*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :) Tired of having to depend on tracing and/or using grids when drawing or preparing for a painting? Do you want to be able to confidently sketch while out and about, in a coffee shop, at a park, while on vacation, etc.? Confused as to how artists are able to recreate shapes and proportions effectively when drawing freehand? Most of my students and community members know that, even though I enjoy using references when drawing or painting (I use both photos as well as draw/paint from direct observation), I'm not a very big believer in tracing and using grids. Why? Because, after we've gotten to a certain level with our drawing, sticking to those methods for long periods of time and never challenging oneself with freehand drawing or sketching, tends to hinder our progress in a variety of ways. For one, tracing and using grids doesn't do much for our development when it comes to our visual measuring skills or our ability to lay down lines confidently. Not to mention, these methods primarily teach budding artists to create carbon copies of the reference. This may very well be what certain types of artists are seeking, but for artists like myself who are looking to bring expression, personality and even certain amounts of imperfection into our representational pieces, progress would just come much more slowly. Finally, because these methods focus primarily on copying, there's no reason for artists to further their knowledge of the subject on hand when it comes to proportion, 3D form and even perspective, which are all very important Art Fundamentals to wrap our heads around. If we don't understand important Art Fundamentals such as perspective and 3D form (and others such as anatomy if we're drawing human figures or portraits), there's just no way that we're going to be able to draw freehand with confidence and ease. For me, if my drawing practice is not somehow preparing me to draw from direct observation (otherwise known as drawing from life), it's holding me back. This is just me, though. And I'm aware we all have different goals, styles and ways of working as artists. But it's also important to be honest with ourselves regarding the types of practice that will help us get to our goals. Even though I like using references in order to have something to jump off from, I'm not going for 100% replicating or creating a carbon copy of what I'm looking at. I'm always taking away elements, bringing in elements, manipulating color, looking for ways to bring myself into my work and thinking of ways to improve the overall composition. And yes, I do believe that using tracing is a great option for beginners just getting started on their drawing/sketching journeys. It could also very well be a great jumping off point, even when the artist has already developed his/her drawing skills and is getting into a new type of subject. For example, when I was getting started with figure drawing, tracing over full-body poses helped me understand shapes throughout the body and develop that mind-muscle memory to a certain extent before drawing freehand. I also believe that there is a time and place for tracing and using grids, even when the artist is already highly skilled. Namely, when he/she is short on time, the composition is very complex or large, he/she is teaching classes, working on studies that focus primarily on the painting process, etc. 
Still life arrangement in graphite by Erika Lancaster.
It's one thing to trace and use grids when one already knows how to draw and quite another to continue tracing and using grids forever, and ignoring the importance of learning to draw because you want to skip straight to the painting process or whatever it may be. If you're creating art for the fun of it, then it's perfectly ok. But if you're really looking to improve your art skills at a deeper level, it'll hinder you. I've said this once and I'll continue saying it: Drawing is the basis for all kinds of art. Even though I sell my paintings and consider myself to be primarily a painter, I'll always continue practicing my drawing/sketching alongside my painting, because I know how much this practice enhances and simplifies my process with everything else. And, if you're asking yourself if knowing how to draw is necessary if you're looking to develop a highly abstract style, I would say yes. The only scenario in which I'd consider learning how to draw as not necessary, would be if an artist is looking to do pouring type paintings or Jackson Pollock-type paintings, in which the paint in itself organically creates shapes and the composition is more erratic/less planned. But, if you're looking to ever leave that, it's essential to know how to draw and learn about Art Fundamentals. If you know these two at least on a basic level, not only will moving on to painting be much easier, but you'll be able to create higher quality work much faster. This is why,over on the Becoming Artists membership site, I share both watercolor and drawing/sketching tutorials, as well as full classes and assignments on Art Fundamentals. In the following video, I share my preliminary sketching (outline sketching) process for recreating effective shapes and proportions freehand. This is what I do every time I'm working on a new drawing, as well as before getting started with a new watercolor piece. I also provide lots of tips along the way that'll help beginners move forward faster with their freehand drawing. After finishing with the preliminary sketching process using regular graphite pencils, I use alternative shading/mark-making techniques (hatching and crosshatching in this case) to develop a wide range of values and create interest/depth.
If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*
Freehand Sketching Tips for Beginners
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*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)
Love the look of pen and watercolor artwork and want some tips to get started on the right foot? What are the must-know things to have in mind when combining ink and watercolor in order to avoid undesired accidents? What are some good options for supplies when it comes to ink pens and bottled inks?
Watercolor and ink go together like bread and butter.
As an artist with experience working with a vast array of traditional drawing and painting mediums, I've found very few combos that can so easily create such striking and professional-looking results.
I'm a huge fan of both painting with watercolor as well as of pen and ink sketching, and have released helpful blog posts and videos to help beginners improve their skills with both.
In today's blog post, we're covering the must-know basics to know about when looking to use these two mediums in combination, which brings up a whole new set of questions in terms of process and supplies.
Love the look of pen and watercolor artwork and want some tips to get started on the right foot? What are the must-know things to have in mind when combining ink and watercolor in order to avoid undesired accidents? What are some good options for supplies when it comes to ink pens and bottled inks?
Watercolor and ink go together like bread and butter.
As an artist with experience working with a vast array of traditional drawing and painting mediums, I've found very few combos that can so easily create such striking and professional-looking results.
I'm a huge fan of both painting with watercolor as well as of pen and ink sketching, and have released helpful blog posts and videos to help beginners improve their skills with both.
In today's blog post, we're covering the must-know basics to know about when looking to use these two mediums in combination, which brings up a whole new set of questions in terms of process and supplies.
A variety of step-by-step pen and watercolor wash tutorials for beginners can be found over at my membership site on Patreon.
As with all mixed-media art creation, it's incredibly important to consider how the mediums we're going to be using will be interacting and affecting each other throughout the art-making process, but also how the piece will hold up over time after the artwork has been completed.
By doing a bit of research, choosing the right art supplies, visualizing what results we're after, and planning the techniques/general strategy we'll be using before getting started with a new piece, we can ensure a smoother process and it'll be much more likely that we'll arrive at results we'll love.
