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,

A DIY Private Painting Lesson - Painting & Drawing Tips

Do you Golf? Curl? I do. Both.  

In the winter I am busy curling.  But when the sun shines I am ready to head for the greens.  

It's been my life for many years. 

 

Sketchbook Activity: Bennet's Point, Vancouver Island, BC

No, I am not a Scratch Golfer nor a Curler that plays the circuit.  But I love the games and I love the energy.  I am pretty good with both but of course always obsessed with making 'that great shot'!!  So, yes, I am open to new adventures and ideas to up my game. 

A few weeks ago I had attended a 2 day workshop with Swapna Das.  (Instagram:  @kosen_rufu_artist) - Mastering the Art of Charcoal: A Creative Drawing Workshop. She has awesome ideas for drawing and so I knew I would find something there to up my Art Game.  And I did.  

Reference for Bennet's Point Painting

It started with a quick Warm Up.  

I know, you have heard that before, but bare with me.  Swapna had a few different ones, and this particular one really resonated with me.
Look at your reference, whether it is real life or a photo and make a quick sketch of the MASS in black and white.  No detail. Just shapes. Make it big. Close to the size your final picture will be.    If it is Value 5 or more it is black.  If not just leave it white.  Work quickly.  You only get 2-3 minutes.  

A 2 minute study to grab the darks

Now stop!! . . .  Step back. . . . .  Evaluate.  

Are the shapes interesting? Do you need to group some of them? What does the negative space look like? 

I found several things happened at this point.  
1.  I became more familiar with my subject and my plan for my painting

2.  I could see where I needed to make changes to my composition

(Ok, I do admit I snuck a little light smudges in the back for the horizon.  But I really did try and just do the darks) 

Capturing the line and shadows 

Step 2: Capture the line

Now here, you will spend more time.  Using a pencil or pen, capture your plan with a line.  Take 5-8 minutes and set up the shapes. Outline the shapes and their relationship to each other. 

As you can see I didn't stop there with my line drawing.  I went one step further and added detail and shadows.  I wanted a closer look at how to deal with the foreground.  (As adults, we definitely have a hard time faithfully following the rules.  🙄 )

At this point you will notice:

1. If your composition is really working. 

2. You are way more familiar with your subject 

3. The black and white masses help you understand how to deal with the values in those nebulous areas.  In my case, the foreground below the tree. 

4. How to set up the values in the mid and foreground areas.  When I looked at mine I felt I had a great sense of depth in my drawing. 

Bennet's Point, Vancouver Island, BC

Step 3: Get Down to Business 

Time to paint your picture.  You will find as you paint that your process will now be slightly different.  You will be faster, have a clearer plan of how to proceed.  And a place to check that your are on track.   

I found as I worked away, I was flipping back to my studies: checking my values to see if they were right; looking at my colour choices to see if they should be warmer or cooler; making sure I was grouping shapes as they should be.  It was nice to have something to refer too.  

A close up view of the foreground.  

As a follow up, I made a grayscale version of the picture for your to look at.  I found it interesting to compare it with my line drawing and mass sketch.  

Grayscale version of finished Bennet's Point

Take-Aways: 

1.  It definitely helped me keep control of my values in the foreground.  

2.  I found I was able to group my darks more affectively. 

3. I felt I found an interesting pattern for the branches at the bottom of the tree.  That was a very tricky area. 

Would I do all of this for every picture? No.  But I certainly like the idea of creating a 'Black and White sketch of the Mass'.  I usually do some kind of a value study for all my work and this really seems to fit right in with my process.  

 

Take a picture and try it.  It's your own DIY Painting and Drawing Lesson.  

Taking Registrations for my Spring/Summer Events: 

•  Join me in the Shuswap for a 4 Day Outdoor Sketching Art Retreat hosted by Joanne Denis, June 20-23, 2025.  I will be the instructor.  This is an all inclusive: food, instruction, accommodations and drive from Lower Mainland.  $350-$600 depending on the room choices.  www.aventurasbc.ca
  
  
• Create Your Own Adventure - Let's go Outdoor Sketching  Grab a friend or 2 and let's go.   2.5 hr $65ea.  Contact me to set up a date. Location: Lower Mainland
  
  
• Save the Date:  next set of 3 Zoom classes Thursdays, October 9, 16 & 23.   Enhancing Your Drawing & Painting Skills.  New focus for each set of classes

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,

  

Wendy

How to Become Confident with Your Pen Work - Drawing & Painting Tips

Do you remember when you were learning to Ride a BIKE? 

