Hello!
from my cold little corner of Scotland!
I always have a surge of energy as the summer solstice approaches, and then in a blink of an eye it’s July. It sneaks up on me every year. Now each day is getting slightly shorter, a reminder that this wonderful time of year doesn’t last. It’s bittersweet, isn’t it? But it’s not over yet, and I’m taking advantage of the long days to paint outside as often as possible, learning from nature.
What I’ve been up to
Some adventures were had.
On the last day of May, I completed the Aberdeenshire Coastal Trail - over 150 miles of beautiful and varied coastline. No, it didn’t happen all at once! I have a whole video series about it here. But the last leg was 50 miles and my first big ride of the summer. I had the perfect two-day weather window to complete that journey. To be honest it took me a few weeks to fully recover from that. But it was completely worth it because it was a great section and June was very stormy.
That trail was all part of my life-long goal to hike or cycle around Scotland, which you can read about here. I’m already planning the next big ride, going from the edge of Moray county to Inverness. Just waiting for the weather to cooperate.
Workshops
My France workshop sold out within 24 hours of sending my newsletter. You can get on the wait list, but I’ve been told there is a long list. The good news is that it means I’ll be doing more in the future. I have already spoken to other companies about doing workshops (tentatively planning a Spain workshop in May 2026!).
I also started teaching in-person workshops here in Scotland this summer and it’s been a blast.
Sadly I only took two photos the entire weekend of the June workshop (one is above). I wanted to pack in as much knowledge as possible so I stayed focused! What I love about in-person workshops is the ability to see the student’s painting and give instant feedback, to demonstrate directly and answer questions as they arise during the painting process. Everything is much more fluid. I’ve been teaching online for over 5 years, and this has been such a refreshing change and is rekindling my excitement for sharing my craft.
My July workshop is this weekend and I’m so looking forward to it! Whatever the weather throws at us, we’ll embrace it and use it as an opportunity to study the truth of nature.
I’ll try to take more photos this time and share them in a future newsletter or blog post.
Interested in future Scotland workshops? You’re in the right place. I always announce them to my newsletter before social media.
Art on Display
Some of my artwork is now on display (and available) at the newly reopened Victorian Railway Cafe at Strathpeffer. It’s a beautiful cafe with wonderful teas, coffees, cakes, and fresh food. Definitely worth a visit and is only a 30 minute scenic drive from Inverness
How I create a drawing curriculum to IMPROVE my skills
Let’s talk about drawing. It’s my greatest love as an artist. I find drawing to be the most relaxing of all art-related activities. Why? Because the concept is so simple.
One tool. Paper. Friction. Thought.
While painting can be relaxing, it can also be ahellofalotta work to achieve something “good.” There’s so much involved. Color theory, paint consistency, water control, tools, how slow or fast it’s drying…the list goes on. That’s why painting can be mentally exhausting very quickly.
And I suppose drawing can be too when you are really studying something complex. But I find that I can draw for hours without getting as tired. In a perfect world of no obligations, I could draw all day.
But drawing is much more than a fun hobby. I think it’s the best way to improve hand-eye coordination. To improve muscle memory. To build the skill of observation needed to paint realistically.
If you struggle with consistently practicing, adding some structure can really help! So I wanted to share how I create a curriculum to improve my drawing skills over time.
Simplicity
I start by selecting my tools. If you’re new to drawing, I suggest starting very simple with either a pen or pencil and paper. Nothing fancy. Over time you can experiment with different options, or even add in paint. I sometimes love to draw with ink then splash some gouache over it, then draw on top of that. But to start, keep things simple.
Length
I typically keep the length of my curriculum to 30 days or less. This helps keep me motivated because 30 days isn’t that long. But it also means I can make adjustments afterwards or continue if desired.
I may organize it into chunks throughout the year. For instance, each “season” gets a new curriculum. Or perhaps every 2 months I start a new one.
Subject
Drawing from life is preferable to grow the skills needed to observe what’s in front of me and translate that to 2D. Since my primary drive as a painter is to paint on location, I need this skill.
My subject varies from architecture, still lifes, individual objects in the landscape and more. Sometimes animals or people.
I will often do 7-10 days of one subject, then move onto the next.
For instance, in a 4-week curriculum:
Week 1 - Rocks
Week 2 - Trees
Week 3 - Boats
Week 4 - Birds
They aren’t necessarily related, but they are each very interesting to me. Which is important.
Daily
Usually I’m trying to gain maintain (or gain back) a habit of daily drawing. It’s something that can easily slip away when my schedule gets busy. I have always seen massive improvements when I stick to a daily drawing schedule.
The goal: 10 minutes MINIMUM, 1 hour MAX. That is a good formula to start with. After 1 hour if I am still in the mood, I’ll switch to painting (or keep drawing with ink but add watercolor).
Doing this is more approachable and sustainble than big time chunks.
If I can’t do daily sessions, I’ll at least do every other day.
Share!
I find it REALLY helpful to share my progress with others. This is so encouraging, and also keeps me somewhat accountable.
For instance right now, I’m doing a 30-day challenge with my Patreons. We can share progress in our group chat on Patreon and stay motivated. And my monthly live stream will be drawing related.
Inspiration
If you’d like to try but aren’t sure where to start, here are some suggestions.
Start with a shorter length, maybe two weeks.
Each day use a new tool. Try different pencils and pens. Try different papers.
Create a list of prompts. Write them on paper, put them in a jar and pick a new one each day. Use words of things around you so you can draw from life. Like “my car” or “the neighbor’s tree.”
I have a pinterest board dedicated to fantastic sketchbooks that inspire me. Make one full of things that get you excited to grab your sketchbook!
I hope this discussion inspires you to start (or keep) a habit of drawing and improving!
On a Personal Note…
This has been a rather travel-free summer for us, minus a couple of events. Typically I plan lots of trips all over Scotland from May until September. However this year the timing of our new kitten called for a home-bound existence.
And it’s been such a joy to have Akira by my side most days! He is very affectionate, curious, and very clingy. It’s a lot of work to raise a kitten with his amount of endless energy. He requires near-constant supervision so he doesn’t chew cables, plastic, or clothes (he loves to eat our sandals). He’s like a dog! And because he isn’t able to go outside on his own yet, he still depends on us for everything. Everyone told us Siamese are very socially needy, and we can definitely see it! We’ve grown a deep bond in our short three months together.
He is also terribly smart. He quickly figured out how to sneak out of the catflap as Floki comes in. Because of that, Wolfy and I haven’t left the house together since March. So my adventures are solo, and my priorities have been to raise a healthy happy boy. Giving him the best start possible is biggest job of the summer. And this homebound existence has changed how I approach my art practice. I have given myself more time to relax and enjoy the summer. Gardening, playing with Akira, bike rides, just enjoying life. It’s like a new side of me has been brought out - someone who is learning to relax!
However we do have some exciting travel plans in September and October, so I am hoping that by autumn Akira will be wise enough to see that when his parents leave, they will always come back to him.
Take care and see you next time,
~ Sarah
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