Today, I'm incredibly pleased to share an article written for us by pen and ink expert K.T. Mehra. She is the founder of Goldspot Pens, a store based in New Jersey that is dedicated to selling not only beautiful, high-quality fountain pens, but also incredible inks, writing instruments and paper.
Alongside the hard work she does in her company, she's incredibly passionate about literature, history and, you guessed it...art!
Without much further ado, let's get into her helpful tips and recommendations for supplies.
Combining Ink With Watercolor:
Essential Things to Consider
by K.T. Mehra
Watercolor and ink work together beautifully, and this combination of mediums can certainly lead to a variety of amazing effects and styles.
Line work created with dark inks can be colored in with bright watercolor washes for very impactful, modern-looking pieces, but there's also so much room for exploration, creativity, and for artists to bring in their own personalities into the process.
To make it easier for artists just getting started with ink and watercolor, I’ve written a short list of must-know aspects to consider when choosing pens and inks to combine with watercolor. Afterwards, I'll be sharing my favorite options for both ink pens and bottled inks.
Before getting into anything else, when buying inks to combine with watercolor (whether in pen or bottled format), it's important always ask yourself the following four questions:
1. Is it waterproof?
The first and most important factor you want to consider is whether your ink is waterproof. This will determine whether it'll bleed or smudge when water is applied on top of the ink.
When working with watercolor, you'll need quality waterproof ink. This will allow your line work to stay clean and sharp as you apply paint over it. Most pens and inks will be labelled as 'waterproof', whether in pen form or bottled format.
2. Is it water-soluble?
You may come across inks and pens that state they are 'water-soluble'. You want to avoid these inks, as they are made with water and will run when combined with watercolor.
These can be used to create particular styles, but are not ideal for most cases when you're looking for a good ink or pen to use in combination with watercolor, as the ink will run and smudge, and very possible affect the vibrancy of your washes of color.
It's best to assume that any ink pen contains water-soluble ink and will not be ideal for use with watercolor unless its specifically states that it is waterproof. You also usually want to avoid any pen or ink that says it’s 'water-based'.
Watercolor and ink work together beautifully, and this combination of mediums can certainly lead to a variety of amazing effects and styles.
Line work created with dark inks can be colored in with bright watercolor washes for very impactful, modern-looking pieces, but there's also so much room for exploration, creativity, and for artists to bring in their own personalities into the process.
To make it easier for artists just getting started with ink and watercolor, I’ve written a short list of must-know aspects to consider when choosing pens and inks to combine with watercolor. Afterwards, I'll be sharing my favorite options for both ink pens and bottled inks.
Before getting into anything else, when buying inks to combine with watercolor (whether in pen or bottled format), it's important always ask yourself the following four questions:
1. Is it waterproof?
The first and most important factor you want to consider is whether your ink is waterproof. This will determine whether it'll bleed or smudge when water is applied on top of the ink.
When working with watercolor, you'll need quality waterproof ink. This will allow your line work to stay clean and sharp as you apply paint over it. Most pens and inks will be labelled as 'waterproof', whether in pen form or bottled format.
2. Is it water-soluble?
You may come across inks and pens that state they are 'water-soluble'. You want to avoid these inks, as they are made with water and will run when combined with watercolor.
These can be used to create particular styles, but are not ideal for most cases when you're looking for a good ink or pen to use in combination with watercolor, as the ink will run and smudge, and very possible affect the vibrancy of your washes of color.
It's best to assume that any ink pen contains water-soluble ink and will not be ideal for use with watercolor unless its specifically states that it is waterproof. You also usually want to avoid any pen or ink that says it’s 'water-based'.
3. Is the ink pigmented?
Oftentimes it's not 100% clear whether the pen contains waterproof ink or not. One sign that the pen is most likely waterproof and usable with watercolor is if it includes the words 'pigment' or 'pigmented ink' on the pen or bottle.
Pigments are tiny particles of colored material that do not dissolve in water. In other words, they are rarely water-soluble or water-based, which makes them good for use with watercolor.
4. How long does it take to dry?
Another factor you want to consider is the ink’s drying time. If you apply watercolor too soon after drawing with ink, it's likely that some smudging will occur.
Most inks will dry after an hour or two, but to avoid this completely, you’ll want to wait 12 to 24 hours for the ink to fully dry and set into the paper.
If you don't want to wait this long for the ink to dry, make sure that to purchase a fast-drying ink. I'll recommend my favorite below, so keep on reading!
Are you supposed to do your ink line work before or after your watercolor washes?
This is a great question, and the answer is even better.
The truth is... either way works!
There are pros and cons to both methods, but it's ultimately up to you to experiment and determine what'll work best for you, making sure, of course, that you're taking precautions and allowing layers the necessary time to dry in between.
It depends on the artist's personal way of working and the outcome that he/she is going for.
A reason you might want to do your ink work before watercolor is that it allows you to focus on your line work and/or outlines first, establishing a type of preliminary sketch to work with. You're then able to begin applying watercolor washes and it's easier to stay inside the lines and have more control over where the color is applied.
Also, you'll likely find that the pen glides across your paper more smoothly when there's no paint on your paper yet, which can be a pro for many artists.
A reason you might want to do your ink work after your watercolor painting process is if you're looking for your line work to be very clear and visible.
Doing your line work after your washes also allows you to first freely paint with watercolor, creating abstract shapes and organic effects which can then serve as a guide or a type of underpainting for the line work that'll come later.
This technique is great for artists who love the looseness and interesting effects watercolor allows, and want the paint to be the primary creative force structuring the artwork.
It's also important to note that, when doing your ink work after your watercolor painting, you're also able to use water-soluble inks, as long as you've allowed your painting to dry for 24 hours.
Have fun, explore and get creative with your process!
Ink and watercolor can and should be used in new ways that give your pieces a unique personality and character. I'd recommend exploring both sequences and analyzing which results you like best.
A variety of step-by-step pen and watercolor wash tutorials for beginners can be found over at my membership site on Patreon.