It was hard.  And the ground was hard. Road Rash was not fun.  

Learning to draw confidently with a permanent ink pen is WAY easier!!

Pink Flower Puff - Sketchbook Activity - Freehand Line Work 

I love drawing with black ink. I love sharp crisp lines.  Although, I often use other colours, black is by far my favourite. Learning to draw with a pen, is all about mark making.  Pen work can be used to add mass, to create shapes, to produce texture and enhance the flow of your work.  

Creating interesting marks with your pen confidently is alot like learning to ride your bike.  Learning a few basics before 'going it alone' really helps.  

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There is further discussion on this topic on my YouTube post: Become Friends with Your Pen - The Line 
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Wendy's Drawing with Pen 101 

Start with Confident Line work that sweeps across the page. 

First your materials: 

- .05 or .08 Pigma Permanent Ink Pens.  
(If your book is smaller than 9 x 12, use the smaller pen.   I like black but they do come in other colours.  Steadler pens are a great brand as well and come in these sizes)

- Multi Media Sketchbook: They have smooth paper for drawing on and will take water if you want to add watercolour (I  use the Canson XL 9 x 12) 

- HB pencil, kneaded eraser and vinyl eraser

- 3 favourite watercolours and a brush

That's it!

Make some interesting shapes with your watercolours 

1.  Put a wash on your page: Paint 3 of your favourite colours on your page, making sure to make interesting shapes, keep the colours light, leave white spaces and take some of the colour out to the edges of the pages.  Let it dry completely.  

It is really hard to draw on plain white paper.  It kills your confidence.  Having colour on the page will really help you relax and just draw.  Try it.  

2.  Loosely Draw a Flower Vase: No perfection here.  Take a pencil and lightly draw a vase that is an interesting random shape. Don't worry about symmetry.  Once you have the shape, draw it in one long continuous line with your pen leaving the top open for the flowers that will cover part of it.  

Outline a design on the vase loosely with a pencil and then use your pen to draw it.  Don't trace over the pencil lines just use them as a guide.  Add the details as well - freehand.  

Flower 1: Draw an elongated shape with a center, echoing the shape

3. Draw your Flowers: For this project I will introduce you to 3 different flowers.  Each is to be done freehand with your pen.  The first one will be an odd loose shape and the other two will be circles.  Not perfect circles.  Just loose circles.  

Flower 2: small .5 inch circle with a small circle in the center.

Use a pencil to draw the flower's shape and centers.  For the little flowers (Flower 2)  use your pen to fill in all the details: 3 petals, darken the center and a few directional lines in each petal. For Flower 3 - The Carnation type flower, draw circles of wiggly lines.  The first circle is small, the center and then do several rows around it, to get the size you want.  

Flower 3: Circles of Wiggly Lines 

Draw loose flower circles behind and above your basic 3 flower shapes to fill your vase.  Be sure and have some peeking out from behind, some hanging over the edges and others reaching for the top.  

4.  Take a flower break: Draw lines from the top of your vase to the bottom leaving your design shape in the middle untouched.  Draw the lines freehand, sweeping down the page in a continuous manner.  They do not have to be an exact distance apart.  Let them follow the flow of the vase.  

Add a few embellishments as you fill up your Vase - WIP. 

5.  Add Embellishments: Add some darks using leafy branches, sweeping little lines with little black circles and longer droopy leaves.  I also grounded my vase by putting a lined mat under it.  

6.  Lightly paint your vase and mat: I painted my vase with a light wash of the pink, to make my flowers pop.  I also added a light shadow under the flowers that spilled over the edge of the vase.  I then painted the mat a slightly darker pink.  

