The Coloured Pencil Chronicles | Chapter Six | June

Would you believe we’re already halfway through 2022 already? Another month has whizzed by and it’s time for the next instalment of the Coloured Pencil Chronicles. Yet again, it’s been a very busy month, and I have a feeling that next month will be just the same! 

A New Coloured Pencil Challenge

Well, I kicked the month off with a new addition to my series of free challenges, and this time, it’s the 30 Minute Cat’s Ear Challenge. It’s another simple tutorial which is perfect for beginners, and it teaches you how to create realistic fur without any stress and without spending hour after hour drawing every little hair. I only used seven pencils to draw the ear, so it’s great for anyone who hasn’t got a huge collection of coloured pencils, and I show you how to use the indenting technique, which is perfect for creating more realistic drawings. 

If you feel like giving the challenge a try, you can sign up for free here. 

A One Day Workshop

I’ve also brought out my first One Day Workshop, which will be running in August. I’m hoping to start running these every couple of months or so, and this first one will teach you how to layer your coloured pencils, which is another important technique if you’re looking to draw more life-like animals. It’s going to be a fabulous day. We’ll all be drawing a horse’s hair and ears together, and there’ll be time to ask me any questions and to have a bit of a chat as we draw. I’m so looking forward to it. 

If you’d like to join me on the day, you can find out more and save your place here.

A New Beginners’ Course

This is something I’ve been planning for quite a while now, and I’m so glad that I can finally share some details with you! I’m launching a new course, specifically created for beginners, at the beginning of July, and I’ve been working hard for a few weeks creating tutorials and putting everything together. 

It’s going to be perfect for beginners, whether you’re new to coloured pencils, or you’ve never picked one up before but you’re looking for a creative outlet that can bring you joy, a boost in confidence, and open the door to an amazing community of likeminded people. 

I’ll be announcing the launch on my social media feeds and in my weekly newsletter, so make sure you’re following me there. 

My Latest Drawing

I took on a bit of a challenge this month when I decided to draw a human instead of an animal for a change and, I have to say, I have really enjoyed the process. It’s not the first time I’ve drawn a person, but it was lovely to try something a bit different and I ended up being really proud of what I’d drawn. I’ve never been all that interested in drawing people before, but this one really changed my mind. I’m so glad I decided to push myself to finish this one; it’s made me fall in love with drawing all over again! 

I’m hoping to bring out another One Day Workshop in the future that focuses on drawing people, so, if that’s something you’d be interested in, make sure you’re checking my weekly newsletter! 

Academy Planning

It’s not long to go before the Academy reopens in September! That might sound like it’s still quite far away, but, as you’ll know, time really does fly by! I’m busy with lots of planning meetings, organising a few live events in the run-up to the doors opening, and my team and I are working hard on all of the jobs that go on behind the scenes. 

If you’d like to join the Academy when the doors open in September, make sure you’ve signed up to my waitlist. As I say, there are exciting live events planned in that you won’t want to miss out on! You can sign up here.

Now, roll on July! I already know it’s going to be a fabulous month, as I’m going to be leaving my studio for four days next week and heading out on my Coloured Pencil Retreat! You won’t believe how excited I am. I’ll see you back here in a month’s time, where you can hear all about it, or make sure you’re following me on social media if you can’t wait that long!