Best Waterproof Pens For Use With Watercolor
Now that we’ve covered the basic things to consider when searching for an ink pen or bottled ink to use in combination with watercolor paint, let’s look at the best waterproof pens available (in no particular order).
Uni-Ball Signo Gelstick Pen
The Uni-Ball Signo is a great beginner-friendly option. It's affordable and one of the best ink pens for use with watercolor. It's waterproof, fade-proof, and is able to create smooth, thin lines. It also doesn’t leave stop and start marks at the end of long lines and marks like most gel pens do.
*Most Affordable *Best Gel Pen
Sakura Pigma Micron Series
If you’re looking for a slightly more professional fineliner pen, the Sakura Pigma Micron is a great option, and it's one our favorite fineliner pens for use with watercolor. The Sakura Pigma Micron draws smooth, thin, and very consistent lines that can really help bring together watercolor pieces.
Artists around the world swear by the Pigma Micron for its precise and professional line work.
*Best Fineliner Pen
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Lamy Safari Fountain Pen
Using disposable pens can definitely become expensive because they have to be replaced after a relatively short period of time, especially when using them for drawing/sketching purposes.
We recommend, as an alternative, using a fountain pen and filling it with your own ink. This allow us to use our own choice of ink at an affordable price and we can continue filling up the pen when the ink runs out. As long as we take care of the pen, it'll last for years.
If you are looking to invest in a fountain pen, Lamy Safari is the best option for beginners and is relatively affordable for a quality, reusable fountain pen.
*Best Beginner-Friendly Fountain Pen *Most Affordable
Uni-Ball Impact Gel Pen
The Impact Uni-ball pen is a slightly more expensive gel pen option that works wonderfully with watercolors. Go with this waterproof pen if you're looking to incorporate thicker, bolder outlines or marks into your watercolor paintings.
This pen draws fairly wide lines. So if you are looking to do very detailed work, you will need a large canvas or paper, which may be a drawback of the impact gel pen for some artists.
Fudenosuke Brush Pen
Another interesting option is using a brush pen alongside watercolors! The Fudenosuke pen by Tombow is perfect for use with watercolor, as it is waterproof, and produces beautiful drawings with a lot of line-weight variation.
Brush pens allow for varying thicknesses of lines/marks via changing the pressure and angle we're using. If you aren’t looking for a this kind of variation in your line work, as well as organic transitions between thin and thick lines, a brush pen may not be for you.
This pen also requires practice and a certain level of control, which may be a drawback for some artists.
*Best Brush Pen
Kaweco Pen
If the thought of a fountain pen caught your attention, the Kaweco brand is famous for their superior quality fountain pens.
Winsor and Newton Fineliner
This is another beautiful and unique option for a high-quality fineliner that works great with watercolor. Winsor and Newton provide a great lineup of fineliners that are waterproof and come in many sizes and colors. I can’t recommend them enough!
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The Unipin Fine Line
The Unipin Fine Line is a great and fun-to-use waterproof pen, but it does have some drawbacks. I love this pen and it’s definitely worth a buy. Unfortunately, when using an eraser on the Unipin Fine Line, the ink fades and blurs a bit.
This is a fantastic option if you do not plan on using any pencil markings that you’re thinking of erasing later in the process.
Pentel Pocket Brush Pen
If you are looking for something a little different, the Pentel Pocket Pen is a really neat option. This pen was created for writing expressive Japanese calligraphy. It has a very sensitive felt-tip that's able to create plenty of variation when it comes to line width.
This may be a negative for new artists, but it does allow more control for experienced artists that are used to brush pens.
Faber-Castell Assorted Pens
Faber-Castell has an awesome pack of eight waterproof pens which offers and assortment of different types and sizes. They call these their Pitt Artist Pens, and the cool thing about this pack is that you get four fineliners and four brush pens in almost every size.
There are better ink pens to use with watercolor on this list, but the Faber-Castell Artist Pens are waterproof and do work well with watercolor. The main benefit of buying this pen set is primarily the variety offered, which allows the artist to explore amongst them.
*Most Variety
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A variety of step-by-step pen and watercolor wash tutorials for beginners can be found over at my membership site on Patreon.
Best Bottled Ink For Use With Watercolor
If you’re looking for the absolute best supplies to use for your ink and watercolor pieces, buying your own ink bottle along with a fountain pen or dip pen is going to provide you a custom experience and might just be the way to go.
Next, I’ll reveal my top ten picks in terms of the best bottled inks out there.
Platinum Carbon Ink
Probably my favorite ink to use with watercolor is the Platinum Carbon ink. It's a beautiful natural black textured ink that comes in a lovely little glass bottle. This permanent, waterproof ink is great for use with watercolors.
This ink takes about an hour to dry. Once dried, it’s resistant to water, erasing, smudging and anything else.
This Japanese ink is highly sought-after, which makes it slightly pricey, but it's worth every penny!
*Best Overall Ink
De Atramentis Archive Ink
This is an incredible waterproof ink. The color is less textured and not as pretty than the Platinum Carbon Ink and less of a 'true black' than the Speedball India Ink, but the De Atramentis Archive Ink may just be the most waterproof ink on this list.
I've experienced absolutely no smearing or even a drop of ink smudged after working on my watercolor washes. The ink was also dry after only a few minutes! This is a great and really safe option for use for your watercolor projects.
*Most Waterproof Ink *Best Fast-Drying Ink
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Check out my FREE Patreon-exclusive tutorial and class samples here.
Speedball Super Black India Ink
India ink is the best, deepest, truest black ink you can get. Speedball's India Ink is an amazing waterproof option. Some artists mention occasional smearing, but I've personally never had this happen.
The Speedball Super Black India Ink is the best ink bottle you can purchase for a pure, true black outline with your fountain pen and dip pen. If you use this with your Lamy Safari fountain pen or the Kaweco, you’ll want to clean out the pen often, as this ink is thick and can clog the pen if not cleaned routinely.
*Best Pure Black Ink
Winsor and Newton Ink
Winsor and Newton’s ink is also great for watercolor projects. It offers a matte black finish that would be perfect for more modern or cartoony styles and line work. This ink does take a while to dry, but if you're looking for this kind of color and style, it’s definitely worth it.
