Kids Trends is a directory of more than 100 million children’s drawings and paintings that you can search by any keyword. Exploring how children picture the world opens up imaginal portals in my mind. — CD
I’ve been keeping a sketchbook journal, where I visually record each day’s events, moods, or environment – as a way of making a diary. For inspiration on Instagram I follow a bunch of artists who are also prolific sketchbook creators. A few I return to:
Pep Carrio – Each page could be a framed artwork
Adam Koford – Cartoony, doodles
Austin Kleon – Collages
Danny Gregory – High diversity of styles
If you shy from Instagram and want the appropriate analog, Danny Gregory also wrote/edited the best printed book on private sketchbook journaling. An Illustrated Life showcases the pages of 50 different sketchbook artists. You are allowed to do whatever you want on your pages. — KK
I bought a Lihit Lab pencil and pen cases a couple of years ago and my daughters, who both like to sketch, were envious. I bought them each one of their own. It neatly stores up to 14 pens and has additional mesh pockets for erasers, sharpeners, and other small items. — MF
Set Pose is an online drawing mannequin that you can adjust and use as a 3D model reference. There are presets like running, sitting, playing sports and combat poses that you can select, and even some props like a sword, bike, and chair. This is perfect for me because I always have trouble drawing dynamic poses. — CD
I used to draw and paint a lot, but I never mastered the control of colors. I’ve renewed my interest in making art by getting an iPad with an Apple pencil and a $10 app called Procreate. Procreate is the intuitive graphics program that I always wanted from Illustrator and Photoshop but they were too complicated. Procreate is fast, obvious, crisp, revolving around the natural gestures of holding a pencil or brush. Its built-in smartness let me find and fill colors as if I were a pro. It has the expected layers and undo functions, but also enough simplicity that it is also perfect for sketching lines in black ink. It’s a joy to use, inspiring me to do a painting a day. — KK
I don’t have an Apple Pencil because I don’t have an iPad that will work with one. But I enjoy watching videos of people who use the Procreate app on their iPads to draw pictures. I especially like Art with Flo’s tutorial videos. She’s got a gentle, optimistic Bob Ross vibe. Her “how to draw a donut” video is a good introduction. — MF