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Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Will you draw with me

The Seven Days mini-project starts tomorrow, and itll be SO much fun if you join me!


Find your free downloadable workbook here, print it, staple it and write your name on it. Then were all set for a fun week of simply drawing!
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Monday, May 25, 2015

Journal page Snail Mail


 
I loooove getting snail mail! This envelope came in the mail a week ago, and I could tell by the handwriting, washi tape, and the cool stamps that it came from Jodi Wiley. I pasted it into my drawing journal and drew my happy self.
My new sketchbook with watercolour pages in it, gives me a wonderful boost to experiment with my materials.

Would you like to make great use of your art supplies too? Joining my online drawing course could be just the thing for you.
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Sunday, May 24, 2015

5 tips to expand your drawing style

Like last week, here are 5 drawing tips!

1. Use contrasting colours, like green and red, 
to bring balance and playfulness to your art.

2. Find a quote that you love, and make an illustration around it. 
A waterproof fine liner and watercolours should do the trick.
 

3. Use a watercolour background wash 
and youre already halfway of making 
an awesome piece of art.

4. If you dont know how to do hand lettering, 
simply use plastic templates for your written text.

 5. Draw your favorite food!
Its fun and will taste even better.


Do you like my tips? Theres WAY more where this came from!
 Why dont you join me in my upcoming online class Draw It Like Its Hot! 

www.koosjekoene.nl
Well be drawing food and illustrating recipes and its going to be a lot of fun!
Enroll today, go to: www.koosjekoene.nl
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Friday, May 22, 2015

Ghostbusters Week Day 2

Winston Zeddemore

I always liked Winston. Yeah, he wasnt one of the founding Ghostbusters, but I liked how he was rather down to earth. Peter, Egon and Ray were each a bit...eccentric in their own ways, perhaps a either a bit too involved in the job, or a bit too distracted. Winston didnt seem sure what to make of the whole thing, but wanted to get the job done. I can appreciate that :)
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Thursday, May 21, 2015

Beginnings

Finally. 
Today we are reveiling what that awesome Mysterious Project is all about, that Danny Gregory and I have been working on.

www.sketchbookskool.com

So what is it?
Well, SketchbookSkool is a place for inspiration, entertainment and education. A place where its all about creating, the fun doing so, and about making art a part of your life.

Every quarter of the year, Sketchbookskool offers 6-week semesters. Each week is taught by a different teacher. Were talking Rawk Star teachers: youll be hanging out with some of the worlds greatest sketchbook artists. They will tell you their stories, teach you through videos, show you their processes, ask you questions, start discussions, give you assignments and give you tips and advice.

The first Semester starts April 4 and has the perfectly matching theme Beginnings. Youll be taught by Jane LaFazio, Prashant Miranda, Roz Stendahl, Tommy Kane, Danny Gregory and me.
On the brand new website, you can find all information you need, watch the video up there, and of course click the enroll button to get yourself a spot in klass!

A little bit of background, and this Semesters theme: Beginnings
It all started at the end of September last year. A few people pointed out to me that Danny posted on his blog about an upcoming visit to Amsterdam. He said he was hoping to be meeting Dutch sketchbookers there, maybe get a little insight in the drawing scene, or find locals who like to draw.
Because I have been hosting Sketchcrawls in Amsterdam and I do know quite a few people who like to draw, I reached out to Danny and told him that I would love to meet him, and show him around in my city during his stay there. In his reply he said that several people pointed into my direction, and we both were excited to be meeting each other the next month.

www.sketchbookskool.comIm a true Amsterdammer, Ive lived in this city all my life and could think of dozens of places we could go to, but we decided to simply meet up for a coffee so we could chat. Danny wanted to pick my brain about teaching online, and I wanted to ask about his books and how his new life treats him, now that he quit his job after an impressive career in the advertising world.
We had coffee, talked, went through each others stacks of sketchbooks, talked a lot and when it went dark outside we went for dinner and talked more.
After dinner we said goodbye and next time wed meet would probably be on my next trip to New York City in the near future.
The next morning I sent Danny an email because I wanted to share an idea. It wasnt a new idea, I had been walking around with it for quite some time:
Since I started teaching online, I wanted to do something with guest teachers. I wasnt sure if it should be a single class in one of my courses, or a complete workshop with several teachers, maybe an online summit, a book, or even a live event... It never really took shape, and I put it on my Some Day projects list.
I asked him if he would have any ideas or thoughts about this. We both have friends in the drawing scene and maybe if we would join forces, we could work something out?
The email he sent me back, was fabulous. He was excited and bubbling with ideas, so we set up a Skype meeting and our Big Brainstorm was ON! Danny is a fast thinker and even before we really knew what we were going to do, he registered sketchbookskool.com. From there on, our ideas grew and we worked every single day to get those ideas into place and make them reality.

To me, this feels like a dream that came true. A dream I never realized I dreamt.
Lets begin!
Go to www.SketchbookSkool.com to save yourself a seat in the first Semester!
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Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Sharing inspiration Danny Gregory

When youre a regular visitor of my blog, you will notice this is a different kind of post than I usually do.
I mostly use this blog as my online stage for my drawings and sketches and I love getting feedback and comments from you! Keep m coming! Thanks for following me!