Sailor Kiwa-Guro
Sailor is a company that's known for their fountain pens, but they're also one of the top ink manufacturers in the world. This is another high-end Japanese ink that performs beautifully for both writing and drawing. You cannot go wrong with the Sailor Kiwa-Guro.
The ink is a solid matte black and dries very quickly. The big negative is that there have been reports of it losing its waterproof properties after several months of being left in the bottle.
So far, this hasn’t happened in my personal experience, but it would make this option riskier if our aim is to combine it with watercolor.
Speedball Super Black India Ink
India ink is the best, deepest, truest black ink you can get. Speedball's India Ink is an amazing waterproof option. Some artists mention occasional smearing, but I've personally never had this happen.
The Speedball Super Black India Ink is the best ink bottle you can purchase for a pure, true black outline with your fountain pen and dip pen. If you use this with your Lamy Safari fountain pen or the Kaweco, you’ll want to clean out the pen often, as this ink is thick and can clog the pen if not cleaned routinely.
*Best Pure Black Ink
Winsor and Newton Ink
Winsor and Newton’s ink is also great for watercolor projects. It offers a matte black finish that would be perfect for more modern or cartoony styles and line work. This ink does take a while to dry, but if you're looking for this kind of color and style, it’s definitely worth it.
Sailor Kiwa-Guro
Sailor is a company that's known for their fountain pens, but they're also one of the top ink manufacturers in the world. This is another high-end Japanese ink that performs beautifully for both writing and drawing. You cannot go wrong with the Sailor Kiwa-Guro.
The ink is a solid matte black and dries very quickly. The big negative is that there have been reports of it losing its waterproof properties after several months of being left in the bottle.
So far, this hasn’t happened in my personal experience, but it would make this option riskier if our aim is to combine it with watercolor.
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How To Find The Right Pen And Ink For You
Like with all art supplies, it’s important to explore for yourself in order to find the right pen (and ink) for you. Art is such a personal experience, and we all have different styles, quirks, and processes.
Try different pens and inks to find the ones that work best for you, starting at accessible options if you have a limited budget. Finding your personal favorites will make all the difference when working on a new art piece.
Whether you decide on a gel pen, a fountain pen and ink, or a professional fineliner, we are excited to see what you come up with!
A variety of step-by-step pen and watercolor wash tutorials for beginners can be found over at my membership site on Patreon.
Looking for further guidance with combining pen and ink with watercolor? Check out *FREE* samples of exclusive, step-by-step, fully-narrated art tutorials I've created for my innermost art community over on Patreon here.
Sending out a huge thank you to K.T. Mehra for her enlightening tips and recommendations!
To find out more about Goldspot Pens and the products they have available, visit their website here.
Also be sure to follow their Facebook page and Instagram account for the latest news.
Thanks for reading!
*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)
What are the main things I need to know in order to achieve realistic results when drawing hair? How can I break drawing hair down into simple steps to follow?
There's no denying it.
Achieving realistic results when drawing (or painting) takes great skill and patience.
And for those of us who love drawing portraits and animals, knowing how to add hair texture in a believable way is important!
I'm very excited to share a super helpful, step-by-step tutorial with you that the extremely talented Austrian artist/illustrator Sabrina Hassler prepared for us.
Today, she'll be spilling the beans on her method for adding beautiful (and very realistic) hair to her graphite portraits!
It takes only a quick look into Sabrina's website and social media to know that she's the real-deal when it comes to realistic drawing.
She loves drawing portraits, animals and botanicals and, just like me, she has a passion for sharing her knowledge with other creatives who are looking to progress their skills.
Without any further ado, let's get into her tutorial!
What are the main things I need to know in order to achieve realistic results when drawing hair? How can I break drawing hair down into simple steps to follow?
There's no denying it.
Achieving realistic results when drawing (or painting) takes great skill and patience.
And for those of us who love drawing portraits and animals, knowing how to add hair texture in a believable way is important!
I'm very excited to share a super helpful, step-by-step tutorial with you that the extremely talented Austrian artist/illustrator Sabrina Hassler prepared for us.
Today, she'll be spilling the beans on her method for adding beautiful (and very realistic) hair to her graphite portraits!
It takes only a quick look into Sabrina's website and social media to know that she's the real-deal when it comes to realistic drawing.
She loves drawing portraits, animals and botanicals and, just like me, she has a passion for sharing her knowledge with other creatives who are looking to progress their skills.
Without any further ado, let's get into her tutorial!
How to Draw Realistic Hair in 8 Steps
by Sabrina Hassler
Many artists find it difficult to draw interesting and natural hairstyles. I've been asked many times: "How do you make hair look so realistic?”
Some complain: "Drawing hair is so complex!"
But it doesn't have to be that way.
In this tutorial you will learn how to draw hair in 8 simple steps, using the example of a long wavy hair.
Curious? Here we go!
Supplies you'll need:
• Pencils (H-4B)
• Black colored pencil
• Eraser and pen style/barrel eraser
• Blending stump
• Drawing paper
Some of my favorite drawing supplies:
Many artists find it difficult to draw interesting and natural hairstyles. I've been asked many times: "How do you make hair look so realistic?”
Some complain: "Drawing hair is so complex!"
But it doesn't have to be that way.
In this tutorial you will learn how to draw hair in 8 simple steps, using the example of a long wavy hair.
Curious? Here we go!
Supplies you'll need:
• Pencils (H-4B)
• Black colored pencil
• Eraser and pen style/barrel eraser
• Blending stump
• Drawing paper
Some of my favorite drawing supplies:
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How to prepare:
Print out your reference photo several times.
Print out the original photo on regular printing paper once (preferably in grayscale/black and white if you draw with pencils).
Other copies should ideally be a little lighter and a little darker than the original. You can make small brightness adjustments using any photo editing software.
Why do you need lighter and darker copies?
In the lighter copy you'll be able to see dark areas in more detail and in the darker copy the highlights will stand out even more. This will help you to create a high level of contrast between lights and darks later on, which is important for realism.
You’ll also need an extra copy to draw in some helpful guidelines.
