Mary Phan - The Artful Sketch: Learn How to Create Step-by-Step Artistic Drawings

Create Artistic Drawings Step by Step to Embellish Your Home, Business, and Life

creator of Very Mary Inspired and The Sketchbook Series

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I dedicate this book to my immigrant parents, for being my guiding light and showing me what true bravery means. To my husband, Chris, and my two sons, Noah and Elijahyou are my daily inspiration.

Im so excited for you to go through the lessons in this book. Ive created it especially for you so you can appreciate sketching in a whole new way. I want to help you learn new techniques, get inspired, and produce professional results that will wow your friends and family. My ultimate goal is to have you fall in love with sketching and enjoy it as much as I do. Even though I took many art and design classes in college, I was never taught to draw. Instead, through trial and error, I developed a style of my own.

Having taught many creative professionals through my workshops and e-course called The Sketchbook Series, I know youll find the following lessons useful in your everyday life. I love how my art has become a way to work with and support other artists and creative people. I love using it to empower and encourage people to pursue their creative passions. I want my art to inspire others to keep working toward their dreams. I want the lessons to inspire you to create beautiful pieces of artwork that you will be proud of.

This book presents tips and tricks that anyone can use, making the lessons easy to follow. I will take you step by step with exact details on how I produce each illustration. Dont be afraid to explore, make mistakes, and try again. I hope you find the lessons inspiring, and in time, develop your style so that you can share your newfound love with others. Lets start sketching!

It is important to have an inspiring space to sketch in! It should feel open; not stuffy, cluttered, or messy. When I sketch, I look for areas that have nice natural lighting. At home, my desk sits near a window. If Im out and about, I might find a table in a bright caf or set up outside. All of these spaces help my creative workflow and put me in a clear state of mind.

Take the time to create a workstation or creative space just for yourself. It should be a quiet place in which you can take refuge after a long daya sacred place for you to create. Make it your own; be as creative, playful, or colorful as you wish. This space should reflect your taste and style. Have fun with it since this will be a place in which you can expect to escape.

I have an inspiration wall next to my work area at home, and I encourage you to make one as well. I change up my inspirational wall seasonally or depending on the project that Im currently working on. Start by coming up with a theme and choosing a color palette. Next, tear out inspirational images from magazines (i.e., fashion, interiors, art, food magazines) or printing images from online to hang on the wall. For example, when I was thinking about this book, I envisioned Palm Springs meets Paris. I wanted fun, fresh, and bright colors, but also the sophistication of Parisian culture. Pull images of travel, art, places, locations, landmarks, fashion, florals, layouts, and scenes that center you back to your big vision or cohesive story. I also chose a color palette that felt summery and fresh, and with that, imagery that reflects those colors. Choosing a theme can help gather inspiration and help you stay inspired and focused when your ideas run out. I also like to hang artwork, fabric, color swatches, and things that I pick up on my walks, such as leaves or even dried flowers. The inspiration wall reminds me to be creative and often helps to jumpstart my next piece. Remember, theres no right or wrong herejust have fun! If you dont have a specific project you are working on, pull images that inspire you at the moment. If theres a reason why an image or object inspires you, then post it to your wall, too.

Spend a bit of time to organize your space and desktop. Consider your art supplies the foundation of how to produce great art. Find fun containers, cups, or jars to store your supplies. The key is to be able to find what you are looking for and maintain the tools youll be investing in. Take care of your art supplies, and youll see they will last longer. Learn how to properly store your brushes, pens, pencils, and erasers. For my markers, I like to have them displayed so I can see the cap colors. Make sure to store them away from direct sunlight so they dont dry out.

With your space all set, its time to grab the proper tools and materials. For practicing the lessons, I suggest using an 8-inch-wide by 11-inch-tall (21.6 28-cm) sketchbook or sketchpad. Ive listed other types of paper on the following page that you can use once you are ready to apply the sketches on something to gift or even to celebrate your artwork.

Each artist uses different tools. For this book, I focus on using specific art markers, but feel free to use other types of mediums and brands to your liking. If youd like to invest in the exact brand and colors I use to produce the results in the book, then youll find them referenced at the beginning of each lesson.

Below is a list of supplies with my favorite brands: