The reopening of our local farmers market for the season was cause for celebration—along with renewed healthy eating and a bit of indulgence. It’s been a long time since I’ve used this much color in my sketchbook. Let’s have more of it!

Tips and Techniques– I almost passed up this sketch because my weekend was packed with travel and activities. But I didn’t want to let the moment go, so I set a timer for 10 minutes, grabbed a size 08 Micron pen, and got to work. I’ve found that using a larger pen and limiting my drawing time leads to a looser line with fewer details. From there, I added a couple of layers of paint as time allowed over the next day.

My sketchbook often reflects an artistic tug-of-war between recording what’s happening around me without fuss versus slowing down, observing carefully, and taking extra care with drawing and painting. I’ve been in a slower phase this winter, but I’m ready to swing toward fast and loose again. Maybe you share that back and forth between different ways of working—I just need to remind myself that it’s just a sketchbook. It’s all good.