Free tips for artists

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 […]

Here are some of my biggest takeaways and top tips if you’re thinking of giving landscape drawing a go:If the thought of drawing a landscape makes you instantly panic about greens, skies, or trees, you’re not alone. Landscapes can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re more used to drawing fluffy fur or glistening eyes. But here’s […]

Diary management hasn’t always come naturally to me. For years, I tried to keep everything in my head until the day I forgot someone was turning up at my house and left them standing on the doorstep while I dashed off to the garage. Not ideal! As artists, we often crave freedom. We want to […]

There’s something really special about drawing humans. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working with my lovely Art Club members on a portrait of a young girl, and I thought it might be helpful to pull together some of the biggest lessons we uncovered along the way. Whether you’re just starting out with portraits […]