Link to my reference photo.
1. Draw basic outlines
To begin, carefully draw the outlines of the head, neck and hair on your drawing paper. Use a harder pencil grade (for example H or HB) and make sure not to press down too hard on your paper as you're creating your sketch.
In the beginning it’s completely normal to make mistakes and you’ll often have to fix something. That’s why your strokes shouldn’t be too dark, so they're easily erasable.
If you have trouble getting the proportions right, try breaking down your subject/reference into simple shapes (such as circles and rectangles). It also helps me to draw guidelines, for example along the central axis of the face (from forehead to nose to chin).
In this example you can draw a circle for the head (chin to top of the head) and then draw an identical circle beneath it, to get an idea where the hair
ends.
2. Analyze shapes
It's time to analyze the separate strands of hair. To do this, take your extra copies of the reference photo and try to recognize abstract shapes throughout the hair.
Draw these abstract shapes with a pen or drawing tool that you'll be able to see clearly on your photo. I used a yellow acrylic pen in the example below.
Once you have divided the hair into shapes, transfer these shapes onto your sketch, once again, without pressing too hard.
Reference photo with shapes:
Outline sketch:
3. Start shading
The next step is very basic shading.
I'd recommend using a softer pencil grade such as B or 2B, and shade the darkest areas on your sketch where least amount of light reaches the hair.
Mostly the areas around the neck and on the parting are very dark. Start there.
Take a look at your lighter copy of the reference photo and detect the areas where the image is darkest.
4. Sculpting
Next, give your hair more volume and three-dimensional form by adding individual hair strands inside of those basic shapes you created.
By dividing the strands into shapes (step 2), this process is much easier for you and you can work your way over the head one strand at a time.
Make sure that your strokes flow in the same direction as the hair naturally grows. Constantly observe your reference photo for clues.
Try to leave the bright spots (highlights) free of graphite and concentrate on the dark tones and midtones.
*Tips and techniques to give hair a 3D look
In the sketch below, you can see how you can shade in a single lock of hair.
Always draw your lines from the ends of that strand, going in (see arrow direction) so that your strokes end gradually in the widest area in the center. In other words, those pencil strokes are going towards the direction of the highlight in that strand of hair.
The hair usually shines most in the middle of the strand because this part protrudes outwards most and thus captures the most light.
Therefore, it's helpful to work from the ends towards the middle section, and not fill in the area in the middle with as much graphite, as this will be the lightest part.
Your focus should be more on the overall shape of the strand, and not on the individual hairs.
The more lines you draw, the darker everything will look. This creates more contrast with the lighter (empty) areas in the middle and this will make your stand look three-dimensional and shiny.
One lock of hair:
5. Smooth things out
The next step is a suggestion and not a requirement. It mostly depends on the overall look or result you'd like to achieve.
I think it makes a big difference to smooth out the transitions between values (lights, midtones and darks), and to soften out individual lines. I like using a paper bending stump for this part of the process, but you can also use a cotton swab.
Carefully (and gently) trace over your previous pencil strokes and let the flow of the hair guide you.
Try your best to not go over areas of lighter values/highlights. It often happens that I accidentally smear something or bring graphite into areas that I wanted to leave very light.
But don't worry, if this happens! We will correct this in the next step.
6. Pull out highlights
Next, take your pen-style/barrel eraser (or a pointed-shaped kneaded eraser) and erase the highlights (i.e. the shiny spots that reflect the light the most).
Most of the time I accidentally smudge these shiny spots with my blending stump in the previous step, so I have to pull them back out by erasing the graphite.
Observe your darker copy. There, you'll be able to notice lighter areas even more distinctly.
A pen-style eraser is perfect for this because it provides a lot of precision and you can even erase individual hairs.
7. Add contrast
By this point, your drawing will probably already look pretty good, but you shouldn’t stop there!
Using a black colored pencil, darken the darkest areas of your drawing again, using the same strokes/direction/overall motion that you were previously using with your pencil.
Colored pencils provide a more opaque/less shiny finish than regular pencils and will help add more depth and contrast, making your drawing look even more realistic.
8. Final details
The last step will really make your drawing stand out. If you want your drawing to look natural, you should also invest some time adding the final details.
By that I mean details such as smaller hairs that don’t follow the general flow of the hair, such as flyaways, stray hairs, and all the small imperfections that make hair look "real". These can be added around the head or even over the face.
You can draw a few flyaways on the outside of the head with a hard pencil grade. Flyaways are usually very thin and hardly recognizable from a distance. The pen-style eraser is suitable for drawing individual hairs over the main hair areas. Use it to erase small lines over larger, dark areas to add in a flyaway hair.
Take a close look at your reference photo and decide for yourself which details you would like to draw in and which make the hairstyle unique.
You can also add some details from your imagination, if you want to achieve a messy look for instance.
Finished drawing:
*Final tip: Adding details
In the image above, you can see examples of “imperfections” such as flyaways and stray hairs in greater detail. Some single hairs also cast their own shadow on the hair underneath.
Avoid dark ends in hairs by releasing the pressure on the pencil at the end of your stroke. Try to get your hairs darker at the roots and remember to create a line weight variation within your lines (from thick to thin/dark to light), instead of having one continuous line weight from one end to the other.
Never forget to draw your lines in a dynamic motion so they don’t end up being wobbly. If you move your hand in a fast and confident way, you will achieve a great look!
I hope that these tips will help you to draw complex and believable hairstyles and that from now on drawing hair will be much more enjoyable for you.
Drawing hair is a great way to practice our shading skills and advance out ability to draw different textures. Not to mention, we're also able to progress out observational skills via analyzing complex references.
Once you understand the basic principle, you can let your imagination go wild and draw interesting hairstyles or fur.
I would be happy to hear from your experiences - you can contact me here.
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Sabrina Hassler is an Austrian artist and illustrator specializing in portraits, animals and botanicals. Follow her on social media: And visit her website here. |
Check out my FREE Patreon-exclusive tutorial and class samples here.
Was this an amazing tutorial or what?
I certainly learned a lot of things that I'll be putting into practice when drawing hair realistically, and I hope you did too.
