• Art Tip

    Shading Techniques for Ink & Pencil

    4 shading techniques for ink and pencil blog cover

    We’re headed into October soon and there are a bunch of drawing challenges going on.  I thought it would be a good time to reshare last year’s blog with some shading techniques for anyone who is new to drawing or would like a quick refresher.  I also have a free template…

  • Art Tip

    Shading Techniques for Ink & Pencil

    4 shading techniques for ink and pencil blog cover

    We’re headed into October and there are a bunch of drawing challenges going on.  I thought it would be a good time to reshare ;ast year’s blog with some shading techniques for anyone who is new to drawing or would like a quick refresher.  I also have a free template towards…

  • Artwork,  Life

    November Project: Gratitude Doodles

    November Gratitude Doodles Project blog cover

    November is right around the corner and I’d like to do something special for the month.  It’s been a tough year for so many people.  It feels like the world could use more togetherness and thankfulness for what we do have.  For the month of November my goal is to help send…

  • Art Tip

    4 Shading Techniques for Ink & Pencil

    4 shading techniques for ink and pencil blog cover

    This month there’s a flood of people making drawings in ink for Inktober and other drawing challenges!  Feedback that I’ve heard from artist friends or those that consider themselves not-yet-artists is that they struggle with shading, so I thought I would take a minute to share some tips! Shading is…

  • Artwork

    Inktober 2020: Days 1-4

    Inktober 2020 days 1-4 blog cover

    It’s October, which means it’s time for the annual Inktober drawing challenge!  Are you participating this year? Inktober is a drawing challenge that encourages artists to create a drawing each day with ink based on a list of daily prompts.  The challenge lasts all 31 days of October and happens…

  • Artwork

    Stepping Stones

    Stepping Stones by Laura Jaen Smith. Framed ink painting of river rocks in creek hanging on barn wood wall.

    This week on the blog, I’m featuring one of my favorite ink drawings – Stepping Stones.  Ink is a new medium that I’ve learned to love in the past year beginning with the Inktober challenge that I took part in last October.  The challenge pushed me outside of my comfort…

  • Artwork

    Inktober 2018: Recap of Week 5

    Inktober 2018 Days 29-31 blog cover

    I made it through all 31 days of Inktober!  So proud of myself.  If you’d like to look back at the drawings from each week: Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 If you’re new to what Inktober is, Inktober is a drawing challenge created by artist Jake Parker…

  • Artwork

    Inktober 2018: Recap Week 4

    Inktober 2018 Days 22-28 blog cover

    Just a few days left of the month and of the Inktober challenge!  (If you’d like to look back on the past weeks you can do so here – Week 1, Week 2, Week 3.) Inktober is a drawing challenge created by artist Jake Parker which encourages artists to create a drawing each…

  • Artwork

    Inktober 2018: Recap Week 3

    Inktober 2018 Days 15-21 blog cover

    Can you believe I’ve made it up through the third week of Inktober so far this year?  I’m proud of myself!  (If you’d like to look back on the past weeks you can do so here – Week 1 and Week 2.) Inktober is a drawing challenge created by artist Jake Parker…

  • Artwork

    Inktober 2018: Recap Week 2

    inktober 2018 Days 8-14 blog cover

    Week two done for the the Inktober drawing challenge!  If you missed my week 1 drawings you can catch up on the blog post from last week here.  Inktober is a drawing challenge created by artist Jake Parker which encourages artists to create a drawing each day with ink based on…