Teach Your Pen to Dance - Painting & Drawing Tips

Is your Pen your Friend?  

I love drawing with my pens and they definitely are my friends. Especially, the BLACK ones!! 

Sketchbook Activity: A Quiet Spot on the Trail 

The feel of the smooth flow of ink on paper is very satisfying.  It exciting to watch the crisp black lines move and dance across the page as my picture comes alive. It draws me in and makes me want to draw more.  

I know for many, the idea of drawing freely with a black permanent pen is terrifying.  I can certainly understand the feeling as I wasn't always a big fan of pens. Somehow that has changed for me and I hope with a few different activities (which I will post in my upcoming blogs),  I can convince you to become better friends with your pen.

One way to get comfortable with your pen is to draw wonky lines.  This reduces the feeling that everything needs to be precise. It changes your grip on your pen which also brings that sense of freedom to your mark.  Adding to that we will be drawing things from your imagination.  Again, the feeling of 'percisement' is not there.  You will quickly get that feeling of the freedom in your mark.  

Let me show you. . . 

************** You can see a YouTube version of this blog which has more discussion on this topic.  
How to Teach Your Pen to Dance
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My everyday Mixed Media Sketchbooks 

To Start you will need:  

-    a Permanent Ink Pen.  I like to use the Micron Pigma Pens 05 or 08,  the Staedtler brand is also good
-    A sketchbook - Strathmore 8.5 x 5.5 Mixed Media or Canson 7 x 10 Mixed Media are my favourite.  I use Mixed Media books because I like to mix watercolour with my pen work.  Watercolour is your Pen's best friend and they are both happier when they work together. 
-    Some watercolours and a brush - a gray, blue and 1 other colour

 Let’s get started.  Part 1 - Drawing

Lay out trees in pencil 

-   Loosely place 2 trees shapes on your paper in pencil.  With light lines indicate the trunk and branches. Focus on general shapes and not on the details.  Now pick up your pen.  Your are ready to rock and roll.  Literally.  With your pen draw a few rocks on the ground.  Don't hesitate to pile a few up.  

Ink in rocks and outline of trees

-  Leave room for a few bushes to go near the trees.  Now draw your trees, filling out those loose lines from Step 1 to make a trunk and branches.  Interlock the trees by having the branches of one tree go behind the other.    

-    Now its time for a few bushes around the trees.  Bushes are just shapes and so use a few swirly lines to make bushes.  You can have a few stems sticking out the top for single leaves or ferns.  Have some of the leaves overlap the edge of the tree trunks.  

Add some bushes around the trees

-Now redraw the trees.  Starting at the bottom, draw rows of wobbly lines up through the trees and branches.  They can even overlap a bit.  It your tree needs to be tidied up a bit, now is the time to do it.  You can even make it fatter by drawing some of those lines 'outside' the tree.  

Draw wobbly lines up through the center of the trees. 

 - Add another layer of bushes behind the trees. Notice this new layer echos the shape of the small layers but is looser, larger and few details.  

- I added a few cloud shapes behind my trees. Like the trees I repeated the lines 2 more times.

NB:  The whole drawing is now done 'free hand'.  Pretty neat, eh?!

Part 2 - Add Some colour
Like our lines, think a bit wobbly.  The idea is to not paint everything, leave white spaces.  

Add gray on the shadow side of the trees.

- Use a soft gray to add some shadows.  Pick a direction for your light to come and keep that in mind as you add some shadows.  I have my light coming from the left side of my painting.  Don’t paint all the shadows, leave a bit of white.  Also make some darker than others.  This is a random thing but at the same time, look at your painting and see what 'looks treelike'. 

Add your sky loosely painting around some cloud shapes

-    Pick a blue for your sky and start painting.  LEAVE WHITE SPACES.  Paint loosely leaving white space and water some of it down so there are lights and darks. 

Add a bit of colour to the underbrush

-    Pick a colour to do some painting in the underbrush.  I choose an orangy-red, I made with my yellow and red.  I did some washes, leaving lots of white spaces in my rocks and bushes.  (Don't feel you need to colour in the lines.)  Then added a bit of yellow at the edges of the orange.  When it was dry, I went back and put a few darker marks with the red. Notice I did it at the base of the trees to really draw attention to that area and to ground the trees.  

