Nostr notes by linksoep

@npub16ch…tngx Challenge accepted ;-) ...

2026-09-28T10:13:02Z

Sofi (npub16ch…tngx) Challenge accepted ;-)

https://pixelfed.social/p/hilmaatlanta/1009426462734719018

#drawme #drawing #fountainpen #sketchbook #art #portrait #sketch #ink

This is a drawing of the magnificent @npub16ch…tngx If you ...

2026-09-14T13:47:36Z

This is a drawing of the magnificent Sofi (npub16ch…tngx) If you don't follow her yet, you should, her own art is fantastic.

As always, I could (should?) have stopped at the ink drawing as it is already good. But I didn’t.

Want to be drawn too? Install the Museum app by sktchy (iOS only), or post an inspiring selfie here on Pixelfed with a #drawme tag. Artists, myself included, browse that tag for inspiration.

#drawing #fountainpen #sketchbook #art #portrait #watercolor #sketch #ink

In the MdbK (Museum der bildenden Künste) in Leipzig I stumbled ...

2026-08-26T07:42:58Z

In the MdbK (Museum der bildenden Künste) in Leipzig I stumbled upon a statue made by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, called "Pourquoi naître esclave?" (Why born enslaved). Carpeaux explored the theme of slavery in his artwork after abolition in France in 1848.

What struck me was the face, and the pose: she's bound, and somehow sculpted in a way that felt beautiful, which made me uncomfortable. I made a picture of it, and now drew my own interpretation of it in ink.

I applied some unconventional hatching, which makes you at least look twice at the drawing. Maybe that fits, since the statue itself pulled me in before I even realized what I was looking at.

Why born enslaved. It's incredibly sad what people did (and do) to each other.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #art #portrait #sketch

I found yet another volunteer online who wanted to be drawn. ...

2026-08-25T09:48:25Z

I found yet another volunteer online who wanted to be drawn.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #art #portrait #watercolor

Sometimes I use an app where people post photos of themselves as ...

2026-08-18T12:25:46Z

Sometimes I use an app where people post photos of themselves as drawing references, a fun way to practice, and you return the favor with a sketch (https://get.museumapp.co).

This particular face just spoke to me. There’s something in the sad, vulnerable expression that comes across as powerful precisely because of that. I don’t even know this person, and yet here she is.

Makes me wonder, what if people started posting reference photos here on Pixelfed too, maybe under something like #drawme? Could be a nice way to get more art moving around here, and I’d happily take a crack at a few. Just a random thought, though.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #art #portrait

The Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei (Leipzig Cotton Mill) is a ...

2026-08-17T07:28:57Z

The Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei (Leipzig Cotton Mill) is a 10-hectare industrial site that now hosts art galleries and studios. Its industrial vibe is great material for a drawing.

This time I did use watercolor on my ink drawing, and yet it came out (again) totally different than expected. Now I’m stuck comparing the two versions, not even sure which one I prefer, ink alone, or ink with color. Lucky for me, I’ve got photos of both to keep obsessing over.

Maybe the real lesson is learning to paint as loosely and freely as I sketch in ink. Or maybe I should just quit second-guessing myself, enjoy the ride, and get on with the next drawing.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art #urbansketching

So, I went out with my sketchbook and gave myself an assignment: ...

2026-08-16T08:27:19Z

So, I went out with my sketchbook and gave myself an assignment: bring more looseness into my (outdoor) drawing. I’m in Leipzig right now, and the Altstadt turned out to be the perfect place for it, so many great subjects to draw. I limited myself to ink only, no watercolor, the idea being to work quick and get several sketches in, just to see where it would take me.

Good learning experience! I think I could’ve used the deep blacks a bit more deliberately (I was a little cautious there), but overall I’m pretty happy with these quick sketches.

The last one I made inside the church, while an organ concert was going on. Quite an experience, sketching with that music filling the space around me. Heavenly, literally.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art #urbansketching

In my head, my drawings are loose and expressive. In reality, ...

