Gloria B. Collins

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Sketching 101: 7 tips to sketch a whimsical house

February 3, 2021 By Gloria B. Collins

Today I want to share with you 7 tips to sketch a whimsical house.

Allowing whimsy in your life, especially through art, will not only boost your mood but will also give you the confidence as an artist to continue your creative exploration.

Sketching 101: 7 tips to sketch a whimsical house | Gloria B. Collins

When I first started sketching, I began by putting my expectations aside and not expecting a masterpiece. I learned to not listen to my internal well-intentioned saboteur and allow my inner child to play.

Children at play are masterminds at trying to figure things out. They will sit for hours drawing, paying no attention to time, with a focused determination and fire in their belly with absolutely no inhibitions. As a result, children easily create what some of us might not even try for fear of a crooked line.

In this blog and video post, I want to show you how to sketch a house. Not just any house, but a whimsical house.

Sketching 101: 7 tips to sketch a whimsical house | Gloria B. Collins

Why not sketch a whimsical house?

By labeling this sketch a ‘whimsical house’ it allows us room to be creative. There is space for the imperfections to be free without fear of our inner critic. Nothing in life is perfect, even though it might appear to be to the untrained eye.

Here is my simple process on just how easy, fun, and relaxing it can be to see what comes out of your pencil.

In the end, the sketch of a whimsical house is wonky, as you see in the video, and not perfect. The experience of creating this sketch though is not only liberating but a soothing creative experience.

My desire to make this wonky video is for you to relax, breathe for a moment, and imagine the possibilities of taking a few minutes each day to let your creativity soar. I encourage you to make time each week to Nurture Your Courage to be Creative.

7 tips to sketch a whimsical house

Materials you’ll need: 

  • Tracing paper (go-to tool) for plenty of redos.
  • Nice quality paper. Don’t be afraid of messing it up!
  • House Image
  • Art supplies (15 Creative Tools for the Beginner Artist)
  1. Breathe, be real, you are not creating this piece for an art exhibit. You can do this!
  2. Find a pretty home that speaks to you on the internet or in your neighborhood.
  3. In a sketchbook or a blank sheet of paper, figure out your lines by drawing a rough draft of what you see, really look. Try and figure their distances and how they align with each other. Don’t expect perfection, remember this is a whimsical house.
  4. Now is time to trace over your drawing, figure out what needs to be adjusted? Here I’m using a lightbox, but in the past, I’ve used window glass by taping my original drawing up to the window and then placing tracing paper over the original with tape.
  5. Next, go ahead and have fun fixing, rearranging lines, and adding whimsical elements, such as curtains, plants, cats, laundry, whatever makes you happy!
  6. Time to add color with markers, watercolor, colored pencils, and even crayons.
  7. Step back and notice how relaxed and happy you feel. Take note of the time you’ve invested in creating something that brings you joy!

I hope these tips to sketch a whimsical house give you a little boost and confidence to explore all your wonky lines that make life beautiful. If you are just beginning your journey as an artist, I hope you’ll enjoy my other posts in my Sketching 101 Series.

If you haven’t already, be sure to sign up for my monthly email newsletter where I share a behind the scenes look at how I’m working things out in life and in my garden. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Filed Under: Alone Time, Growth, Hobbies, Sketchbook, Water Colors

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gloriabcollins

Picking herbs and bits from the garden. #theygard Picking herbs and bits from the garden.  #theygardenanddraw #cottagegarden is such a joy for me as is my #art. Hope you are enjoying your day. ❤️
Left overs always are best the next day! #mixedmed Left overs always are best the next day! #mixedmedia #illustration #theygardenanddraw #homedesign #kitchenart
Gardening and drawing together bring pure joy! #th Gardening and drawing together bring pure joy! #theygardenanddraw #illustrationartists #illustrator #kitchenart #recipeartist
Making some kitchen art today. Staying loose and Making some kitchen art today.  Staying  loose and having fun.  #theygardenanddraw
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What he thought of the drawing must have been positive because I’m still draw. I didn’t get any negative comments. 

What happened to the young artist in you? #MindfulMonday #theydrawandgarden
Why not have fun drawing recipes. #foodillustratio Why not have fun drawing recipes. #foodillustration practice, practice, practice.
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