When you are finished, stand your painting up and step back.  What are 3 things happening in the painting that you really like. Why do you like them?  These are the things you want to remember and try in another painting.  

************** You can see a YouTube version of this blog which has more discussion on this topic.  
How to Teach Your Pen to Dance

I hope you have a happy feeling when you review your painting.  When I look at mine, it brings a smile to my face.  It feels good. 

Try drawing a few more of these imaginary places.  It really helps in getting to know your pen.  I have a few more things you can try. See you in my next post.

Upcoming Events: 

4-Day Outdoor Sketching Art Retreat in the Shuswap with Wendy Mould, hosted by Joanne Dennis, June 12-15, 2026.   All inclusive: food, instruction, accommodations and drive from Lower Mainland.  $100-$750 depending on room choices.   https://www.joannedennis.ca/events-list/aventurasretreats/

Outdoor Sketching Mini-Adventure: 

Join Wendy for 2.5 hr in local North Langley parks.  Practical instructions in gettin your sketch on paper and bringing your memories to life.  Mediums: pencil, pen & watercolour. 
Dates: Wednesday or Thursday, June 24/25, July 22/23, or Wednesday, August 5 or Aug 12. It is best to go 10-12:30am as the light is good for shadows. 6-8:30pm also works for evening sketching.  Bring a lunch or small dinner to add to the adventure. 

Individual $85  Small group 2 or 3, $65 ea.  Payment is due once your dates have been confirmed.

Always  Available at Art by Wendy's Studio

Original work, Commissions, Private Drawing Lessons, Prints and Cards of her Work, 

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

3 Ways to Put a Sparkle in Your Landscape Painting - Painting & Drawing Tips

It's Spring and Time to Get Out There for Outdoor Sketching!!

But wait, it may be sunny but everything is still drab and black.  Where is the fun in sketching that?

First Spring Sketch - Derby Reach Trail

I think sketching on a gray day can really teach you how to make an interesting painting from something that might at first seem blah.  

(I do want to apologize to my readers still buried in winter.  Here on the southwest coast we are enjoying a VERY mild winter. Don't worry,  Spring is coming for you,  very soon. ) 

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See video version with more discussion on YouTube: 3 Ways to Put a Sparkle in Your Landscapes 

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Along the Derby Reach Trail

Painting any picture is capturing the essence and expressing it in your own way.  I consider myself a realist painter but at the same time I do have input in my work.  I love hiking through a forested area particularly when there is water near by.  So even if it appears gray and drab to others I still enjoy being there and my passion shows in my interpretation.  

As you can see from my picture of the trail,  there is a feeling of Spring in the air but from a distance things are predominately blacks and gray.  I was so happy to be outside sketching it really didn't bother me.  I just set up my things and jumped in.  

3 Ways to Put a Sparkle in Your Landscape Painting 

My yellows, greens and grays got a bit of a push as I painted them

1.  Push your Colours 

When I first looked at the underbrush it just looked gray.  But then I began to notice that there was a haze of colour on it.  Those green shoots made a light green glow on the bigger shrubs while others in the sunlight appeared more yellow. I used those colours as my base and gave them a push.  A light yellow became a little darker.  The hints of greens became more obvious.   Even the trees on closer inspection had lights and darks on them. I kept the darks dark but the light grays became more plentiful and lighter.  

Pushing your colours is a common thing to do in the summer but certainly a necessity at this time of year.  

Note the warm and cool yellows and greens

2.  Pay attention to Warm and Cool Colours 

This is particularly important as you push the colours to pay attention to warm and cold colors.  Note how the yellows in the long dead grasses are bright yellows (cool) in the sunshine and a more golden yellow (warm) as they face away from the sunlight.  Note how the bushes, trees and grasses all have cool and warm colours on them. 

Note the change with the grassy area in the foreground.  The grasses here in the sunshine are warm and bright.  While the shade is now the cool area. By reflecting this in my painting, it helps to add depth.  