2026-08-15T08:02:12Z

In my head, my drawings are loose and expressive. In reality, that’s not always true, especially when I’m sketching outside. Trying to close that gap, I experimented with varying line weights and leaving parts of the drawing unfinished. Pretty happy with how it turned out. Now I just need to bring that same looseness into my outdoor sketches. Time to practice!

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #art #portrait #dog

This morning I found what looked like the perfect sketching spot: ...

2026-08-13T20:15:48Z

This morning I found what looked like the perfect sketching spot: a bench under a big old tree, right by a quiet chapel in Warburg. Not a soul around. My shoulders dropped, my thoughts settled, and I started to draw.

Then something else started dropping too.

Splat. Then again. Then again. I looked up. There was a bird in that tree, and whatever it had been eating, it clearly disagreed with him. My rucksack took the full bombardment, and I mean ENORMOUS. This was not a bird having a bad day. This was a bird declaring war.

Tranquility: gone. Rage: fully loaded.

I salvaged what I could, smudged away the rest (I suspect I’ll be finding evidence for weeks), somehow finished the drawing to a barely-acceptable state, and got out from under that tree before it could reload. What should’ve been the most peaceful sketch of the trip turned into an absolute shitshow, quite literally.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art #urbansketching

Arrived in Warburg today, just passing through, one night here ...

2026-08-12T20:03:23Z

Arrived in Warburg today, just passing through, one night here before moving on. What a beautiful little town. I found a bronze statue of a tanner that caught my eye and did a quick sketch of it. Not entirely happy with it: my materials were limited, and my self-consciousness was hard to shake. But I showed up, and that counts.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art #urbansketching

I spent an hour on a bench in the beautiful town of Goslar, ...

2026-08-01T18:57:48Z

I spent an hour on a bench in the beautiful town of Goslar, Germany, doing a bit of sketching. As always, I wasn’t quite sure where the drawing was going, but just sitting there, playing around with ink and watercolor, is so relaxing that the result almost doesn’t matter. It’s a wonderful memory anyway.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art #urbansketching

It’s been a while. Exhausted from work. So looking forward to ...

2026-07-21T19:54:41Z

It’s been a while.

Exhausted from work. So looking forward to my holidays starting next week. Hope to do a bit more of what I truly love to do. Drawing.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #art #sketch

I made a long walk yesterday in Antwerp, from the old city center ...

2026-05-17T07:34:15Z

I made a long walk yesterday in Antwerp, from the old city center to Borgerhout (awesome street art!) and Zurenborg (incredible Art Nouveau architecture!). Along the way I passed Moorkensplein, where I found a perfect spot to sit and sketch, in front of the town hall.

Just as I opened my sketchbook to start drawing, a woman came by with her dog. Out of the blue, she started sharing her rather tragic circumstances (she was in the midst of a divorce from her adulterous husband). At first I listened with empathy, but after 20 minutes or so I grew a bit impatient (I could see rain clouds coming), so I had to cut her off.

Ironically, during her sad confession, a marriage was taking place in the town hall. Lots of people celebrating love. While I sketched, rather hastily because of the threatening rain, I thought about the raw and fragile contrast between happiness and misery. And me, witnessing both.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art #urbansketching

This long weekend I am in Antwerp, some urban sketching, some ...

2026-05-16T19:17:20Z

This long weekend I am in Antwerp, some urban sketching, some wandering off the beaten path. The weather was absolutely not on my side. Between rain showers I managed to draw Het Steen, sitting on an iron mooring bollard with fingers I could barely feel anymore and a bum that was slowly turning to ice. Cold, damp, and determined. This is what survival sketching looks like.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art #urbansketching

Today’s harvest. Two pages from my sketchbook. Nothing more, ...

2026-03-14T16:51:47Z

Today’s harvest. Two pages from my sketchbook. Nothing more, nothing less.

#drawing #sketch #fountainpen #sketchbook #ink #figuredrawing #art

Once you start painting a bunch of self-portraits, that awkward ...

2026-03-05T07:50:35Z

Once you start painting a bunch of self-portraits, that awkward self-conscious feeling just kind of disappears. Honestly, I stopped caring what anyone else thinks I look like. Take it or leave it, this is me, deal with it!

