Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw

@drawdrawdraw

Drawn to drawing. Art lecturer turned author and online art tutor

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Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· 12d

Picking out details from paintings using same limited colour palette for all. A class I gave @artistinresidence.co A reminder to use photos you've taken when visiting art galleries. Don't let them sit forgotten on your phone. #colouredpencil #detail #onlineartclass #limitedcolour #drawing

Three coloured pencil studies drawings placed vertically. At the top a seashell - after Victorian painter William Etty; in the middle a Tudor jewel against rich fabric - a detail from a portrait of Queen Mary I; lastly, an eye - a study from one of painter Jenny Saville's large works.
The eight pencils used for all placed on the right - colours including a dark blue, pinks, red and yellow, and a brown

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· 14d

Another fishy drawing. It's been that kind of morning doing art stuff with @beckmckim.bsky.social #fish #drawing #ink #colouredpencil

At the top a supermarket packaged Yorkshire Rainbow Trout - a cardboard tray with plastic over the top and a price label top right.
Below it a grey, pink and green ink line drawing.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· 14d

This morning I'm drawing prawns with stick and ink.. plus a little coloured pencil. #drawing #observationaldrawing #prawn #ink #colouredpencil

A raw, blue prawn on a plate next to a sketchbook with drawings of each side of the creature. The media used - sticks, ink and coloured pencil laid above.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· 19d

Multiple views of a seashell. Method - plasticine squished around shell, 'cast' taken, mould flattened, inked up, shell impression printed. Drawings made suggested by printed shell form. A monthly artist trading card swap @artistinresidence.co #artisttradingcard #ATCs #swap #print #ink #acrylicpen

A shell & art materials laid out next to a series of artist trading cards with shell drawings on them. Black ink drawn outline over acrylic pens - pink, peach, white, grey, brown and a plasticine printed background - which gives a mottled / grungy effect to the studies.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· 20d

In this week's class @artistinresidence.co I used a viewfinder to demonstrate a simple way of revisiting and re-looking at ones own work. I decided to make 'blueprint' studies from my sketchbook drawings with blue pencils & dip pen + blue ink. #blue #drawing #onlineclass #viewfinder #ink #pencil

A sketchbook top left containing a series of rectangular blue drawings drawn with blue coloured pencils and dip pen plus two types of blue ink. These are shown next to it. To the right a selection of sketchbook drawings and mark making experiments, plus a viewfinder - used for the source and selection of there blue drawings.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· 25d

Coloured pencil drawing of a poster seen at National Portrait Gallery, London. Demo' from a session I gave at @artistinresidence.co - drawing from forgotten pics on our phones / photo rolls. #drawing #EltonJohn #colouredpencil #portrait

Coloured pencil head and shoulders drawing of a young Sir Elton John. He has short hair and is wearing large diamanté glasses with orange tinted glass.
The drawing is made up of mainly warm tones - yellow, orange, pink. His open shirt and jacket left as a line drawing.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· 28d

A plate of strawberries and cherries i) drawn - tempera sticks & ink ii) collaged - gel printed paper #drawing #fruit #sketchbook #collage #tempera #ink #observational

At the top of a photo: a white ceramic plate patterned with coloured dots. Arranged on it are 5 strawberries and 5 cherries.
Below it are 2 renditions - on the left a drawing of the same in a sketchbook, on the right a collage on cream paper.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Jul 3

Spent last week in the old fishing village/artists’ enclave of Staithes, North Yorkshire. One of my sketchbook studies from the harbour beach when the tide was out. #sketchbook #drawing #watercolour #ink #enpleinair #seaside #Staithes

An open sketchbook + Winsor & Newton pan watercolours and travel brush.
Watercolour over black ink drawing of coastal village, sea wall and beach with boats sitting on sand at low tide.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Jul 2

Some of my burlesque drawings from this week's drag & draw session set up by @beckmckim.bsky.social Next session (Manchester, UK) - July 21 2026: www.sumupbookings.com/muse-life-dr... www.facebook.com/TheCarltonCl... #drag #burlesque #drawing #figuredrawing

Several charcoal pencil and carbon ink line drawings of a burlesque / drag performer.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Jun 30

Last day of June already. Time to draw sunflowers in @beckmckim.bsky.social weekly art sessions. Tempera sticks, acrylic pen and carbon ink. #botanicaldrawing #sunflower #summer

Drawing of a sunflower in a landscape oriented sketchbook. Materials used shown next to it.