For more helpful tips and tutorials from Sabrina, check out her blog.
Sending out a huge thank you to Sabrina for this incredibly helpful tutorial!
Cheers!
Was this an amazing tutorial or what?
I certainly learned a lot of things that I'll be putting into practice when drawing hair realistically, and I hope you did too.
For more helpful tips and tutorials from Sabrina, check out her blog.
Sending out a huge thank you to Sabrina for this incredibly helpful tutorial!
Cheers!
*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)
Do you want to start giving your art the importance it deserves, but find it difficult to make time for it with everything you have going on? Are you frustrated (and maybe even depressed) that your day-to-day responsibilities don't allow you the time you need for those activities that bring you an immense amount of joy and fulfillment?
Follow your passion, be prepared to work hard and sacrifice, and, above all, don't let anyone limit your dreams.
-Donovan Bailey
In today's post, I'll be sharing eight useful tips that will help you make time for your art, even while having a crazy, busy schedule.
These are things I set in place myself that allowed me to advance my art skills while working overtime at my last full-time position. By putting these tips to use and staying consistent, you'll be able to make steady progress towards your artistic goals, too.
For me, becoming a full-time artist and making a living from my art/art skills didn't even register as an option until I was around thirty years old and having had worked high-stress full-time jobs for over ten years.
It was only after I had spent all that time building up personal and professional skills (as well as having saved up enough money) that I finally allowed myself to consider creative entrepreneurship.
For the longest time, I let my fears and limiting beliefs stop me from diving head-first into those activities that made me happier than anything I'd ever experienced.
Not to mention, those jobs left me tired and completely drained of creativity.
The last thing I wanted to do in my free time was focus, yet again, on another task.
However, as time went by, it dawned on me that life is too short not to prioritize my dreams and take action now. I had already wasted too much time! It was then that I began absorbing all I could from other artists that were making a living from their art and doing those things I wanted to be doing.
I decided to make my artistic growth a priority, no matter how tired I was from adulting and doing those things I had to keep doing in order to pay the bills and put food on the table.
In time, people started showing their interest and wanted to buy my work, which led to a huge increase in confidence. This helped me move on to larger, more complex projects which led to even more opportunities. It was after this that I finally planned out how I would be leaving all those years of working at "normal" jobs.
It was extremely scary, as full-time work was all I knew. But something inside me told me it was now or never, so I decided to go for it full-steam. This is what I've been doing for the last year and, even though I've been working non-stop day-in-and-day-out, it's the happiest I've ever been!
I talk more in depth about how I prepared to leave my last full-time job in my blog post/YouTube video titled How I Left My Job and Became an Artistpreneur.
I'm very, very thankful for the job opportunities that I have had in the past, as they allowed me to grow personally and professionally in so many ways.
Honestly, if it wasn't for those jobs and the experience they provided, I don't think I'd have the skills and confidence to be doing what I'm doing today.
If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*
8 Tips to Progress Artistically Even While Being Incredibly Busy
1. Acknowledge (and embrace) that you're an artist/creative at heart
Getting to know yourself and learning to love who you are is absolutely essential for anyone to be happy. If your creative spirit and art-making is what distinguishes you from others, embrace it.
What's more, actually believe that you have it in you to become an artist if that's what you want and decide to give your true passions the importance they deserve.
My greatest fear in life is reaching old age and regretting not having pursued my dreams as best I could. I may be idealistic, but I believe every single one of us was born for a reason, and it's through growing in that area that we're then able to inspire those around us and make an impact in the world.
You may be in the same situation I was in, working full-time jobs that don't fulfill you or that have nothing to do with art, but think of these jobs as stepping stones that are allowing you to grow in different ways and are giving you the resources to live and develop yourself artistically while not having to worry that you won't be able to pay the bills.
Be thankful for these opportunities but always keep your end-goal in mind, no matter what.
2. Prioritize your artistic growth and rearrange your current routines
To make significant improvements in any area of our lives, it's essential to prioritize our goals, create plans and stick with them. Accept the fact that this will involve having to make certain sacrifices, but always remember that a year from now you'll be incredibly happy that you started today.
As busy people with "regular" jobs, families to take care of, and all the responsibilities that come with being adults, we have to accept the fact that things are going to pop up that we have to take care of. However, focus on the things that you are able to control.
You may not be able to change the fact that you'll be busy working 8-10 hours a day at your job, but you can certainly reduce the amount of time you spend watching t.v. or scrolling on social media on your off time.
By scheduling in your art time there is a much greater possibility you'll actually do it. Depending on your personal situation, this could mean setting aside one hour three times a week after work to follow a tutorial on your topic of choice or perhaps waking up 30 minutes earlier so that you can do a quick sketch before going to work.
If you absolutely can't find time during the week, then schedule in time on weekend mornings.
Another huge thing that goes hand-in-hand with using your time wisely is the ability to say 'no' to those activities that aren't going to get you closer to your goals. I know how hard this can be for people-pleasers like myself, but it's imperative to establish clear boundaries with others and to be able to discern between activities (and even people) that are helpful, from the ones that may be a waste of time and energy.
Remember that time is the most valuable thing we have.
One question I always as myself whenever I'm feeling like I'm wasting too much time is:
Is this activity helping me improve my work, my health or the relationships I have with my loved ones?
3. Establish deadlines and goals
In my blog post Time Management for Artists: My Secrets for Staying Consistently Productive I explain how I go about setting yearly goals in personal, professional and interpersonal areas in order to then chunk them down into clear, doable monthly objectives.
I then divide those smaller monthly goals into even smaller chunks that must get done each week.
Three examples of how to go about applying this in regards to artistic growth:
a) Large goal: Complete an online art course in three months.
Depending on the amount of modules/classes/assignments included in the course of your choosing, divide them into three "chunks" to be completed by the end of each month. Then, divide those chunks once again into 4 (number of weeks in a month) and schedule your to-do's each week.
b) Large goal: Fill 12 pages of your sketchbook in one month.
Complete 3 pages each week so that by the end of the month you'll reach your goal.
c) Large goal: Get really good at drawing portraits by the end of the year.