For this one, I went with acrylics using only black and white. It’s pretty big too: I worked on a 50x70cm piece of paper. As I kept painting, I found myself getting more and more into it. There’s really something special about losing yourself in the process!

Losing yourself in a self-portrait.

#painting #acrylicpainting #drawing #portrait #art #selfportrait

A quiet yes in a world of no. #drawing #sketch #fountainpen ...

2026-02-17T07:47:55Z

A quiet yes in a world of no.

#drawing #sketch #fountainpen #sketchbook #ink #watercolor #art

Pretending to be Raphael. It may be blasphemy, but the paintings ...

2026-02-06T09:30:22Z

Pretending to be Raphael.

It may be blasphemy, but the paintings from Raphael (1483 - 1520) don’t really hit that chord with me. However, I’m blown away by his drawings and studies. This dude could draw!

Recently, I bought a book “Raphael The Drawings” (2017) that I highly recommended for everyone interested in drawing (or art in general). Every now and then I pick it up to admire his craftsmanship. And sometimes I grab my sketchbook with it and study his studies. It’s great learning material.

Of course, I am nowhere near his artistic skills nor do I necessarily want to be (well, the latter is a lie), and I don’t use the same materials he did (I’m just “sketchbooking” here with my trusted fountain pen), but it is fascinating to discover how he solved certain problems while drawing the figure.

#drawing #sketch #fountainpen #sketchbook #ink #art #figuredrawing

Scribble, scribble, scribble and look who is here. #drawing ...

2026-02-02T09:53:04Z

Scribble, scribble, scribble and look who is here.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #art

Self-portraits are always a bit awkward, and for a long time I ...

2025-09-19T07:14:39Z

Self-portraits are always a bit awkward, and for a long time I stayed away of them. It's like recording yourself and then hearing your own voice. As if it is someone else, but not really. An exercise in self-consciousness.

Nevertheless, here is me looking at you.

And you look awesome today!

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art

The magic of simple lines. While drawing this figure (straight in ...

2025-09-12T13:11:49Z

The magic of simple lines.

While drawing this figure (straight in ink) I didn't really think of where to put my pen. The process was very intuitive, more heart than brain. But looking back at this drawing, I think the lines are exactly where they should be.

Yet, I can never reproduce this drawing. It will always be different. But in that case the lines will probably also be exactly where they should be.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art

Otto Freundlich (10 July 1878 – 9 March 1943) was a German ...

2025-08-15T07:46:06Z

Otto Freundlich (10 July 1878 – 9 March 1943) was a German painter and sculptor of Jewish origin. A part of the first generation of abstract painters in Western art, Freundlich was a great admirer of cubism. He was murdered at Majdanek concentration camp during the Holocaust.

To be honest, I didn’t know this man, until I stumbled upon this sculpture in Bielefeld, Germany. As I was drawing this sculpture that he made, it felt like I had a conversation with him. I learned to know him a bit, understand him a little better. He turned out to be a very gentle and friendly man.

He held hopes of a new, open and free utopian society based on the abolition of hierarchy and the removal of boundaries — “between the world and the cosmos, between human beings, between mine and yours, between all things that we see.”

He asked me (very politely I must say) to say hi to you. Otto Freundlich sends you his regards.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art #urbansketching

My last day of my stay in Berlin I spent on the Teufelsberg, and ...

2025-08-14T07:27:56Z

My last day of my stay in Berlin I spent on the Teufelsberg, and what a worthy conclusion that was! If you ever visit Berlin and are even remotely interested in the raw and gritty art vibe the city has to offer then the Teufelsberg is an absolute must-see.

It took me an U-Bahn, an S-Bahn and a half hour walk through the bushes (luckily I brought my compass and enough water), but then I landed in an artistic, activistic wonderland. Against the surreal background of the former Cold War spy station (with its own incredible story), you will find plenty of the most amazing street art. I strolled around and admired the art for many hours.

My little sketch hardly does justice to what I experienced there, if not for the otherworldly feeling I had. What a blast! Makes me want to throw away my sketchbook and pick up some spray paint.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art #urbansketching #berlin

Berlin is a city of contrasts, I tried to subtly visualize that ...

