A little reminder that “work in progress” doesn’t just mean paintings. It could be: 🎨 A sketch that’s still finding its footing. 🧵 A project spread across your desk. 📖 A new skill you’re practicing. 🖥️ A website you’re slowly building. 🪴 A garden that’s only halfway planted. 📝 An idea that’s lived in your notebook for months. Progress isn’t always pretty, and it definitely isn’t always finished. So… what’s on your desk, easel, screen, workbench, or sketchbook today? Share your WIP below! We’d love to see what you’re creating, where you’re stuck, what you’re experimenting with, or what you’re excited about. This community isn’t just here to celebrate finished pieces~ we’re here for the messy middle too~! Happy creating! 🎨✨ On my end~ Studio's renovation imminent~ Soon we will be combining mine and Chris's workbenches (sort of...) into one long bench with folios in between, so it doubles as a meeting/photo station too~! Slow, deliberate work, summer's the season for it. In between all that, still expanding the Temple Series and working through some sumi-e pieces~ leaning further into the Asian-inspired, Zen-esque direction that's carrying into the bigger combined launch coming July 31st. More on that soon~ What's on your workbench this week? 🎨

I used my pencils and drew this for a birthday card and now don't know if I should spray it with hairspray or toss some colored pencil on it or ... something. . . I don't have the "workable fixative" and I'm not in the habit of doing this...any suggestions are welcome.

Word of the Week: Bridge Bridges connect more than places~ They connect ideas, people, memories, cultures, generations, and moments in time. They can represent hope, transition, distance, reunion, or the courage to cross into something unknown. Your bridge can be real or imagined. Ancient stone. Steel and glass. A fallen bridge. A bridge made of roots, clouds, books, light, or something only your imagination could build. Think about: 🌉 What does your bridge connect? 🌊 What’s beneath it? ✨ Is it being crossed… or left behind? Create in whatever medium inspires you, then share your work with the community. We’d love to see not just what you made, but the story behind it. Happy creating. 🎨

One of the biggest hurdles when learning to draw trees is trying to capture every leaf, every branch, and every tiny detail all at once. Instead, train yourself to see the larger forms first. Start with the overall silhouette. Find the direction of the trunk. Look for the main branches that carry the structure before you worry about the smaller ones. As you build outward, think about how branches divide, how they taper, and where light naturally creates areas of shadow and highlights. You’ll also notice that no two trees grow the same way. An old oak has a completely different rhythm than a pine, maple, or willow. Spending a few minutes observing real trees~ whether outside your window or in reference photos~ will teach you more than trying to memorize a single formula. Once you understand the structure, the details become much easier to add. What kind of tree do you find the most challenging to draw? Any that you are more drawn to or find easier?

Rocks aren’t complicated~ they’re just honest. When people first try drawing rocks, they often focus on every crack and texture they can see. The result usually ends up feeling busy instead of believable. Start by finding the largest shapes first~ Every rock has a sense of weight~ Think about where it rests, how its surfaces catch the light, and which planes turn away into shadow. Once that foundation is solid, you can begin adding smaller chips, fractures, rough textures, and subtle color variations. Another thing to remember: nature rarely repeats itself. Some rocks are smooth from years of moving water. Others are jagged from fresh breaks. Some are covered in moss or lichen, while others have sharp edges that haven’t had time to weather. The more you observe real rocks, the more you’ll notice they tell the story of where they’ve been. Slow down, study the forms, and let the texture come last. What’s your favorite kind of landscape to draw~ mountains, forests, beaches, or deserts?