Great Quote

Inspiration Station - Nelleke Verhoeff

My Dutch Online friend Nelleke Verhoeff makes amazing things. I found her online when she was in the middle of a 365 project: 'A Face A Day',  and I fell in love with her work, colour palette and style immediately. Her brand name is 'Red Cheeks Factory', no explanation needed when you see her illustrations.

 

 

Find Nelleke Verhoeff here:

Website

Shop
Twitter @redcheeksfacts
Facebook

More inspiration: Grab my FREE EBOOK '10 Habits For Inspiration' HERE

Draw Tip Tuesday - Combining your tools

In less than 3 weeks the Online Drawing Course JustDrawIt! starts. It's a Group program in which you can develop your drawing skills, gain creative confidence and make drawing a life habit. If you like watching my videos, You will LOVE JustDrawIt! Make sure to get your seat in the course here

Thank you card

I made this quick thank you card on a piece of cardboard to complement an Etsy order.

I think it's so cute!

Learn how to draw a character like this in the 6 weeks online drawing course 'JustDrawIt!'

Semester starts June 3 Click here to enroll

Inspiration Station - Salli Swindell

I'm so excited to show you the work of Salli Swindell today! She's a graphic designer and illustrator whose work is always bright and cheerful. Salli works magic with her patterns, and I love her illustrated recipes. Not just because of her illustration style, but because she has the same taste as me when it comes to food. Fresh, pure and fun. Well actually that's how you could discribe her style!

Along with her brother Nate Padavick, who was featured here too, Salli is the founder of brilliant websites TheyDrawAndCook and TheyDrawAndTravel and owner of StudioSSS. Could it be creativity or talent is genetic?

 

Find Salli Swindell here:
Blog
Studio
Theydrawandcook
Theydrawandtravel
Pinterest
Facebook
CookBooks

Refreshed and inspired? I'll say! 

If you want more: download my ebook  

10 habits for inspiration 

here 

 for FREE

Draw Tip Tuesday - DIY Cardboard Greeting Card

You can learn a lot more if you like. Have a look at my website: koosjekoene.nl
If you like watching my videos, You will LOVE JustDrawIt! 

A journal page

Looks simple - and it is. YOU can learn to draw too: 

Online Drawing Course 'JustDrawIt!' starts June 3! 

Enroll today and make sure you've got yourself a seat in the course.

Illustration Friday - Farewell

Ever since I started blogging, I've also been submitting drawings on IllustrationFriday.com regularly*.
The founder of this inspiring website, Penelope Dullaghan, has made the website flourish and grow into a wonderful online place. After 10 years, now she's saying farewell, because there are so many other possibilities out there for her. I read on her blog that she considered shutting Illustration Friday off. Glad she didn't! Thomas James is taking over and I'm sure he will be just as dedicated as Penelope was in all those years.
This week's topic is suitable: 'farewell' (would next week's topic be 'welcome'?)
'Farewell' made me think of waving white handkerchiefs, and a bit of a sad feeling, one tear drop on the cheek... Here's what I made just in time last night, with a photo as referral, found on google images.

*Illustration Friday is a weekly drawing challenge and participatory art exhibit. Every Friday a new topic is posted and you have one week to come up with your own, unique interpretation. Anyone who likes to draw, paint, sculpt, doodle or color can participate in Illustration Friday. Yes, that means YOU too!!

I love projects that are suitable for everyone to join!

I'm a big believer of when you like something, you can learn it. Do you want to make awesome art, and be able to submit it on Illustration Friday too? Have a look here for a 6 week online program full of practical tips that will help you make awesome stuff.

Journal pages - Granddad's watercolour box

A few years ago, my mom gave me this beautiful small metal watercolour box. It once belonged to my grandfather, who was an artist painter and used to take this with him when he was travelling. It still had his mixed paint in it, and I suspect the tiny brush wasn't always dipped in water, but just licked on, when there wasn't any water around... 

My grandfather was very careful with his tools. He even kept the paper box around it.

I love the look of the design of the box, and it sat by my desk for a few years, like a sort of relic. My grandfather died before I went to art school, so he never saw me follow his footsteps. Now that I've been working with watercolours a lot lately, it was time to actually use that small travel box.

So I took photos of the relic; the used box and dried out paint, and got to work. Cleaned the box out and filled it with fresh watercolours. Turned it from relic to awesome box that will travel with me all the time! I'm so happy with it!

For the left page in my journal here, I used my brand new vintage watercolour box for the first time!

The box has a ring on the back, so you can put your thumb through it and easily hold it. I love it. The box is Winsor&Newton's, the watercolours are Van Gogh. Customized vintage I'll say!

Giveaway Winners!

Congratulations to Lauren, Ingrid and Kareen!!
They won the giveaway, Hurray!

 

Lauren will be receiving the red greeting card+matching envelope, Ingrid the purple one, and Kareen has won the sketchbook.

Are you disappointed you missed out on this? Not to worry, the greeting cards are for sale in my Etsy shop!

More freebees? Download my FREE ebook, by clicking here

Inspiration Station - Paula Pertile

Sometimes you stumble upon a page or blog on the web that you don't want to leave anymore. this happened to me when I first came across Paula's blog. I couldn't stop awing over her colour pencil drawings. Her work actually gave me the itch to finally pick up my colour pencils after years, and use them properly again. I hadn't realized how much I missed making realistic drawings using them, until I saw what kind of magic Paula does. It's just amazing. A true inspiration.

 

on her blog, she often posts all steps to the end result

I chose to show you realistic drawings here, but she has a wonderful collection of all kinds of other illustrations too!

Find Paula Pertile online:
Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter @PaulaPertile
LinkedIn

For more inspiration, download my FREE ebook here