Set incremental goals each month starting with the fundamental knowledge you should understand and progressing onwards until you get to month 12. Ex. Month 1: Understand basic facial proportions and locations of facial elements within the head shape, Month 2: Drawing eyes, Month 3: Drawing noses, Month 4: Drawing lips, Month 5: Drawing heads in angles, and so on.
I'm aware that this process might sound too constrictive or boring for free-flowing creatives out there. While I totally agree that it's incredibly important to stay flexible, if we don't establish deadlines, most of us tend to push things back to the point they never get done.
We're constantly bombarded with distractions and it's important to stay focused in order to ensure we're moving the needle forward consistently, even if it's a tiny bit at a time.
4. Connect with others that share your same love for art
Being an artist can be lonely and not having other people to talk to that share your same wavelength can make things even harder. If you're lucky to have friends you can chat with or even create art with in person, treasure them and make sure you're scheduling in time to hang out every so often.
It's so important to maintain connections with other people we can learn from and who'll inspire us to keep going!
The Internet is such an invaluable tool, as it not only enables us to learn and improve our artistic skills through articles and videos, but we're also able to connect with other people all over the world that share our same passion for art.
Even if you're in a situation similar to mine, in which you don't have many artists around you that you can hang out with in person, you can very easily meet other artists through social media, groups and art communities.
Whether you create and/or share art with others in person, online or a combination of both, make sure you make time for brainstorming new ideas with others, as well as obtaining (and providing) feedback.
Learning from more seasoned artists and participating in online art communities has helped me stay accountable and consistent, which has allowed me to progress my skills significantly in shorter periods of time.
5. Keep your art supplies handy
Get in the habit of bringing a small sketchbook and a couple of drawing tools of your choice with you wherever you go. This way, you'll be able to progress your drawing and observational skills in free pockets of time throughout the day.
I talk about the importance of sketchbooks and tips to make the most of them in my post Why Sketchbooks are Essential Tools for Artists.
Aside from this, also place your art supplies somewhere where they'll be visible for you at home. Don't keep them locked away in a closet or drawer! By having them on hand, there is a much greater chance you'll actually remember to use them.
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6. Never underestimate the power of quicker studies
I 100% believe that working on quicker studies 3-4 times a week is going to get you much further, faster, than creating one polished piece every five months.
While it may be possible to create a beautiful-looking polished piece 2-3 times a year by following a tutorial or going to a one-time workshop, only creating art every now and then isn't going to do much for you in terms of developing your own artistic voice.
Ultimately, it's by staying consistent and by doing regular studies (no matter how large or small) that we get to know ourselves as artists, really hone into our techniques, and build up our confidence to take on more complex challenges. What's important is to make our art and creativity a habit.
Danny Gregory is an artist and author that started drawing in his mid-30's and, after seeing how this practice changed his life, wrote his book Art Before Breakfast: A Zillion Ways to be More Creative No Matter How Busy You Are to inspire others to make their art a habit, too.
It's full of short drawing/sketching exercises and is perfect for those who want to draw but can't decide on what. The book has an optional workbook that provides even more prompts and actually has space to draw on. With Gregory's book, there's simply no excuse!
While it may be possible to create a beautiful-looking polished piece 2-3 times a year by following a tutorial or going to a one-time workshop, only creating art every now and then isn't going to do much for you in terms of developing your own artistic voice.
Ultimately, it's by staying consistent and by doing regular studies (no matter how large or small) that we get to know ourselves as artists, really hone into our techniques, and build up our confidence to take on more complex challenges. What's important is to make our art and creativity a habit.
Danny Gregory is an artist and author that started drawing in his mid-30's and, after seeing how this practice changed his life, wrote his book Art Before Breakfast: A Zillion Ways to be More Creative No Matter How Busy You Are to inspire others to make their art a habit, too.
It's full of short drawing/sketching exercises and is perfect for those who want to draw but can't decide on what. The book has an optional workbook that provides even more prompts and actually has space to draw on. With Gregory's book, there's simply no excuse!
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7. Collect ideas as you go through your day
As artists, it's important to stay open to inspiration coming from all kinds of sources. A new idea can come up after seeing a nice combination of colors in someone's outfit, the texture of a piece of fruit or the shape of a flower vase!
Not to mention, emotions or ideas for new projects can come up during a quick trip to the supermarket or a night out with friends.
Even if you don't have enough time to put pencil/pen/paintbrush to paper during a crazy week, by keeping your art in the forefront of your mind and collecting ideas as you go through your day, you'll be staying creative!
Always be thinking of how you can use everyday experiences as inspiration for future projects and get in the habit of writing down notes, as well as taking reference pictures that you can use in the future.
8. Stop overthinking and just get to work
It's incredible to me how we're our own biggest obstacles. Oftentimes we stop ourselves from doing things we know we need to get done in order to reach our goals because we overthink everything and waste way too much time doing so.
In time, I've come to realize that it's through taking imperfect action that we're able to move forward and that staying paralyzed with laziness and/or fear is a huge waste of the precious time we have.
If there's anything you really want to do in life, please do it! You owe it to yourself and to those around you who will be incredibly inspired by the fact that you pursued your passions.
Many of us may be extremely busy or may be going through a particularly rough time, but it's up to us to stay positive, use our experiences to our advantage and do what we can with the time we have.
Motivate yourself by thinking of the artist you'll be a year from now if you just make the decision to prioritize your growth. A year from now, you'll be thankful you started today.
Cheers!
*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)
Are you an artist looking for a foolproof way to improve your drawing/creative skills in a short period of time? Have you always wanted to participate in Inktober or other daily drawing challenges but find them a bit intimidating? Are you a beginner looking to make drawing and creativity a part of your daily life?
Month-long drawing challenges like Inktober are no joke. Most of us have a lot going on in our lives and committing to producing one drawing a day (and actually sticking with it for the entire month) requires a huge amount of discipline.
Even if one starts with the project excited and has proper fun creating those first few sketches, that initial burst of inspiration is probably going to dwindle at some point mid-way.
And when that happens, it's going to take sheer determination to keep going!