Pink Flower Fluff - Sketchbook Activity - Freehand Line Work

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There is further discussion on this topic on my YouTube post: Become Friends with Your Pen - The Line 

Taking Registrations for my Spring/Summer Events: 

•  Join me in the Shuswap for a 4 Day Outdoor Sketching Art Retreat hosted by Joanne Denis, June 20-23, 2025.  I will be the instructor.  This is an all inclusive: food, instruction, accommodations and drive from Lower Mainland.  $350-$600 depending on the room choices.  www.aventurasbc.ca
  
  
• Come join me for An Adventure - Let's go Outdoor Sketching   2.5 hr $65.  This is small group instruction.  Contact me to set up a date. Location: Lower Mainland
  
  
• Save the Date:  next set of 3 Zoom classes Thursdays, October 9, 16 & 23.   Enhancing Your Drawing & Painting Skills.  New focus for each set of classes

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,

  

Wendy

SPARK Creativity by Painting Different Shapes - Painting & Drawing Tips

Are you looking for a SPARK to move your creative process to new directions?

As we move closer to a new year, I find the search for new ideas begins in earnest.  Somehow starting the next year doing the same old thing, doesn't feel right.  

But I have an idea of something that will change your perspective.  

Aren't these the Sweetest Pieces of Art?! - Ink drawing on Wood Canvas$75 each

*************** Special Note: *************** 

Time to REGISTER: Enhance Your Drawing Skills Winter Session:

5 Ways to Bring Depth into Your Work 

Thursday, Feb 6, 13, & 20, 6:00-8:00pm PST (Zoom) 
$75 Before Oct 8, $90 after
Using Pencil,  Pen & Watercolour, Wendy will demonstrate how each step of your process has secrets that can add Depth to your work. Contact Wendy to Register
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See my YouTube video with the same title with more discussion and examples on this topic
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Every 4 or 5 years the Snow Owls in northern Canada will come right down to our area: The mud flats at the mouth of the Fraser River.  It is really quite a sight to see.  The mud flats are gray, wet, boggy with stumps and logs scattered around.  Perched on these logs are the white snow owls.  

Many were out on Flats, an awesome sight to see. 

I was there before dawn one winter day.  It was amazing to see those spots of white, scattered over the land.  As it slowly got lighter I could see more and more of them.  There were at least 25 to 30 in the area, I was at.  Unfortunately, most were out on the flats a long way from the dike.  In areas too wet to walk.  But there were a few that were very close.  I got some great pictures.  

The pictures just sat in my folder, I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with them.  This fall I pulled them out.  I decided to draw on my 4 x 4 wood cradles that also had been around for quite awhile.  

That's when things happened!! SPARKS DID FLY!!

WIP: Snow Owls: Alert - $75

I set up the first drawing and went at it.  I really enjoyed watching my owls come to life.  I decided to look at more of my pictures and see what I could do.  

It was amazing!  Reference pictures I couldn't really visualize how to use, suddenly came alive.  I could see so many possibilities.  That square shape required a different composition than the usual rectangle format.  It moved my thinking and designing into a different place. 

WIP: Snow Owl Watching - $75

Take a look at your work.  Are you focused on a single format for your work?  Trying a different format can open you up to different perspectives.  Different compositions elements. The rule of  Thirds doesn't really apply here. You will find it shakes up your creative process. 

Snow Owls: Alert (Top left), Snow Owl Watching, Snow Owl on a Branch (Bottom) $75 ea

I am working on my 5th block right now and still seeing new arrangements I want to try.  As you get ready for the coming year, think about giving your practice a little shake.  You might be surprised at the results.  

***
See my YouTube video with the same title with more discussion and examples on this topic
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Upcoming Show and Classes:       Looking Forward to Seeing you there

 

Nov 30 - Dec 22 - Artswest Showcase of Art - Gallery Hours: 11-5pm Wed to Sun.  Landmark Pop-up Gallery, 15140 North Bluff Rd, White Rock.  I will have a full selection of Fine Art, cards and Prints. 