Drawing of the back of a sunflower in a sketchbook. Black ink over yellow and green tempera stick, and acrylic pen.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Jun 3

My demo drawings from ephemera class @artistinresidence.co Small made big. Woody pencils, chisel tipped markers, heavy coloured pencil didn't allow detail. Hot air balloon & slipper orchid from Brooke Bond Tea cards, 1921 Lithuanian postage stamp from an album purchased as a Vinted job lot.

Three coloured pencil, marker pen drawings, portrait format. On the left a study of the first hot air balloon made by the French Montgolfier brothers in 1783; in the middle a rare Lady's Slipper Orchid - both of these drawn from Brooke Bond Tea cards. On the right a red pencil drawing, on tan paper of a Lithuanian postage stamp. Chunky red lines done with a woody pencil.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· May 10

Taking part in this group exhibition next weekend with these lovely folk @fishinkblog.bsky.social @katharinefernie26.bsky.social #exhibition #art

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· May 7

A Hama bead self portrait. Prompted by an online class I gave @artistinresidence.co about US artist Chuck Close's 'pixellated' large scale portraits. A playful approach that helped illustrate the 'trust the process' of his huge grid paintings. #hama #hamabeads #portrait #selfportrait #grid #pixels

A head and shoulders portrait built using a grid. Multi coloured 'beads' - hollow plastic circles, positioned on a peg board.
Method: a photograph was posterised to help simplify the colours, a grid drawn on it, beads placed on the peg board corresponding to each square on the grid.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· May 3

Did a May Day 'tag team' class @artistinresidence.co with @helenlp.bsky.social - my demo drawings: a Morris dancer, Green Man, and 1950s May Queen #drawing #teamteach #arttutor #markerpens #pen #pencil

Three drawn portraits in a row - a smiling, bearded Morris dancer on the left - his hat bedecked in flowers and leaves; in the middle a man costumed as the Green Man - green skin, leaf moustache, green foliage all around - both of these drawn with water based markers and black pen; on the right a 2B pencil drawing of a girl. She gazes directly at us, wearing a large, pale headdress.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Apr 15

My demo' attempts at drawing landscapes in the style of J E Yoakum - from the Inspiration class I deliver each week @artistinresidence.co A fascinating artist: youtu.be/Ng2rNm6Nwsg?... #drawing #arttutor #onlineartclass #colouredpencil #biro #ballpoint #landscape #outsiderart #inspiration

3 x landscape drawings. Top left mixed media on a gel print background - river between rocks; top right rocky landscape - black pen and coloured pencil on scan of old book cover. Coloured pencils and black pens used shown next to drawings.
Bottom row - photo of US mountain landscape next to drawing of same - all in style of J E Yoakum.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Apr 13

Went to a life drawing session at the weekend. Always find these challenging...but in a good way. #drawing #lifedrawing

Several examples of figure drawing from a 2hr session - the same model in an edited selection of 8 drawings. Mostly charcoal, charcoal pencil, mechanical pencil, black pen (fine liner and fude nib), plus, some pink ink applied loosely with a brush.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Apr 9

My demo' drawings from this week's live class (every Tuesday evening 7-8 GMT) @artistinresidence.co - drawing animals beginning with W & X - the timer was set at 5-7 mins per creature. Can you name the animals? #drawing #sciart #pendrawing #animaldrawing #artclass #arttutor

A group of 6 animals variously drawn using brown and grey uni pin pens, 2B pencil or a fountain pen with black ink.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Apr 8

Been drawing retro packaging this week. Prompted by @beckmckim.bsky.social Mark making grungy and rugged - result of drawing with sticks, brush pens, tempera sticks. None of these allow me to get bogged down in the detail of the graphics #drawing #packaging #retro #food

A loose, ink pen and tempera stick drawing of a tin of Lyle's Golden Syrup next to its subject matter. Greens and gold predominate.

A loose, dip pen and ink, and tempera stick drawing of a bar of Tunnock's Caramel chocolate above its subject matter. Colours stray outside the line. Red, white and gold predominate.

A loose, brush pen and tempera stick drawing of a bottle of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce next to its subject matter. An orange label against dark brown contents.

A loose, white acrylic pen blind contour drawing, in a tan paper sketchbook, next to its subject matter - a jar of Marmite and a bottle of Tabasco Sauce. Ink pen, dip pen and tempera stick have been added next. The former has a yellow lid, red, green label and brown contents the other - red orange with bright red screw lid.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Apr 2

My demos from this week's class @artistinresidence.co Drawings affected by UV light - making them glow/fluoresce. Media: pastel pencil - white and blue, Gelly roll white pen, Uni chalk pen - fluo yellow, neon tempera sticks, UV flashlight. #drawing #UVlight #sciart #whitepen #blackpaper #sketchbook

A lichen covered twig drawn in a black paper, landscape oriented sketchbook. The botanical study stretches edge to edge.
Image above taken in daylight, image below lit by UV light. In the latter the lichen is glowing - it was coloured with a neon green tempera paint stick pretty much invisible in natural light.

