I’ve just started working on my Kingfisher, and I'm also recording the process. It's my third study of this colourful creature, and because there are several years between all three, I can definitely see how much my approach to the subject has changed over time.

There are many different ways to blend colours when working with coloured pencils. Some artists use solvents, while others use blending pencils or other tools to help smooth and combine the layers.

In this post, I wanted to share a short excerpt of how I create tree branches using my technique. It’s one of my favourite parts of the process because it feels so free and intuitive.

Today, as promised, here is the second part of the process excerpt from my latest sparrow study.

Ready to put your patience and observation skills to the test?

Some works come easily while others require more negotiation. I suppose "A Shared Secret" belongs to the second category.

Today feels like a special day for me, because I really feel like the doors to my Inside the Studio are opening a little more.

Today I wanted to show you a very simple little trick, something I often use to make the individual hairs, fur, or feathers on the top layers stand out more and appear more naturally lifted from the surface.

So, here's where I'm at the moment with my bird. I’m not mentioning the name yet, so you can take part in my little guessing game I posted with the first video on YouTube, where you can also see a further two fragments of the process I’ve just uploaded

Black objects often contain hints of indigo or deep navy tones. I remember that when I first started drawing animal portraits I leaned heavily into those cooler hues.

Watch a short video showing the layering I talked about in one of my latest blog posts.