Free tips for artists

Cream-coloured fur can be one of the trickiest things you’ll ever draw. At first glance it looks simple enough, but when you really start looking, you realise it’s anything but! Is it yellow? Beige? Pink? Grey? Sometimes it feels like it’s all of those colours at once. It’s one of the questions I’m asked most […]

One of the biggest turning points in my coloured pencil journey wasn’t buying more pencils. It was learning how the colours I already owned worked together. Once you understand colour relationships, choosing colours becomes much more intuitive. Instead of relying on someone else’s pencil list, you start making your own decisions with confidence. That’s when […]

When we think about drawing realistic eyes, it’s easy to assume that every tiny eyelash, highlight and reflection needs to be included. But that’s not always true. In fact, when you’re drawing a full animal rather than a close-up portrait, the eyes are often much smaller than you realise. Trying to squeeze every little detail […]

One thing people always tell me they struggle with when drawing with coloured pencils is backgrounds. They can feel slow… overwhelming… and very easy to accidentally overwork. But honestly? Backgrounds don’t need to be complicated to look beautiful.  In fact, when approached the right way, backgrounds can completely transform your artwork – adding atmosphere, depth, […]

You may have noticed a shift in how i approach my drawings lately. So I’d love to properly introduce you to it my Global Layering Method 🥰 It’s a simple approach, but it can make a huge difference when it comes to creating realistic coloured pencil drawings. What is my Global Layering Method? The name […]

If you’ve ever drawn on Pastelmat, you’ll probably know exactly the stage I’m about to talk about. You start a drawing. You add the first few layers. And then suddenly you look at it and think: “Oh my goodness… this looks so grainy.”“Should I start again?”“Why does this paper feel so hard to draw on?” […]

There’s something incredibly satisfying about drawing a shiny horse coat – that moment when it catches the light and suddenly looks real. It’s also one of the quickest ways to get frustrated if you rush it. With the Year of the Fire Horse now underway, it feels like the perfect time to talk about shine.  […]

Leaves look simple… until you try to draw them. Suddenly there are overlaps, twists, shadows, odd shapes, bits missing  and it can all feel a bit overwhelming. So let me start with this: You don’t need to copy the photo exactly. Drawing leaves is about understanding shape, light, and layering not perfection. 1. Start with […]

Merry Christmas 💛 If you find yourself picking up your pencils at any point over the festive period – even just for a few gentle minutes – I thought I’d share a few cosy little ideas to add some seasonal charm to your drawings. From Santa hats to snug beanies (or something delightfully daft), these […]

Drawing Leather. It might seem like a simple brown strap at first glance, but wow it’s anything but boring to draw. It’s got depth, texture, subtle curves, soft shadows, sometimes even stitching… and if you rush it, you’ll lose all that gorgeous detail. So, if you’ve ever found yourself staring at a leather halter or […]