Just to show you a bit behind the scenes, I will post a small selection of work from an artist who inspires me. Ill be doing this every now and then. Today Im kicking off this new habit, with Danny Gregory.

Apart from being a super talented self employed illustrator, Danny Gregory works as an executive creative director for an advertising agency. He lives in New York and does a lot of drawing, using sketchbooks / drawing journals / art journals.

Seeing these pages was my first introduction to Dannys work. I somehow stumbled upon them and then gloated over his work, clicking through all the pages of the art journals he has on his website.

 
Fun to see how he portrayed the city I live in. The Museum Quarter, is where I grew up close by!

I love it how he wrote Sunday in Dutch. I do that too when travelling, writing the days of the week in the language of the country where Im in.


Im a sucker for food drawings.

 



Boids, haha! Hes funny too.


 
Looks like a page from a graphic novel!



 
Comforting: starting the day with a drawing. Great to see how the self portraits differ, just like the days do.




New York! I love the combination of writing and drawing and how it all becomes one.



 
The atmosphere of Rome so well captured!


 
This one is from a sketchbook filled with portraits of criminals - made with mug shots for reference. Such a great idea.Those colours!!




I have been waiting in anticipation, for his latest book to arrive at my doorstep: An Illustrated Journey - a collection from the private art journals of traveling artists, illustrators and designers. It came in the mail yesterday. Im off now, absorbing all the eye candy!





Danny Gregory has published several books, for which some of the ideas sprouted from a tragic story which involves tragic accidents and losing the love of his life. His drawings became his way to channel his feelings and to appreciate the every day things in life. This is a long story short and I wont go into it, because I wouldnt know where to begin. If you want to read more about Danny Gregory, his books, his story and is work, visit his website and get inspired!
http://dannygregory.wordpress.com/ 
http://dannygregory.com/ 
http://dannygregory.com/category/books/
Youll find loads of links to interviews, videos and interesting reads too. Have fun!

One more thing: My online drawing course starts again March 11! You can join six weeks of drawing fun with me. Click here to read about it and to enroll. I hope to see you in class!

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Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Monday, May 18, 2015

Draw Tip Tuesday Play with your food

2 WEEKS before JustDrawIt starts! This is the Online Drawing Course to boost your drawing skills, for both beginners and the more advanced.
Do you love drawing?
Never have time to do it?
Lets make drawing a Life Habit instead of blaming our busy schedules for not doing what we love. and get yourself a seat in the course here.



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Sunday, May 17, 2015

The Sketchbook Project episode 13



Pages 24 and 25 in my story for the Sketchbook Project 2013:

Do you think Angela can save Maureen?
You will know tomorrow!


If you want to see more entries about this project, and the previous project: Click here to see all the tagged blogposts.




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Saturday, May 16, 2015

The Seventh Doctor!

Doctor Whos 7th Doctor (Sylvester McCoy)
 
Okay, Ive bitten the bullet - here is the last of the 12 (until the Capaldi one comes around)... Its the much-requested Seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy. I didnt plan this, but its funny that my last post - The Riddler - is also a guy holding something with a question mark handle. Weird. Anyway, hope you enjoy!
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Friday, May 15, 2015

Draw Tip Tuesday

Heres another Throwback Tuesday!
No, Im not being lazy, I just got reminded by Jennifer, one of the participants in Just Draw It, of this video. And I think its worth a rerun.
And, its quite fitting too, because this Friday, the course Seeing starts on Sketchbook Skool, and I will be teaching about self portraits, and how we see ourselves as artists. Will you be in skool with me?


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Thursday, May 14, 2015

Shazam!

Captain Marvel



























To fulfill a suggestion in part, heres the Big Red Cheese himself - DC Comics other strongman, Captain Marvel.

I wish this guy got more press than he does, and I find the concept of the character really interesting - and its territory that could be very cool to explore in a movie.
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Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Food and Travel

Next week, my online class Draw It Like Its Hot is starting. And as you can see, Im already warming up for it!

Last week, I made a quick visit to Stockholm. Such a nice city - I want to visit again and spend more time! Of course, traveling means a lot of adventure, also on your plate! (had some wonderful pickled herring there too, which I didnt draw - I think I wouldve drooled all over my sketchbook!)
The Turkish coffee, just the coffee cup in itself, makes me want to go to Istanbul. Its been on my list for a long time!
Draw It Like its Hot runs for four weeks but lasts much longer. Its only $69 for the 4 weeks, in which I give you tips and tricks and teach you all about illustrating food. Its fun, and youll end up creating your very own illustrated recipe.

Wanna join? Check out my website: www.koosjekoene.nl.


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Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Inspiration Station Flossy p


 

I will show you the gorgeously dreamy work by Flossy-P, (whos name is actually Sarah. Curious about the name Flossy-P? You can find out about her name here) Shes a freelance illustrator from Australia whos fond of everything colourful... I just love her romantic style, so Im sharing a small selection of her work.




 






Find Flossy-p here:
Facebook
website
shop
Pinterest

Want more inspiration?
Grab your FREE copy of my ebook here
10 habits for inspiration
...and receive a CRAZY DISCOUNT on joining my online drawing course JustDrawIt!


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