A few years ago I did a lot of coffee sketches because I started my work day with a morning cafe visit. The main purpose of these cafe sessions was work-related as I was spending time with my Bujo (bullet journal) planning my day, week, month, quarter, or year. Doing a sketch was secondary, so I typically did a quick watercolour sketch of my cup as a way of getting my creative juices flowing. In addition, the baristas started making an effort with the latte art, so I then felt obliged to sketch their creations.

But these days, I much prefer sketching outside. I absolutely love being out on the streets or in a local park, sketching the view and soaking up a bit of morning sun if possible! If it’s raining, I still prefer to be outside and try to find somewhere sheltered to sit while sipping my coffee and doing my sketch.

The other day, it was too wet and windy to sit outside, so I went to a cafe. The cafe was empty, and the view from my table was a little dull, so I simply sketched my coffee.

I’m still exploring my local area and looking for places to sit that have sun in the middle of winter. In Lindfield, I defaulted to sitting on one of the benches in the Village Green but in my  new ‘hood there are more possibilities and I’m still in the process of finding the best spots.

But regardless of the sketch I produce each day, the important thing is that I have a routine that ensures I start my day with a sketch! So if you are struggling to sketch regularly, think about whether there is a way that you can incorporate a little time for sketching in an existing routine.

And if you are wanting some instruction and inspiration from other sketchers… just another reminder of the group events that I’m hosting for two of my courses: Foundations – for beginners who want to build  a solid foundation for their creative journey and Watercolour On Location for more seasoned sketchers who want to improve their on-location sketching. Both group events start this week on Wednesday 19 June!