In-Person Online Drawing Classes
 Enhance Your Drawing/Painting Series – 5 Ways to Bring Depth into Your Work with Wendy Mould.
Thursday, Feb 6, 13, &  20  6:00-8:00pm PST (Zoom)

Using pencil, pen and Watercolour, Wendy will demonstrate how each step of your designing process has secrets that can at Depth to your work. Early Bird $75 After Feb 4, $90  2hr Classes Max 15.  Suitable for Beginners to Advanced. Contact Wendy to Register

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,

  

Wendy

Collage Fodder: Adding Stems and Leaves to Your Flowers - Painting & Drawing Tips

Similar? Or Perfect? Are these Opposites or Nearly the Same?

Flowers are starting to 'Pop UP' Everywhere - Why not in your Sketchbook too!

When painting and drawing, somehow ‘Perfect’ becomes the best way. But actually, the more I draw and paint, I think ‘Similar’ is really the goal.

Have you ever thought about it?

As I was doing my video for this post, ‘Drawing Leaves and Stems”, I found myself thinking these words over and over.

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*** Learn more about my Sketching Practice at The Thursday Night Artist Talks, April 4, 2024, 7:30-9pm. - 'Capturing Nature's Beauty on the Go' with Wendy Mould. Surrey Art Gallery, 13750 88 Ave, Surrey., V3W3L1

** Further discussion for this post can be found on my YouTube video: New Ways to Add Stems and Leaves to Your Flowers. 

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Do I really want ‘perfect’ leaves? Not really. . .

Nature is messy. It has leaves that are bent, chewed, broken, and spotted. When we view them, we see them, sideways, foreshorten, 3/4 angled and even upside down. Few leaves are seen in their perfect pristine shape. Yet, somehow this is forgotten, when pencil hits paper.

My last post was about drawing 5 Petal flowers. (See it HERE.) Today, I want to put some stems and leaves with those flowers. This is the fun part. Now, you are making the stage for those beautiful flowers to shine.

I have drawn a flower and 2 buds and I am ready to add the Stems and Leaves.

With Pen (.05 Pigma) Pencil and Kneaded Eraser I am ready-to-roll.  

Drawing Leaves and Stems

1. Stems - using a pencil, draw a line emanating from the center of the flower. Stems aren’t straight, curve your line to make an interesting shape. Once you’re happy with it, make it wide enough to support your flower.

Once I have roughed in the Stems and Leaves, I am ready to put pen to paper

1. Leaves - Here is where you really begin to learn about leaves. How big are they? Are they near the flower or further down the stem? Are they attached to the stem in pairs? Larger than the flower or smaller? When I first started drawing leaves, I realized I had never really looked at them. It made me take a second look. At this point I rough in my leaves with a pencil. (And remember, similar in shape not perfectly the same)

2. Take your pen to paper and draw in the stems and leaves.

   

   Basics are Done - Now add the Fun Stuff. 

3. Embellishments: There are endless things that can be added to your flower. Here again I first use my pencil to draw some lines where I feel I want to add a shape. Then its time for vines, branches and twigs. Use them to balance your arrangement and bring in some dark values to set off your flowers. Let your pen work flow, making the leaves on these little branches, interesting, wondering in different directions and again, similar in shape not perfectly the same

   

   Adding patterns to get different textures and darks and lights

4. Finish with your pen. Don’t forget to add shadows to stems and branches.

   

   Those little Shadows and Darks make your flowers shine

I must admit, I love the black and white sketch but you’re welcome to paint them if you want.

Try a few more designs: more flowers, large and small. Try a more graphic type leaf. (see my video for more examples). Add your own twigs, grasses or branches to spice it up. You will find you are soon jumping in with your pen very confidently. BTW You will also find you have a greater understanding for drawing flowers and plants from life.

***Check out my YouTube video "New Ways to Add Stems and Leaves to your Flowers" for more ideas as to leaves and embellishments.

Enjoy your drawing.

Coming Up:

All inclusive 4 Day Outdoor Sketching Art Retreat,  June 21-24, 2024 - Includes travel from Lower Mainland, accommodations, instruction and lots of Fun. $500  Wendy will be the instructor and Retreat Hosted by Joanne Dennis.  Only a few spots left.  Register Here. 
Aventuras Artist Retreats with Joanne Dennis and Wendy Mould.

Outdoor Sketching 2.5hr Classes this summer 2024 - July & Aug. Dates to be Determined.  Contact Wendy to get updates as to times and places.  

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,

  

Wendy