draw Tip Tuesday! I let go of a sketchbook project I thought I had to finish. Turns out, closing the book can open new doors. Sometimes letting go is how you grow. Watch the video here: youtu.be/F3iSwuk5KuE

Took a quick coffee break to sketch with just pen and watersoluble pencil. The figure’s a bit of a giant, but I love his posture. And that white space feels just right, it gives the drawing breathing space. Still, maybe I’ll add a date or street name later in the right hand side corner.

Celebrating the weekend by hanging out with my drawing pals. Lots of chatting, laughing, and drawing together. Finally today the temperatures dropped from insanely hot to “should we sit inside or outside?”

Feeling stuck with your sketchbook? On Patreon today: my go-to trick for starting when you’re blocked, examples from famous & modern artists, a 10-minute assignment, and daily prompts for the rest of August. Join me there👉 www.patreon.com/posts/136233...

These are the pages I filled during my live online Mini-Workshop yesterday. We explored using black and white only, and how taking out color changes how you take deliberate decisions in the process. Don’t miss next session, September 3! 👉 www.eventbrite.com/e/1451892532...

With a handful of tools, I tried capturing the landscape alongside the train tracks, where I took a Sunday Stroll The sketchbook is a Strathmore Mixed Media art journal 500 series. The tools I used are in the last photo. #lifeisbetterwhenyoudrawit

Sketching in town. Materials used: -Strathmore Mixed Media art journal 500 series -Sailor Fude fountain pen (55° nib) with Platinum Carbon Black ink -Tombow ABT water-based marker -Neocolor II aquarelle crayon -Derwent Inktense colored pencils, green

Vacation vibes on a Friday! Drew this over lunch with a dear friend, soaking in the joy of being together. Still skipping watercolors, I used Tombow markers, crayon, and my fountain pen in a Strathmore sketchbook. Just playing and enjoying the moment.

If it’s a slow-start kind of day… there’s always something to draw. You don’t need a big idea. Just a moment, your sketchbook and a pen. Everything becomes interesting as soon as you start drawing it. I thought to just give you a gentle reminder of it. #lifeisbetterwhenyoudrawit

A little sketchbook expedition into town, still with black and white only.

Tried drawing cats while watching a fun session by @londondrawinggroup + @emmacarlisle_. Some look like cats… others like seals or owls. Still, I had fun! Not every page is great, but that’s how we learn. Make the mess. Keep going. #embracethewonkiness #sketchbookpractice

Sometimes a free model appears and it’s your cue to draw! This guy prepped his SUP board in the sun: shirt off, sunscreen on, pump going. It took a while, so I took the opportunity and sketched him. When I left, he was still on the phone… I still wonder if he ever hit the water

A busy day, a busy mind… Sometimes all it takes is a stroll, a moment to pause, a fresh drink, and a fresh sketchbook page. That little drawing break helped me reset and feel ready for the rest of the day. Maybe you need a moment like that too? Just a few lines can make a big difference.

On a sketch date with dad! Sitting side by side at the canal in Amsterdam, my father and I are perfectly happy drawing what’s in front of us. I love spending some one-on-one time with my dad, doing what brings us joy: drawing!

Starting a new sketchbook? Don’t let the blank page stop you.Try drawing your own hand as it draws. It’ll be a bit wonky, but that’ll be fun! This week’s Draw Tip Tuesday is about quieting the inner critic and just getting started. Watch it here: youtu.be/3o7trQLS0zY

People often think I don’t like pencil. Not true. I love it! I even have one tattooed on my leg. What I don’t love is the eraser. It makes you focus on “fixing mistakes” instead of the fun. Ditch it, embrace the wonkiness, and just have fun hatching and layering. Play! #sketchbookpractice

While drawing people on the train, I noticed we were all wearing sunglasses (including me). My sketchbook makes me notice small things, which brings me joy. When you draw, you really start looking, and when you start looking, you’re seeing so much more.

I started drawing in black and white to focus on values. I filled half a sketchbook and surprisingly, I don’t miss color. Contrast, hatching, and grey washes do the trick. For now, I’m loving the simplicity and creative challenge of a minimal, no-color sketch kit

Drawings often look confident and intentional, like the artist knew exactly what they were doing. But truth is, every drawing is a process. Today’s: I drew banjo man, added a suitcase for context, then a textured “sound” background with watersoluble pencil. No plan, just curiosity. It worked out!

Wednesday all afternoon play date with my sketch gals. Good coffee, great food, more coffee and lots of art supplies and chatting.

And so it ends, a week in insanely gorgeous Switzerland. I’m not done yet with my black-and-white challenge, so I’ll continue learning and discovering at home.

Today’s drawing was a quick one during a break while hiking up the mountain. Sometimes it’s all you manage, when traveling. Still worth putting the sketchbook in my day pack! I may or may not add some writing.

Another vacay day in Switzerland. After yesterday’s hike, today was for slowing down: a trip to Sankt Gallen. A big and beautiful lunch on a terrace in the shade, from where I also drew the street view. We traveled by train today. I drew people on the way. Way easier than those tricky landscapes!

Today was wunderschön. An all day hike in the Swiss alps, with family. Challenging paths and the most stunning views. During lunch (an amazing buttery crispy rösti and salad), I sketched. I am still practicing capturing landscapes, and kind of pleased with this one.

When you set a challenge, be ready for it to challenge you back! In Switzerland, I worked in black and white to study values. One drawing with a fat-nib pen (not a great succes), one with a soft pencil. So different! I learned a lot, especially about choosing the right tool for the job.

On vacation in Switzerland! Here’s today’s drawing from high up a mountain. Then 3 other drawings from yesterday. During breakfast in Heidelberg, Germany, then a walk to the castle there, and the view from the car. I took a minimal kit. A small A6 sketchbook, and tools for black and white drawing.

Welcome to Draw Tip Tuesday! I had 10 minutes and sketched my coffee twice: once with line, once with color. Quick, loose, and fun. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about enjoying the process. Watch here: youtu.be/tNKdWChVfCw #DrawTipTuesday #SketchYourDrink

Wonky and shaky lines on the German Autobahn, using only ink and some graphite. Materials used: -Hahnemühle Nostalgie sketchbook, size A6 -Pentel Pocket Brushpen -Sailor Fude fountain pen (55° nib) -Faber-Castell graphite aquarelle pencil

Happy Friday! I’m celebrating an early start of the weekend this afternoon by sipping coldbrew while drawing the view in sunny Amersfoort. How will you celebrate the weekend? #lifeisbetterwhenyoudrawit #urbansketchers #urbansketch #drawingonlocation #sketchbookpractice #caffeinatedartist

A quick sketch of medieval gate Monnikendam in Amersfoort. Probably 10 minutes max. I made this drawing as I was being photographed because I need new photos for my website. I was a little distracted by that 😂, but could be capture in my natural habitat and favorite activity, instead of posing.