This said, if we are able to stick with it, growth will come inevitably and fast. By the end of the month, our drawing skills will have progressed and our creative abilities will be heightened.
This type of experience is also incredibly valuable as it helps us make way towards finding our artistic style and voice. Committing to any sort of series like this one is a great way of pinpointing our strengths and weaknesses, which is essential.
In this blog post, I'll be sharing my top five tips to ensure that you are progressing your drawing/creative skills as much as possible with this drawing challenge, but also staying sane along the way.
These are all things I'm making sure to do myself throughout this month. I'm also including links to a few very helpful pen and ink drawing blog posts/YouTube videos that will help you step up your inking game.
The video included in this post is a compilation of time lapses for my first five Inktober sketches.
Make sure to follow me on Instagram to stay up-to-date with my progress throughout the month.
I'm sure I'll be missing a few days here and there, but I am planning to make up for them as soon as I'm able to.
Check out these helpful pen and ink sketching blog posts/YouTube videos!
1. Pen & Ink Sketching: 6 Shading Techniques
2. Guide to Shading Techniques: Hatching, Crosshatching, Scribbling and Others
3. Shading Simple Objects Using Hatching, Crosshatching and Other Drawing Pen Techniques
4. Shading a Hand Using Pen and Ink (Complex Subjects)
If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share a brand new video every week with art tips, drawing and painting tutorials and mindset/productivity tips for artists. *Subscribe HERE*
Inktober Tips
1. Be practical about it
As creatives, we have tons of different ideas popping up in our heads non-stop. This is great, but it can definitely hinder us from moving forward and actually finishing things. Think of an idea that you feel could work and that feels practical in terms of time, and just go for it.
If you look back constantly, there's a huge possibility that you won't finish drawings on time and they're going to start piling up, which can lead to overwhelm.
Remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint. I like keeping this sort of project practical by giving a bit of my energy each day instead of giving it all right at the beginning and burning out fast. I'm not striving for masterpieces, but for growth.
If you look back constantly, there's a huge possibility that you won't finish drawings on time and they're going to start piling up, which can lead to overwhelm.
Remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint. I like keeping this sort of project practical by giving a bit of my energy each day instead of giving it all right at the beginning and burning out fast. I'm not striving for masterpieces, but for growth.
2. Avoid looking at others' work until after you have finished yours
It's important for me to keep my work as original as possible and I hope this is the case for you as well. I'm sure there will be other artists in the world creating work that is similar to mine in some (or many) aspects. But when this happens, I know that it's due to the fact that those other artists and I are somehow influenced by similar things and not because I'm copying their work.
For challenges like this one, I find it super helpful to stay away from social media until after I have finished my work (or at least my initial sketch). This way, I'm not allowing other artists' ideas to infiltrate my mind.
For challenges like this one, I find it super helpful to stay away from social media until after I have finished my work (or at least my initial sketch). This way, I'm not allowing other artists' ideas to infiltrate my mind.
3. Brainstorm ideas and create sketches
Before going to bed, I'm reading the prompt for the following day and allowing myself to start brainstorming. I start sifting through ideas in my head, setting aside those that might not be practical (no matter how amazing they might sound). I don't actually put pencil/pen to paper until the next day.
I recommend creating at least a couple of quick sketches prior to actually starting with your piece. Doing quick thumbnails is an excellent way of arriving at great compositional arrangements.
For several of the drawings above, I was unsure whether I wanted my main subject to be facing forwards or whether I'd be sketching him/her/it in profile or at an angle. It wasn't until I created those sketches and actually saw my ideas come to life that I could make a decision about what would be most appealing.
I recommend creating at least a couple of quick sketches prior to actually starting with your piece. Doing quick thumbnails is an excellent way of arriving at great compositional arrangements.
For several of the drawings above, I was unsure whether I wanted my main subject to be facing forwards or whether I'd be sketching him/her/it in profile or at an angle. It wasn't until I created those sketches and actually saw my ideas come to life that I could make a decision about what would be most appealing.
4. Incorporate some sort of element of coherency (or a theme)
When creating any sort of series like this one, it's useful to think about how you can bring an aspect of consistency to your work. A lot of artists like sticking to a specific theme for Inktober and I think this is very useful, as it limits the broad range of ideas that might lead to indecision and not doing anything at all.
I decided to incorporate coherency in the format/layout of my overall design. However, there are many ways that we can add a sense of consistency to our artwork.
Perhaps you want to make sure to incorporate human figures in all your drawings, stick with a specific color scheme (if you're using color), create some sort of frame around your drawing, integrate handwritten lettering, or think of a specific layout like I did.
I decided to incorporate coherency in the format/layout of my overall design. However, there are many ways that we can add a sense of consistency to our artwork.
Perhaps you want to make sure to incorporate human figures in all your drawings, stick with a specific color scheme (if you're using color), create some sort of frame around your drawing, integrate handwritten lettering, or think of a specific layout like I did.
5. Have fun and don't strive for perfection
Being a perfectionist and expecting too much from yourself with every single thing you do is a surefire way of burning out and not enjoying the creative process. It also keeps you from producing the amount of work you have to create in order to really improve artistically.
Not to mention, this challenge (in my opinion) is a way of improving our personal skills, not about showing off masterpieces and/or comparing them with other peoples'!
Stay in your lane and remember that the purpose of this project is to improve your drawing and creative skills, as well as to make art a daily habit.
Not to mention, this challenge (in my opinion) is a way of improving our personal skills, not about showing off masterpieces and/or comparing them with other peoples'!
Stay in your lane and remember that the purpose of this project is to improve your drawing and creative skills, as well as to make art a daily habit.
My Inktober art supplies
*Click on images to check out the specific supplies I'm using for Inktober that I've bought through www.consumercrafts.com and www.amazon.com:
Staedtler Pigment Liner Sketch Pens: Black (4 pack) $15.67
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Prismacolor Drawing Pencil Set: Turquoise, 12 pack $13.99
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I hope you enjoyed this post and learned something new, or got inspired to go and create a sketch for yourself. I wish you tons of progress and enjoyment in your artistic journey! :)
Thanks so much for popping by today!
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