drawings Archives - Linda Germain

Drawing as meditation – trees

combined techniques, drawings, inspiration / Linda Germain / September 8, 2026

Drawing can be more than the end product of a pleasing picture. It can be a meditation.

I like to keep it simple. Fall is a great time to notice the changing trees. The observation and meditation begins outside of the studio. I like to take pictures, and then reference them back in the studio for drawings and prints.

Trees can be a foundation for other kinds of marks and imageries, like birds and backgrounds and mountains.

You can use a combination of very simple materials to create tree like images. One of my favorites loose watercolors.

You can create lovely abstract trees with the gelatin plate and ink. I like to combine those marks with collaged trees and painted birds.

It is fun to get up close and noticed the textures of the tree bark. You can find animals and plants that make these trees their home.

I sometimes just draw a bunch of trees to get started in a page in my sketchbook.

If you would like to explore making trees with the gelatin plate, and other materials, then check out the details in the online class Torn Trees. It is the sale class for the month of September.

Drawing as meditation – trees Read More »

Draw that leaf

drawings, inspiration / Linda Germain / November 6, 2025

Here in New England fall is a wonderful time to use leaves as inspiration for drawings and print making.

I do think that photos are the best way to capture the colors for a long period of time. But I can’t resist collecting a few leaves and bringing them back to the studio for inspiration.

Out of all the choices that I had, can you believe that I picked a simple yellow and brown leaf to use as a reference for my sketchbook drawing.

My plan was to fill a sketchbook spread with different variations, inspired by this one leaf. I started with an outline drawing of the basic shapes inside and out.

Then I filled the two pages with similarly shaped leaves overlapping in layering them. I use loose watercolors, markers, and gel pen. I hope I have inspired you to gather a leaf or two, and to make a sketchbook drawing to celebrate the autumn season.

Check out the online courses that are available as self studies.

Draw that leaf Read More »

Bits and Pieces – sketchbook Practice

book arts, collage, drawings / Linda Germain / June 19, 2025

My sketchbook practice is always evolving. It is kind of funny because I don’t really love to draw, but I find myself choosing to draw and doodle a lot in my sketchbook.

I make a lot of unrelated marks that in the end seem to come together in the end.

I do add plenty of stamped marks and pattern like marks. I collage little bits and pieces here and there and move back and forth through the signatures.

I work up the signatures individually and then glue them together when I have most of the pages done. This way I can keep working in the sketchbook even while wet media is drying.

I have common themes here throughout most of my sketchbooks like birds trees, other animals and positive phrases.

Usually, I will couple of angel cards with those positive words in my sketchbook with the date. It gives me a starting point, and something to think about. It is fun to look back and see what I was working more each month. I do finish about one sketchbook per month.

This month I have included lots of old book pages and parts as inspired by the Books as ART Materials class. It is the featured class for the month of June. You can save $30, now only $95 for this 18 project class. Get all the details on the workshop page.

Bits and Pieces – sketchbook Practice Read More »

Gift of Repetition

drawings, inspiration / Linda Germain / April 21, 2025

What do we gain by drawing the same thing again and again?

skills
muscle memory
a series of cohesive drawings

I can get bored with drawing the same type of images, but I see value in the process. It might even lead to mastery of a skill or subject matter.

Sometimes I get stalled by thinking that I need to vary the drawing. But I have noticed that when I give myself the space to repeat a drawing my skills improve.

Lately I have been drawing horses, flowers and trees. I have plenty of “bad” or less than pleasing drawings, but the value is in the process of getting the marks on the paper.

For example, often the horses I draw have legs that are too short. So instead of running out of room for the legs, I can now draw the legs first or exaggerate the length of the legs.

I like to combine a little observation and a little abstraction. I do this a lot when drawing trees. During my daily walks, I notice how branches grow off the trunk.

Check out the online workshops available now on the workshop page.

Gift of Repetition Read More »

Easy is fun – make marks

combined techniques, drawings, mark making / Linda Germain / March 14, 2025

I think of the freedom that some children have when making art. They seem to be so intensely in the moment and making marks with ease.

I think of ways that I could have that type of presence in my art making.

Easy repetitive marks
Using “kids” supplies like crayons
Call it done after just a few marks
And then get another piece of paper

How do you get into a kid like flow?

One kid like tool that I have been exploring is the bingo dauber. I can make lots of dots really fast. And I can use it to make primitive drawings with broad lines.

Can you think of ways to make art with the presence and joy of a child? I offer you that challenge.

If you love the woods and use the forest as inspiration consider taking the mixed media class, Torn TREES- It is on sale this March for only $50.USD.

Easy is fun – make marks Read More »