Adding some red to the shrubs

3.  Add a bit of Red 

Years ago I took a few lessons from Robert Genn.  He always said that you needed to make sure there was a bit of red in the landscape.  I must admit when I first drop in the red it looks so bright and a bit out of place. But once it settles in, I can see what he means.  The red is going on top of other colours which changes it a bit and helps it blend in.  At the same time it also warms up the area.  The cool blacks and grays can always do with a bit of warmth for sure.  

Balancing and darkening the reds

Take a look at my video on YouTube: 3 Ways to Put a Sparkle in Your Landscapes.   Near the end you can see how much those little shots of red add to the painting.  

Upcoming Events: 

BECOME FRIENDS WITH YOUR PEN
 April 18, 9:30-1pm, Mission Clay WorX, 7560 Hurd St., 
Registration: Mission Arts Council 
Loosen up your lines and explore expressive pen work in this playful drawing workshop. All skill levels welcome—some watercolor included, but ink is the focus. Cost: $50 ($45 for members) Supplies List provided.

4-Day Outdoor Sketching Art Retreat in the Shuswap with Wendy Mould, hosted by Joanne Dennis, June 12-15, 2026.   All inclusive: food, instruction, accommodations and drive from Lower Mainland.  $100-$750 depending on room choices.   https://www.joannedennis.ca/events-list/aventurasretreats/

Outdoor Sketching Mini-Adventure: 

Join Wendy for 2.5 hr in local North Langley parks.  Practical instructions in gettin your sketch on paper and bringing your memories to life.  Mediums: pencil, pen & watercolour.  Dates: Wednesday or Thrusday, June 24/25, July 8/9, August 5/6 and Aug 12/13.  Individual $85 Small group 2 or 3, $65 ea.  Time: 10-12:30pm   Early evening is also a possibility.  

Always  Available at Art by Wendy's Studio

Original work, Commissions, Private Drawing Lessons, Prints and Cards of her Work, 

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Painting with Warm & Cool Colours - Drawing & Painting Tips

Right now it is mid-February on the West Coast of BC, and it is WARM.  

I mean wear your summer runners warm.  

Everyone is at the park and wondering through the plant shops!!  

It is warm. 

View from Campbell River Sea Walk - Matted 11 x 14 $225

 

Yes, we know that we still have lots of rain to go through before summer but 'We are enjoying it now'.  

Warm and Cold is not all about the weather but it is also, all about your paints too!!

When I finished painting this scene I realized that it was really all about warm and cool colours.  My sunny areas were the warm colours and the shady areas were cool. This may not be the case for other paintings.  Some will have the shade warm and a cool light.  This can also make for an interesting painting.  

Focus: The colours in the background

1.  The Background: I have circled the areas on the right side of the painting indicating W (yellow) for the Warm spots and C (fushia) for cool spots.  Note that the background of the landscape is layers.  By changing from warm to cool with each layer I have created depth in my work.  The warm comes forward and the cool pushes back.  So there is a push-pull with each layer there.

You will see evidence of this happening with each of the other areas.   

Rocky Mid-ground

  2. Rocky Mid-ground: The  clue here that things must be different is the rocks.  The rocks in the sunshine are faded, but light warm tones. (soft beige coloured and soft warm pink tones).   While the rocks in the shade are darker cool colors. (cool purples & blues)

Warm and Cool tones of the Trees 

3.  Painting the Tree: I think this area really brought it home to me what all this business of  Warm and Cool Colours was all about.  When you look at the tree and its branches your can see clearly that one section is in the sunshine and one section the shade.  So even though the branches are "green" they can't all be the same shade of green.  

This is an 'ahhhh' moment. If the leaves are cool greens, as the ones in the shade are, they are blue greens.  I used cool blues like viridian, cobalt teal blue as my base.  While the warm sunny branches have yellows mixed with sap green.  

When painting the branches things are not quite cut and dry.  Some of the branches on the sun side may be shaded by other branches. So not everything will be warm or cool. 

Warm and Cool Foreground

4.  Foreground area: This is the meat and potatoes of your painting.  The place where your viewer spends the most time.  The story of this painting. 

I found it to be the most challenging area to paint.  I had to keep reminding myself that the shade had to be cool colours.  Here again the cobalt teal blue came into play.  When I first put it on the logs I thought it was completely wrong.  Blue logs!!! But after, I became one of my favourite parts.  It really makes for a cool colour in the shade.  

