Free Up Your Sketchbook and Grow.

Through pre-recorded lessons you can join me in my studio!

We will work together to explore my way of working in a sketchbook, and develop ways to create finished artwork.

Course fee £290 or two installments of £145 (go to the bottom of this page)

Enrolment is now closed. It will open again February 2025.

I am so looking forward to welcoming a new group of sketchbook enthusiasts!

Play the video to hear all about the course. 

 

1

Learn how to use mixed media in your sketchbook.

 

Work from simple starting points, in order to let go and play!

2

Learn how to free up your marks and 
easily fill page after page with creative and exciting work.

3

Learn how to build on techniques lesson by lesson.


Select what interests you and develop it further.

 

 
 
The course will open again in February 2025

Join Free Up Feb 2025 Wait List

 

Tell me more

The course will open again February 2025

How much does it cost? £290

Each week you receive an email with a link to that week's lessons, or you can log into your Kajabi account with your email and password.

Many past participants are from USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, South America; when you enrol you have the option to pay with Stripe or Paypal and it configures the exchange rate and fee.

I love using my concertina sketchbooks as a starting point for further work. 

In this course I want to share my way of working with you; to help you free up, to really enjoy the process of sketchbook development, and break through that block of moving forwards.

Many ask "But how do I take the next step and move my sketchbook work into more resolved work?" Throughout the course we will work to unlock your creativity, through open ended exercises that will help you find your own style.

 As a professional artist and teacher I love nothing more than travelling and collecting in my sketchbooks. I have taught 1,000's of people on workshops, online workshops since 2016, art holidays and in the classroom. I truly enjoy motivating others with my no fuss, positive, give it a go style.

If you are looking for a way to push your work forwards and find your own style, in a non-rigid way, with room to be independent and do your own thing, then this is the course for you.

Below you can see some examples of participants work.

Find freedom and joy with your own unique style

Are you one of those people who think that sketchbooks were just for pencil drawings?

I travelled for many years with a sketchbook and a few pens, but gradually I started collecting collage papers along the way. With these few materials I began to develop a lively, layered way to record my journeys.

My mission is to teach you my way of developing your sketchbooks, as we explore together from my garden studio. I will show you new starting points with mixed media techniques, that work really well for me. We will keep revisiting pages to select and develop ideas in layers, with mark making tools, collage, inks and paint. SEE a printable materials list on my website page

With my easy to follow videos you will soon find that you have filled a book with exciting work ready to develop further!

Do you want to move quickly from empty pages to a lively sketchbook bursting with meaningful ideas?

 

Let me show you an easier way


I know what it takes to create stunning sketchbooks, I also know how hard it can be to free up, let go and get on with it! With my clear 'just do it and see' approach you will soon feel liberated and enlivened by your own work.

In short videos I will give you permission to make a mess; to not worry about perfection, to build on layers, to edit, select and resolve and grow as an artist. I want you to be totally absorbed with my adaptable process and keen to try more. 

After three weeks of mark making I will then show you how to work back into your pages, to begin to develop ideas for more resolved work. I will encourage you to look at what interest you and find the right techniques to move it forwards.

This is an artist/tutor-led experience and I will encourage you as individuals to find your own strengths, preferences and style. It will require more independent input than my other courses, as you will increasingly take ownership of your work, unlike the shorter courses which are much more about learning techniques. 


By the end of our six weeks together you will be confident to listen to your inner voice to develop your own ideas. 

Check out our growing concertina sketchbook community

Of the many courses that I have taken, Karen's was the stand-out. It was the one that most helped me to loosen up and discover 'my' marks. It challenged me, inspired me and built my confidenve to just go for it!


-Wendy Howse

Thank you so, so very much for such an inspiring and joyful course! I have loved absolutely every week and I'm so proud of how far I've come. It's been truly inspirational from start to finish

 

-Miranda Hamilton

Karen, I have so enjoyed your class. Since Covid hit, I lost my inspiration for my art practice. Wasn't sure that I would ever paint again. But your sketchbooks class has been a catalyst. I think I got my mojo back so thank you SO MUCH!

 

-Paula Sugarman

Is this you?

  • You think that you should be doing beautiful drawings like everyone else.
  • You have good intentions but don't know where to start.
  • You buy all the 'correct' pens, brushes, paints and then you are afraid to use them!
  • You spend hours on Pintrest/Instagram researching but not doing.
  • You loose momentum after a few lines because 'it doesn't look good'.
  • You follow drawing tutorials that show techniques but not creativity.
  • Your sketchbooks are only half completed with a few pencil drawings and no energy or life.

What you will learn 

  • How to use mixed media in your sketchbook
  • How to develop exciting mark making from simple starting points
  • How to let go and play!
  • How to free up and respond to the marks that you make
  • How to easily fill page after page with creative mark making
  • How to build on techniques lesson by lesson
  • How to select what interests you and develop it further
  • To be more confident in your decision making
  • That is doesn't have to be hard work!

How does it work? How much does it cost?

The course costs £290. It is divided into six weeks. Each week there are recorded lessons with around 12 short videos (5-10 minutes) and instructions. I will demonstrate and you can, stop, start and rewind whilst working in your sketchbook, or watch through the videos first. I would allow 3 hours a week to do just what I demonstrate, but honestly, to really develop your work, I would allow more. 

My short courses are based around one weekend workshop, this six-week course is more like six weekends! The amount of time and momentum builds as you layer up your sketchbook pages and discover your own lines of enquiry. It is open ended.

The lessons will drip feed each week in short recorded videos. You can stay with the schedule of six weeks or take your time and complete at your leisure. You have access to the course for one year.

Each week there is a recorded weekly interview/chat with an artist, from the UK, America and Australia, who has a strong sketchbook practice. 

It is suitable for new artists and those more experienced who want to get back to their sketchbooks to play! 

This is not a live course, it is recorded. If you have questions you can contact me in the Kajabi comment boxes, after each lesson. (There are no critiques or folio development discussions.) You will also benefit from the online Community created just for this course, using a private Community Group on Kajabi, where you can share your photos and videos and chat with other participants. I will be available for two ZOOM live sessions during the course.

     

Enrolment will open again in February 2025 

Join Free Up Feb 2025 Wait List

Is this the right course for you?

Yes! If you....

  • Are looking for that push to grow as an artist.
  • Want to have FUN in your book!
  • Are you enthusiastic and curious about moving your sketchbook work forwards?
  • Want to try creative mark making but don't know where to start.
  • Desperate to loosen up and work freely, with no rules.
  • Too busy to attend classes and cannot find a suitable course.
  • Happy to work around your own commitments.
  • Would you just like to take time to play with materials and see what happens?

 

Not if you....

  • Want to learn technical rules on how to draw
  • Want to learn how to paint in acrylics step by step.
  • Need to know exactly how something is going to look before you do it!
  • Like everything well planned, and neat and tidy!
  • Want to learn how to mix colours.
  • Want to learn the rules of composition. 
  • Want to feel safe with the same outcome as everyone else
  • Want to do realistic drawings

Don’t wait! 

 

 

"What a totally immersive journey you took me on, your sketchbook course came at just the right time to lift my spirits and ideas.
I learnt so much from making unique tissues papers, mixing media’s and ‘freeing up’ my own mind, and I’m sure that I will continue to take elements of these techniques into my practice...and I’ll think of you and all the other wonderful artists that have shared their stories. THANK YOU SO MUCH"

Frequently Asked Questions

Two monthly payments available

£145 per month

Would you like to pay in two monthly installments?

Your first payment will be taken when you sign up and your second is taken automatically a month later.