2025-08-13T07:01:57Z

Berlin is a city of contrasts, I tried to subtly visualize that in this drawing that I made at the east riverside. The Holzmarkt is a fantastic place to sit and relax in stunning artistic surroundings. It almost feels like a small, alternative, artsy village and it gets your creative juices flowing instantly. In the morning it is relatively quiet there, so I was able to find this heavenly spot.

On the other side you see the rough concrete buildings, that I also love. Art, history, architecture, Berlin has it all and more. I’ve fallen a bit in love with this city and will be sorry to leave. Today is my last day, but I will surely come back!

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art #urbansketching #berlin

This afternoon I joined USK Berlin for a sketch meeting. It was ...

2025-08-12T18:24:45Z

This afternoon I joined USK Berlin for a sketch meeting. It was actually the very first time that I joined any USK group, and it tastes like more. I should find one in the Netherlands.

The location was absolutely fabulous, inside the Kraftwerk industrial building, where normally art exhibitions or techno parties take place. It is called “the quiet place”, and it was indeed empty now.

Yet I definitely felt out of my comfort zone, I never drew something like this, and I was also too conscious of time. Mixed feelings about the result. All in all, a great learning experience and some nice conversations with fellow sketchers 😊

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art #urbansketching #berlin

Somehow this scene, the Märchenbrunnen (Fountain of Fairytales) ...

2025-08-11T08:18:45Z

Somehow this scene, the Märchenbrunnen (Fountain of Fairytales) in Berlin, was not the easiest one to draw for me (or maybe I was just a bit tired from my endless walks through the city). I struggled a bit to get it properly on paper, to be honest, but whatever the outcome I got yet another great memory in my sketchbook (with the next blank page eagerly awaiting for a new adventure)! 😊

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art #urbansketching #berlin

I’m in Berlin now. The Berliner Dom is an iconic building, and ...

2025-08-10T07:31:36Z

I’m in Berlin now. The Berliner Dom is an iconic building, and every tourist (including myself) takes the same picture of it. But the drawing I made is unique! I had a lot of fun making this, especially with all the children who stopped by to watch me draw. They even made pictures of me 😁

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art #urbansketching

Sketch by me of a sculpture by Eddy Roos that I saw in ...

2025-08-05T13:57:00Z

Sketch by me of a sculpture by Eddy Roos that I saw in Beeldentuin de Havixhorst. Name of the statue (and apparently of the woman): Liesbeth.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art

Today I visited a monastery in Ettal, South Germany. I was able ...

2025-07-31T17:35:04Z

Today I visited a monastery in Ettal, South Germany. I was able to make a quick sketch there, sitting on a bench, just before it started raining cats and dogs. Added watercolors later, in the safety of a covered terrace. Yet another great holiday memory 😊

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art

This drawing makes me happy. To me, it felt very natural to draw ...

2025-07-24T08:31:00Z

This drawing makes me happy. To me, it felt very natural to draw like this, I much enjoyed the process and I am pleased with the result. Pieces are falling into place on my quest to find my own style. Feels like the right path. Cheers!

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art

An interesting mix of styles, while the subject is pouting at me, ...

2025-07-17T10:07:34Z

An interesting mix of styles, while the subject is pouting at me, basically asking me to finish this drawing, but I think I'm done with her.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art

This is Allister. He is blind in one eye, and his hair is static. ...

2025-07-15T09:44:58Z

This is Allister. He is blind in one eye, and his hair is static.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #art

Though I’m a dog person really, it is also fun to draw cats. ...

2025-07-14T10:16:35Z

Though I’m a dog person really, it is also fun to draw cats.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art

So I was in London last week, and found a moment to sit in the ...

2025-07-06T13:47:53Z

So I was in London last week, and found a moment to sit in the Brown Hart Gardens. Got lost in the moment.

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #watercolor #art

I often like my spontaneous sketchbook drawings the best. The ...

