Sparks of inspiration Mar ’24

Some good things to share in March

Spring is finally on the way (at least in this part of the world), hurray!

Everything in nature is coming back to life, and thankfully so is my creativity.

As this year I have a plan of creating a habit of drawing & painting on location during our hikes and travels, I have been searching information and inspiration on this topic (also, my 100 Day Project is devoted to landscapes). Other links are about something that inspired me in many ways recently and I thought worth sharing.

Hope you enjoy the list!

Sketching / location drawing resources

• Will Kemp - How to Draw a 10 Minute Seascape Sketch. I am planning a small trip to the seaside in April and my previous experience is that I won’t be having time to sit and create elaborate plain air sketches, so this is s very handy tutorial on how to create something in as little as 10 minutes (including time to drink tea!).

• Liz Steel - Using grey markers for value studies. This is a nice addition to Will’s tutorial. I am struggling with value and contrast, so this seems like a nice exercise to strengthen this muscle.

• Liz Steel - Watercolour landscapes. Let’s just say that I am obsessed with sketchbooks by Liz! She definitely mastered the skill of location sketching with watercolours, there is so much to learn from her.

• Marc Taro Holmes - The Urban Sketcher: Techniques for Seeing and Drawing on Location. It’s a book full of beautiful examples and I love the practical advice that is easy to incorporate into your own practice.

I am also updating my travel art supplies, so I enjoyed the following resources:

• Angela Fehr - Supplies for a Portable Watercolor Travel Kit

• Will Kemp - An Art Material Addicts Guide to becoming a Minimalist Sketcher

Additional inspiration

• Austin Kleon
  - Show your work. Last year I started sharing my art, process and thoughts on Substack, but it was more of a “trial mode”, I just wanted to start sharing and become comfortable with it. I wasn’t trying to reach many people or really promoting the newsletter. This year I want to be more consistent and intentional with my writing here. The book provides so much insight and is just fun and delightful to read.

• Sandi Hester
  - Interview on the Learn To Paint Podcast. I love all interviews with Sandi! She spreads so much positivity and I just love her process and how she thinks, sees, plans, paints - you get it!

• Nicholas Wilton - How to Balance Your Art and Life. It’s a tricky question, isn’t it? Nick shares 10 great tips to achieve this delicate balance.

• Actually, Iconic: Richard Estes. I accidentally came across this documentary on Curiosity Stream and have been so mesmerised by Richard’s art and life. A true artist, still working hours long on his wonderfully detailed and atmospheric pieces. His cityscapes are just something else, nostalgic, dreamy, ethereal. His NY paintings are like a trip to the city transcending time and space. Worth the watch.

Thank you for being here and until next time!

Lisa