In my twenties I had a thing for battered looking barns and garages, sometimes I’d embellish a little to make them look more battered.
Also birds. When I’m travelling I’ve often intended to draw the unique location I’m visiting and find myself sketching the sparrow instead of the cathedral! Oops.
I can totally relate to drawing a sparrow instead of a cathedral! Battered barns and garages are so exciting to look at - they always look like they have lots of stories to tell!
These drawings are so lovely Nanette, I find them very peaceful🤍 My favourite subject to draw is always food, specially breakfasts...still can't figure out why because I'm not an early morning person and I don't eat that much ☺️🙈
Thank you so much Teresa! Drawing breakfasts is such a good idea, I love that it's your favourite even though you're not a morning person 😆 maybe that's exactly why you like drawing them so much!?!?
I love these drawings, lovely. Yes, I can’t stop drawing my handsome prince. He’s a figurine of a prince riding a horse, the horse is too small for him, he has one very fat leg, no neck and lots of rouge, perfect to draw! I must have drawn him hundreds of times 😂
Gorgeous drawings Nanette! I love this idea as a consistent subject matter, and i’d be thrilled to go through a sketchbook of women sitting alone. There’s so much to relate to, and to project onto the sketches. I think most women relish these precious moments sitting alone with a drink, time to be in their own thoughts. Whatever is going on in their lives, this is their time. I love that, and i see the intimacy of that in your drawing!
Thank you Raj! What a lovely thing to say! I do think it's the quiet moment alone aspect that I'm always drawn to. All those women I draw seem to have a relaxed resignation about them, those few moments before it's back to juggling all sorts of responsibilities.
I love these sketches! Intriguing and inspiring. I actually just drew a lady enjoying an afternoon margarita alone yesterday. I kept wondering what the rest of her day might be like. Maybe she was pregaming for a party! It was fun to ponder!
Oooh, an afternoon margarita sounds like a real treat! There's something so nosey about being an illustrator that I just love - all those stories that seem to bubble up just from someone's posture or how they move.
I love them! I draw lots of singular women too (mine are often on the move seen through cafe windows) and lately I’ve been drawing a lot (A LOT) of chickens.
I love discovering that I have been repeating things in sketchbooks - and 100% have the same behavioural trait around labelling a sketchbook for a certain purpose.
Chickens are SO good to draw! They have so much personality! Drawing through cafe windows is a favourite of mine too, I love that you're slightly removed so it feels a bit less weird to be staring at people!
I always love your posts popping up in my inbox. Such an interesting thought. I probably enjoy drawing people on the beach the most in my sketchbook but rarely go there. So it’s probably drawings from the passenger seat of my car that pop up the most.
Thank you Charlotte! I love your drawings from the car, I set aside an old bank card specifically for drawing purposes after you posted on your insta about using one to contain a composition while you're travelling - genius idea!
ahh that's so kind. Thanks Nanette. I also use the packaging from board games - the ones with cards that pop out from a sheet. They are great for panels too!
You shouldn’t have any fear about sharing illustrations ‘fresh’ from your sketchbook. They’re utterly wonderful and have such a delicate yet decisive quality of line. I very rarely draw people (sounds odd but it’s just my least favourite thing to draw, I’ve got such a thing about it in my head that they will be rubbish so I don’t try) but a landscape or flower/plant is more my thing. Currently though, we get a veg box from our local farm every fortnight. The veg is so amazing I often draw it. I’ve got almost a whole sketchbook now of just veg 😆
Thanks for being so kind Abby! I love the idea of a whole sketchbook full of veg, I bet it's beautiful, especially if it's direct from a farm with added wonkiness instead of the carefully selected, uniform, supermarket veg!
People waiting around is such good subject matter! You can see so much about their relationships from how they interact. I love it when you see kids waiting and their boredom kicks in so they start hopping or find an interesting pebble or something else random!
Thank you so much Jane! Your sketchbooks are wonderful! You once shared a concertina one that you'd filled in a garden or park that was so inspiring I rushed out and bought a concertina sketchbook too. But I still haven't cracked into yet 🫣
In my twenties I had a thing for battered looking barns and garages, sometimes I’d embellish a little to make them look more battered.
Also birds. When I’m travelling I’ve often intended to draw the unique location I’m visiting and find myself sketching the sparrow instead of the cathedral! Oops.
I can totally relate to drawing a sparrow instead of a cathedral! Battered barns and garages are so exciting to look at - they always look like they have lots of stories to tell!