2025-06-20T17:44:20Z

I often like my spontaneous sketchbook drawings the best. The ones that are made in these unplanned, spare moments of 5 or 10 minutes, in between other chores. Of course, it is impossible to plan such unplanned moments, but I wonder what makes a planned drawing session so different.

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #art

Maybe a bit overdone (or not?), but I had fun! Ink sketch first, ...

2025-06-16T06:38:43Z

Maybe a bit overdone (or not?), but I had fun! Ink sketch first, then watercolours, then coloured pencils, then a few touches with white gel pen.

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #watercolor #art

I am currently reading the Letters of Vincent van Gogh. In the ...

2025-06-13T11:04:29Z

I am currently reading the Letters of Vincent van Gogh. In the introduction of the book there is a timeline of his life, and there I learnt that he spent some time in boarding school at ... the village where I was born! 😮

So, I looked up the exact location in Google streetview (I don't live there anymore), and to my astonishment Vincent's boarding school was right next to our family doctor (a man I was rather afraid of when I was young).

By the way, the name of "my" doctor was "Van de Kerkhof" (kerkhof means graveyard in Dutch, I’m not kidding).

Of course, I just had to add this to my sketchbook (using streetview as a reference). The spooky alley on the right leads to my scary doctor, while the red building on the left is where Vincent stayed.

So, Vincent van Gogh and I literally crossed paths! 😆

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #watercolor #art

Lulletje. #drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #watercolor #art ...

2025-04-27T12:32:14Z

Lulletje.

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #watercolor #art

Yes, he has a big nose. He knows that. People have reminded him ...

2025-04-26T17:09:09Z

Yes, he has a big nose. He knows that. People have reminded him of it his whole damn life. And if that were the only thing that was WRONG with him, it might have just been bearable. But it is not.

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #watercolor #art

One of my favourite writers is Thomas Rosenboom. Although he ...

2025-04-25T14:03:27Z

One of my favourite writers is Thomas Rosenboom. Although he writes in Dutch, his choice of words, often archaic and sometimes made up, creates a unique language that stands completely on its own. I relish every word of it. On top of that, his books are irresistible to me because of his subtle (dark) humour and fine psychological insight.

In the “Portraits of writers” category, I decided to draw Thomas Rosenboom today. I wanted to create a caricature without making the face appear overly exaggerated. Well, it is exaggerated, but that makes Rosenboom all the more recognisable. To me, this is him.

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #watercolor #art

Often, a quick sketch reveals something that an elaborate drawing ...

2025-04-21T19:12:16Z

Often, a quick sketch reveals something that an elaborate drawing can’t. That’s why I love drawing in a sketchbook so much. While perhaps not everything in this face is drawn “correctly,” this lady is nonetheless completely convincing to me.

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #art

Here I used watercolor first and ink later. The hardest part, I ...

2025-04-06T16:18:35Z

Here I used watercolor first and ink later. The hardest part, I think, is when to stop inking. I really had to sit on my hands as not to start cross hatching, and just let the colors speak for themselves.

#drawing #sketchbook #watercolor #ink #fountainpen #portrait #art

A couple of years ago I fell in love with ink on paper. I mostly ...

2025-03-28T15:28:06Z

A couple of years ago I fell in love with ink on paper. I mostly drew semi-realistic portraits from reference pictures with a fineliner and lots of crosshatching. Over time I developed something like a style of my own, but I also felt the urge to work more loosely. So I changed my fineliner for a fountainpen and tried lots of different approaches to get something on paper. I also changed the subjects of my drawings. And then I discovered watercolors.

Today, for old times sake, I went back to my original semi-realistic style, but I wondered what watercolors would add to the picture. So here is a combination of rigid and loose, realistic and abstract.

I think this grumpy old man approves.

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #watercolor #portrait #art

Still practicing my figure drawing skills from reference pictures ...

2025-03-13T16:19:50Z

Still practicing my figure drawing skills from reference pictures (Croquis Cafe) to prepare for life drawing classes later this year. At first, this one seemed super difficult to me, but it was in fact surprisingly easy to draw.

Notice how important a single line (between floor and wall) and the shadow can be to make this pose work. It is an essential part of this drawing.