The yellow grasses are another battle of warm and cool.  Although I have them circled as warm there is evidence within the warm golden colour grasses that some are in the shade and so are cool, almost lime green in colour.  

Take a look at some of your paintings. In many cases we make the right colour decision but often if things look a bit off, this could be the reason.  Certainly if the painting feels a bit flat, poor use of warm and cool colours could be the issue.  

Have fun with your warm and cool colours and I certainly hope you are getting a few nice sunny days, even if they are cold.  

You are invited to my Special Upcoming Events: 

1. Senior Show, Cloverdale Recreation Center ( 6188 176 St, Sry)
Feb 13 - Apr 13, 2026
Exciting to show 4 of my large drawings of large west coast birds: Heron, Bald Eagle, Short-erred Owl & Canadian Goose. 

2. Expressions of Spring Show - Newton Cultural Center, (13530 72 Ave, Sry)
 March 3-29, 2026.   

This is a group show with  Artswest.  I have 5 pieces in this show.  

3. Class - Introduction to Drawing with Pen & Watercolour, Newton Cultural Center

Friday, March 13, 10:30-12pm   
All supplies incld.  Free by Donation.  Registration Require with Wendy 

Always  Available at Art by Wendy's Studio

Original work, Commissions, Private Drawing Lessons, Prints and Cards of her Work, 

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Values & Shadows: Sketchbook Activity - Painting & Drawing Tips

Values and Shadows are really great at HIDING!!

Yes, hiding.  

Sketchbook: Trees in the Rain Forest 

They are like the stage crew in a theater production. The scene changes often happen right on stage with the curtains open.  In the half light you might see them scuttle about lifting, changing and shifting things.  But do you really 'see' them?  Probably not.  The performers are busy keeping your attention shinning in the bright light.  That's where your eye really wants to be.  

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Further discussion can be found on my YouTube: Sketchbook Activity - Values & Shadows.
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Take a look at my quick sketch of the trees and ferns.  They are a very common sight along the west coast of Vancouver Island.  Large sections of trees, logs and ferns all covered in a banket of moss. 

 
What do you really see first?

Is it the trees, the leafy area on the ground, the soft tones of the mossy mound or is it the fern, fanned out at the base of the tree?  I am betting it is the fern.  

Why the fern?

It's those values created by the shadows.  There is a strong shadow behind the fern.  This makes it 'POP" and drags your eye there. 

But there are other areas of really dark shadows.  Why are they not 'popping'?

Trees in the Rain Forest with only 2 values - white & mid-tone

They are hiding . . .   Next to the other darks are mid Values.  There is not the strong contrast of dark (Value 10 ) and white (Value 1).  

Trees in the Rain Forest - Introducing some darks

As soon as the Darks (Value 10) are introduced the sketch takes on a new life.  The trees begin to move forward and back.  The fern begins to fan out and draw the attention.  

This sketch is still not done.  It needs cohesion. 

Trees in the Rain Forest

Note how the midtones in the background suggest depth but also provide that bridge between the 2 clusters of trees.  At the same time, the addition of the midtone and darks in the foreground brings a greater sense of depth to the scene and grounds it.  

Values and Shadows are important.  They organize and direct the eye movement in your painting.  The results make your work more powerful.

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Further discussion can be found on my YouTube: Sketchbook Activity - Values & Shadows.

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Online Drawing Lessons with Wendy Mould, AFCA, CDM.

Enhance Your Drawing Skills – Outdoor Sketching Starter – Pen & Watercolour for Explorers

WHEN: Thursdays, Feb 12, 19, & 26  6:30-8:30pm PT
COST: Early Bird $75 After Feb 10, $90

REGISTER: Contact Wendy

This February I will be 'taking you out into Nature".  (Figuratively of course).    The guided drawing activities inspired by nature, teach you how to handle values, search for patterns and learn drawing secrets from the 'little things' on the forest floor. 
  
2 Hr Classes with access to recordings for limited time, individual discussion on weekly projects.
Mediums: pencil, pen & watercolour.
 Beginners to Advanced Welcome.

Always  Available at Art by Wendy's Studio

Original work, Commissions, Private Drawing Lessons, Prints and Cards of her Work, 

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,