These drawings are so lovely Nanette, I find them very peaceful🤍 My favourite subject to draw is always food, specially breakfasts...still can't figure out why because I'm not an early morning person and I don't eat that much ☺️🙈
Thank you so much Teresa! Drawing breakfasts is such a good idea, I love that it's your favourite even though you're not a morning person 😆 maybe that's exactly why you like drawing them so much!?!?
I love these drawings, lovely. Yes, I can’t stop drawing my handsome prince. He’s a figurine of a prince riding a horse, the horse is too small for him, he has one very fat leg, no neck and lots of rouge, perfect to draw! I must have drawn him hundreds of times 😂
Yes, your handsome prince! He's insta-famous!! He could have his own profile and all the sweet influencer deals!!
Thank you for the nice comment on my drawings, made my day! 😊
Gorgeous drawings Nanette! I love this idea as a consistent subject matter, and i’d be thrilled to go through a sketchbook of women sitting alone. There’s so much to relate to, and to project onto the sketches. I think most women relish these precious moments sitting alone with a drink, time to be in their own thoughts. Whatever is going on in their lives, this is their time. I love that, and i see the intimacy of that in your drawing!
Thank you Raj! What a lovely thing to say! I do think it's the quiet moment alone aspect that I'm always drawn to. All those women I draw seem to have a relaxed resignation about them, those few moments before it's back to juggling all sorts of responsibilities.
I think we can all see ourselves in them!
I love these sketches! Intriguing and inspiring. I actually just drew a lady enjoying an afternoon margarita alone yesterday. I kept wondering what the rest of her day might be like. Maybe she was pregaming for a party! It was fun to ponder!
Oooh, an afternoon margarita sounds like a real treat! There's something so nosey about being an illustrator that I just love - all those stories that seem to bubble up just from someone's posture or how they move.
This is delightful…
Your drawings are so descriptive.
I love them! I draw lots of singular women too (mine are often on the move seen through cafe windows) and lately I’ve been drawing a lot (A LOT) of chickens.
I love discovering that I have been repeating things in sketchbooks - and 100% have the same behavioural trait around labelling a sketchbook for a certain purpose.
Chickens are SO good to draw! They have so much personality! Drawing through cafe windows is a favourite of mine too, I love that you're slightly removed so it feels a bit less weird to be staring at people!
I always love your posts popping up in my inbox. Such an interesting thought. I probably enjoy drawing people on the beach the most in my sketchbook but rarely go there. So it’s probably drawings from the passenger seat of my car that pop up the most.
Thank you Charlotte! I love your drawings from the car, I set aside an old bank card specifically for drawing purposes after you posted on your insta about using one to contain a composition while you're travelling - genius idea!
ahh that's so kind. Thanks Nanette. I also use the packaging from board games - the ones with cards that pop out from a sheet. They are great for panels too!
You shouldn’t have any fear about sharing illustrations ‘fresh’ from your sketchbook. They’re utterly wonderful and have such a delicate yet decisive quality of line. I very rarely draw people (sounds odd but it’s just my least favourite thing to draw, I’ve got such a thing about it in my head that they will be rubbish so I don’t try) but a landscape or flower/plant is more my thing. Currently though, we get a veg box from our local farm every fortnight. The veg is so amazing I often draw it. I’ve got almost a whole sketchbook now of just veg 😆
Thanks for being so kind Abby! I love the idea of a whole sketchbook full of veg, I bet it's beautiful, especially if it's direct from a farm with added wonkiness instead of the carefully selected, uniform, supermarket veg!
Fully fresh from the ground, often with tufts of mud and the occasional woodlouse! Maybe I should start showing it...
Lovely drawings! And so true♥️
Thank you so much Anna. I absolutely love your work!
Trees, and people interacting in pairs or groups of 3 (esp when waiting in a public place).
People waiting around is such good subject matter! You can see so much about their relationships from how they interact. I love it when you see kids waiting and their boredom kicks in so they start hopping or find an interesting pebble or something else random!
Fab drawings Nanette! You’re inspiring me to do more in my sketchbook 🥰
Thank you so much Jane! Your sketchbooks are wonderful! You once shared a concertina one that you'd filled in a garden or park that was so inspiring I rushed out and bought a concertina sketchbook too. But I still haven't cracked into yet 🫣
summer sketching season is here!!
Absolutely love your work x
Thank you so much Rebecca! That's so kind of you! 🥰