I'm sure it was way more difficult for the model to keep this pose than it was for me to draw, but maybe that is nearly always the case. I don't know, as I have no experience being a model (yet).

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #watercolor #figuredrawing #art

Today I made an ink sketch with watercolors. Experimented a bit ...

2025-03-07T21:05:32Z

Today I made an ink sketch with watercolors. Experimented a bit here and there. For instance, I put some sea salt on the road which gave a nice effect. I keep learning by playing, and that's one of the reasons why watercolors are so much fun. I like the sunny and friendly vibe of the overall scene.

#drawing #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art

In my worst moments I suffer from imposter syndrome and think ...

2025-02-21T09:27:30Z

In my worst moments I suffer from imposter syndrome and think I’m not a “real” artist, because I’m self taught and “only” drawing in my free time when work is done. In my best moments I’m convinced that the raw creativity I unleash unto the paper is my raison d'être. Most of the time I find myself somewhere in between.

Here, a gesture drawing exercise turned into (something that resembles) art. A static pose suddenly began to move. See how this joyful creature is dancing! It makes me want to forget all the sorrows of this sad world, take off my clothes and dance along with her. Please step in and join me. Don’t let me look like a fool.

As it is not me who is crazy.

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #watercolor #art

Do you recognize those moments, when you feel the irresistible ...

2025-02-18T16:33:52Z

Do you recognize those moments, when you feel the irresistible urge to draw, but you don't know exactly what? Whenever that happens, I sometimes grab a semi-random picture of an animal, and draw the creature. Just to see what I can make of it.

Animals are in fact extremely forgiving. A small mistake in a human portrait may hurt the eye, but if it's an animal you often get away with it. Therefore, it is also very relaxing to draw animals, or so I think. On top of that you'll learn a thing or two about their body parts, or details you never noticed before. Great fun!

Today I had the honour to draw this rooster. His name is Maurice.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art

Maybe … no, probably … oh well, most certainly I will join ...

2025-02-17T15:29:17Z

Maybe … no, probably … oh well, most certainly I will join some life drawing classes later this year. The idea both excites and terrifies me. I’m so used to drawing alone, safely in my room in the attic, that drawing amongst other people, who also draw, feels a bit intimidating to me. Of all the things that are delicately personal about a life drawing class, I think the act of drawing in public tops them all. Still, I’m looking forward to mingle with likeminded people, who may be just as self-conscious as I am.

The next block of these classes only starts in September, so I will give myself some time to get accustomed to the idea. Meanwhile, I’ll draw figures from reference, alone, in my attic, and show some of my endeavours here, every now and then.

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #watercolor #figuredrawing #art

So, I was sitting in the lounge of a hotel, drinking fresh ginger ...

2025-02-11T16:13:13Z

So, I was sitting in the lounge of a hotel, drinking fresh ginger tea, and I happened to have my sketchbook with me. It was quiet, so no people in this drawing, but next time I will wait for them and capture them too. Or maybe I should have drawn them from my imagination?

Up till now, drawing in public wasn't really my cup of tea, or maybe it always was, but somehow I never found the courage to do so. This has changed. It surely tastes like more. Now I'm really looking forward to better weather, to go outside and draw whatever and whomever I see.

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #art

Gesture drawing, capturing a figure in just a few lines, takes ...

2025-02-10T14:06:53Z

Gesture drawing, capturing a figure in just a few lines, takes practice. Even more so when you work directly with ink and every mistake is permanent. I know I'm far from being really good at it, but every now and then "something happens".

Here are some scribbles combined with a little bit of hatching. Sometimes I cannot help myself: though I really want to (learn to) draw more loosely, I start hatching before I know it. But this time the combinations works, I think. Together with a few touches of primary watercolors, I see a ballet girl with tutu in a contemplative pose. Or a rather dramatic pose, depending on how you interpret the colors.

With these types of scribbles, I find it endlessly fascinating to experience how my mind clearly sees what is not drawn.

#drawing #ink #fountainpen #watercolor #gesturedrawing #art

Once upon a time there was a girl who lived in a bleak and ...

