Blog
A Letter from the Atlantic Coast
When I step out of the car, the sea air surrounds me. My body softens, and I’m filled with a warm, fuzzy feeling. I’ve returned to Portugal, and the light has waited for me. I go to the beach and wade into the ocean. I watch the surfers play and set out a plan to take a beginner’s surf lesson, inviting myself to step out of my comfort zone.
What It’s Like to Begin
The creative process often involves setting an intention without knowing the exact outcome. We might know that we want to make a drawing (or a painting, a photograph, a poem, a piece of music, or something else), but we’re not sure exactly what it will look like, feel like, or sound like when it’s finished. We can begin with an idea, a color, a shape, or a rhythm, and see where it takes us.
Curious, Imperfect, Alive
Life is full. I’m writing to you from my desk near an open window overlooking Lisbon. The sky is the softest blue. The breeze is sweet and warm. I can hear a gentle mix of voices and nature, punctuated with the sounds of a city that likes to take it slow.
Join Experimental Drawing
Experimental Drawing is a 4-week course exploring unconventional approaches to mark-making. Over 28 days, receive daily drawing prompts to stretch your idea of what drawing can be. It’s a space to be curious, imperfect, and alive.
Why Drawing is Important In The Digital Age
AI images are easy to create, so why would anyone still pick up a pencil and struggle through the messy, imperfect process of drawing by hand?
Drawing with Confidence: Start Here
Develop your drawing skills through playful exercises and thoughtful experimentation. Overcome barriers to self-expression and embrace the joy of mark making.
Drawing with Confidence, Part 1: Approaching the Blank Page
Stop hesitating and make your mark
Drawing with Confidence, Part 2: The Language of Line
A single line can become an expressive journey
Drawing with Confidence, Part 3: Observational Drawing Fundamentals
Learn to see shapes rather than objects—a critical perceptual shift
Drawing with Confidence, Part 4: Negative Space Drawing Techniques
Use negative space to improve accuracy and composition
Drawing with Confidence, Part 5: Breaking Down Complex Subjects into Basic Forms
Simplify what you see into geometric forms
Drawing with Confidence, Part 6: Understanding Value Scales and Contrast
Create depth and dimension through light and shadow
Drawing with Confidence, Part 7: Techniques for Rendering Textures
Bring drawings to life through textural variation
Drawing with Confidence, Part 8: Expressing Mood Through Mark-Making
Move beyond technical skills to emotional expression