"The Illustrated Life: Journaling in Ink & Watercolour" online course is opening!!

I hope this finds you well and happy! I am excited to let you know that I am once again opening registration for 'The Illustrated Life: Journaling in Ink & Watercolour' online course. NOW is the perfect time to take your sketchbook outdoors to capture what you are loving. Registration for the course begins on Tuesday April 20 and runs only until Saturday April 24.

Inside the course there are SIX full demonstrations broken down into manageable sections, making them easy to follow along. There are also lessons on finding inspiration, complete supply explanations, lessons on colour mixing, and SO MUCH MORE!

In addition, there is a very active free Facebook group where you can see other's sketches, post your work, and get encouragement for the journey. I respond to every post, so you get continual access to me to help you, answer any questions you might have, and to make helpful suggestions and support you on your sketching path.

You will find out all the information on the course you need HERE. There is a video there that explains how the course works, as well as FAQ's to answer any questions you might have and more.

As well, I have decided to do a LIVE ZOOM CALL to talk about the many benefits of plein air (outside) sketching, and to take questions about the course. The call will be on Tuesday April 20th at 7pm Mountain time. If you would be interested in joining me for the live call, please click HERE to register. The call will be recorded if you are unable to join live, you only need to email me to ask for the replay.

TESTIMONIALS

I have had 75 people go through the course now and this is what some of them had to say:

Dorothy S. said " What appeals to me is I get to learn how to draw quick and simple sketches to help me capture my adventures. I am not good at retaining memories and the feelings that I felt.  Sharon's explanations of using the pen to make containers for the shapes, and what to look for as the focus of your sketch, was fantastic. The lessons on colour mixing were a wonderful thing for me. I struggle with consistent mixing and the cool/warm colour stuff.  I get and understand the instructions because her delivery is easy for me to understand. I have learned so much from just these videos." 

Beth H. said: "I think your course is a good entryway into experiencing art, the creative process, even for those who have not been creative in the past.  Participants can be surprised by what they create with line and colour, especially if their stumbling block is, "I don't know how to draw".  I'm not sure what group this taps into, but when I think about this past summer, top of mind is the afternoon spent in the backyard, being outside and painting a sketch.  It was a way to enjoy my environment, made me feel like a kid again, even though I now have some physical limitations.  I'm wondering if gardeners, would be a group?  I spend time making my yard look beautiful, I finally had a way to experience it in a new way; to keep enjoying it and take it in. There is something about the process that is very therapeutic; increases mindfulness.  Mindfulness is a popular buzzword, so somehow it creates a path to mindfulness for the super busy woman sandwiched between children and aging parents. .... like my daughter.  It's like the Calgon bath that takes them away.  Also can give them a fresh perspective on their surroundings (that they might be tired of or feel trapped in) or remind them of why they used to enjoy something..."

Finally, Nancy said "The simplification of the sketching process was key for me.  Although I have taken a sketchbook when travelling, I often got bogged down with too much detail. This method with the watercolour works so well.  I have taken other courses from Sharon and enjoy her style of painting and instruction."

 

I sincerely hope that you will join me on the call, and then to join the course. See for yourself how relaxing, meditative and life-giving pen and ink sketching can be!

Blessings,
Sharon

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Pen & Ink & Watercolour Sketch by Sharon Lynn Williams

Sketch done at Smith Rock in SW Oregon, 4x6"

I only had a chance to do one sketch so far on this trip. We found this location in a Discover Oregon book, and good thing too, we would have passed it by as it didn't look like much from the road. People come from all around the world to scale these huge vertical cliffs.

If you like the idea of making quick travel sketches for your memoirs or to get info for later paintings, why don't you join me for my upcoming Plein Air Quick Sketching Workshop on June 8. All the info and registration cart is on my website at www.sharonlynnwilliams.com under the workshops tab.

Hope to see you there!

Enjoy 😄

Pen & Watercolour Sketches from Arizona & New Mexico by Sharon Lynn Williams

It has been over a month since I last posted, I am embarrassed to say! I have been very busy working on my NEW WEBSITE which is now live -check it out and let me know what you think. It has been a huge labour of love by my beautiful daughter who gave it to me for Christmas. I don't think either of us realized just how much time it would take us to get it up and rolling according to my vision for all that I wanted it to be.
Also, I was thrilled to go on a 9 day art viewing retreat to Arizona and New Mexico with some of my favourite art buddies. We visited a TON of art galleries and artist studios in Scottsdale, Santa Fe and Sedona. I came back with so much inspiration that I didn't know what to do with it all!
I made several pen and ink and watercolour quick sketches during our trip, which are presented in this post for your viewing pleasure.

 I haven't had much experience with cacti, and just had to capture their wonderful forms.

 I did this one from the car and painted it afterwards. We drove through some sleet on the way to Santa Fe.

I am really impressed with the building code in Santa Fe, that all homes etc must be done in the adobe style. It really adds to the wonderful ambiance of Santa Fe, which I love.

 We stayed in the wonderful (?) Wigwam Motel in Holbrook on Route 66 -a throwback to the 60's. There are a bunch of old cars in the parking lot, and I couldn't resist this one.

Our last stop was to visit Montezuma's Castle. It is incredible to me that those folks would climb the cliffs to farm and to get water, while everything is so easy in our lives today. Makes me appreciate all that I have!

Enjoy!
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Watercolour sketch and more Moab photos by Sharon Lynn Williams

I did this pen and ink and watercolour sketch at Island in the Sky, the northernmost part of Canyonlands National Park. This part of Canyonlands is very similar to the Grand Canyon, but on a much smaller scale. The mountain range in the distance still had a lot of snow on it, creating a wonderful contrast for the layered reds, oranges and tans of the sandstone.

Some more of the fabulous scenery in the area.

Dave took me to see the sunset at Fisher Towers, and while there was a phenomenal sunset, I couldn't take my eyes off the reflected light on the towers. I didn't touch this shot in photoshop, honest, it really was like that!

Ever since I visited Writing On Stone Provincial Park I have been fascinated with early native pictographs and petroglyphs. I was delighted to go exploring along the Colorado River and find so many fine examples of several different tribes and times, some dating back a thousand years. As always, it is devastating to see modern graffiti obliterating some of the drawings. Why is it that mankind has always desired to leave his mark wherever he goes?

Enjoy!

To purchase this, or commission your own painting, please email me.

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A Few Pen & Ink and Watercolour Sketches

I have a bunch of new oils to show you, but I keep forgetting to photograph them when it is light out! So instead here are a couple of recent pen & ink and watercolour quick sketches. The first one I did in about 15 minutes before the heavens opened and I ran for the car. The second one is a demo I did in my last sketching workshop at the Leighton Centre. While neither of these are brilliant works of art, I hope you will find them entertaining.
Enjoy!