2025-02-09T15:58:04Z

Once upon a time there was a girl who lived in a bleak and inhospitable world. People were looking at her as if she didn’t belong. One day she was so fed up by being judged that she stepped into a better, colourful world, where everything is possible and nothing is weird. Where there is no good or bad. This world is my sketchbook.

#drawing #sketchbook #fountainpen #ink #watercolor #art

Yet another watercolor experiment. I'm learning every day. ...

2025-02-07T14:33:20Z

Yet another watercolor experiment. I'm learning every day. Here I wanted to use a limited color palette. I also drew this street scene with continuous lines for a change (the pen didn't leave the paper for most of the time). Due to the colors it has quite some atmosphere, I think. I like the bleeding of the watercolors around the church (by the way, it's the same church but from a different street as the drawing I posted two days ago).

#watercolor #ink #fountainpen #urbansketching #drawing #art

Practicing my watercolor skills. My goal was to suggest a sunny ...

2025-02-05T19:24:20Z

Practicing my watercolor skills. My goal was to suggest a sunny and shadowy side of this street. I'm still learning a thing or two about layering and shadow colors.

Happy to see that, due to the shadow I guess, the sun is shining in this drawing.

#watercolor #ink #fountainpen #art #drawing

I had fun with drawing falling people in my sketchbook. This ...

2025-02-04T09:13:40Z

I had fun with drawing falling people in my sketchbook. This turns out to be a very good exercise to practice proportions in a fun and interesting way and experiment a bit with pure blacks. One figure is definitely better than the other but the page as a whole is as much fun to look at as it was to draw.

What I did: I searched for "falling people" at Pinterest (not necessarily my favourite platform, but it's a good source for references), and just drew whatever was shown. I used a fountain pen and an ink brush. Of course, any tool will work to draw people falling. Maybe it will inspire you too :-)

#drawing #sketchbook #ink #fountainpen #art

I like to experiment a bit every now and then, let's say to ...

2025-02-03T11:09:00Z

I like to experiment a bit every now and then, let's say to "fine-tune" my style (interesting topic, by the way, as I think everyone has a unique style to begin with, like your handwriting, and when people talk about "finding" their style I'm not sure I agree with their quest, I guess it's more about discovering what's already there, or maybe even accepting it? Oh well, maybe it's just semantics).

Anyway, here I use some "dirty hatching", and when I did it, it felt like I was destroying my own drawing. But look, applying some watercolors on top of it, and I think I actually get away with it! 😅

#sketchbook #watercolor #ink #fountainpen #art

So, let’s draw the interior of a church, I thought bravely. It ...

2025-02-02T17:56:40Z

So, let’s draw the interior of a church, I thought bravely. It turned out differently than I expected, almost a bit abstract even. But it speaks to me. I’m quite happy with the gloomy feel, if that makes sense. As if bricks and pillars are tumbling down. Just like the world around us.

#sketchbook #ink #drawing #art #fountainpen

So, how do you draw something like this? Well, first take a ...

2025-01-31T09:18:27Z

So, how do you draw something like this?

Well, first take a #fountainpen with water soluble #ink (I used a Lamy Safari with Diamine Ancient Copper ink, but any choice will do). Then draw the guy. After that, pick a waterbrush and use it on places where you expect some shadow. Let it dry a bit. Finish it off with a few touches from your fountain pen again.

Waterbrushes are great! They cost next to nothing but can be really powerful. This was my first experiment with a waterbrush on ink, and the result made me smile as much as this man :-)

#sketchbook #drawing #art

A pen sketch of an ordinary street. What I like is that, even ...

2025-01-30T07:01:58Z

A pen sketch of an ordinary street. What I like is that, even though it is just black and white, the sun is shining in this drawing. At least to me :-)

#sketchbook #ink #art #fountainpen #drawing

First test with premium teal blue ink (iroshizuku ku-jaku) in my ...

2025-01-29T18:54:16Z

First test with premium teal blue ink (iroshizuku ku-jaku) in my fountain pen.

The ink flows as much as this guy.

#fountainpen #ink #drawing #sketchbook #art