On the left two drawings on black paper of a Namib Gecko - one photographed in daylight, the other lit by a UV torch. Its eye and neck glow in the latter because of the media used - a fluorescent acrylic pen.
At the top, middle - an orchid - top right the same, under UV. The flowers - coloured with pink neon tempera stick, glow under the UV lighting.
The torch used shown bottom right.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Mar 31

Drawing with scissors - dandelion collage using gel printed papers. Had a fab time joining in with this at my friend’s weekly art class @beckmckim.bsky.social #collage #botanical #dandelion

On the right the leaves and flower stalk - with bud, of a dandelion. On the left a freehand cut / collaged version of the same using green / blue printed papers.

Dandelion in flower and in bud laid on top of gel printed paper. A paper collage version of the same next to them. Leaves shown as a negative space - colour background, white space for leaf.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Mar 29

Just drawn & posted these #artisttradingcards to mark the start of Spring - Euphorbia and Hellebore flowers, Blackthorn blossom plus dandelion leaves. This swap idea new to me. Interesting. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artist_... Media: TWSBI pen / olive green ink on mixed media background #ATC #botanical

5 cards - 3 landscape, 2 portrait format. Pen and ink line drawings of Spring botanicals in close up - variously flowers, leaves and blossom. Compositional placement of the studies suggested by the yellow / green abstract backgrounds - these I completed previously by listening to various sounds and going with the flow.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Mar 25

It's been a bit of a week of oil pastel / #sgraffito expts. My demo' drawings from yesterday's art class @artistinresidence.co using the technique. We explored the mark making of Catalan artist Tàpies, and that of some of his influences: Miro, Picasso, Kandinsky #drawing #oilpastel #artclass

A sequence of drawings on black and white paper of ceramic forms - a plate and vases. The shapes are taken from Picasso and Miro pieces; the markings, patterns + touches of colour on them from the same, plus Tàpies & Kandinsky ie abstract patterns except one with a face (after Picasso) on the vase's main body. The drawing materials - collection of oil pastels & scraper tool shown too.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Mar 24

Magnolia are blooming everywhere right now. Today’s oil pastel / sgraffito drawing of its wondrous flower. #drawing #oilpastel #sgraffito #sketchbook #botanical #sciart

Top of image a cutting of white magnolia flower with pink lined petal centre attached to its multi stemmed branch. Below it a sketchbook rendition of the same - done with scratched back oil pastel - a grey top layer with flower coloured exposed beneath.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Mar 23

My oil pastel / sgraffito drawing of a ceramic bird - sourced from the blog of @fishinkblog.bsky.social fishinkblog.com/2011/01/19/s... #drawing #sgraffito #oilpastel #birdart

Drawing of a stylised ceramic bird - its body is rounded, no legs are visible. Oil pastel - shades of yellow, green, orange, blue are laid down then covered with black. The black is scraped back to reveal the colours underneath. Various crosshatching mark making reveals feather patterns, a spotted breast and wing, and a black eye. The outcome looks a little like a wood/linocut print.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Mar 18

I deliver a weekly online art class @artistinresidence.co This week we drew to sound - lots of mark making. Some of these will go towards an artist trading card swap. Fancy a go? Tape up your paper, grab some mixed media, listen/react to this: on.soundcloud.com/FFw4QafQud73... #drawingtosound

6 sheets of paper - mixture of A3 and A4, most white, one black.
Each piece covered with experimental mark making - all greyscale except one which employs a 'Spring' colour palette: yellows, greens and a touch of pale mauve.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Mar 12

This week, in my regular online art session @artistinresidence.co I got participants drawing pineapples. I started with a preamble about their status in Georgian times ...ending up redesigning the gatepost of my home! #drawing #gelprint #acrylicpen #pen #colouredpencil #brushpen #botanicaldrawing

Several drawings of a pineapple - black line study, acrylic pen detail in imagined colours, black brush pen on gel print backgrounds - one mauve one grey; a coloured pencil/pen drawing of the textured flesh, and lastly, a Sailor Fude pen drawing, in black ink of the leafy top of the fruit.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Mar 9

A mellow Sunday evening, 2hr life drawing session. #lifedrawing #figuredrawing #drawing

A collection of life drawings of a male nude. Some on flat sheets of paper, others in a sketchbook.
Materials used - charcoal, 6B pencil, black pen.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Mar 5

A class on drawing lemurs over @artistinresidence.co I've been working through the alphabet each week - two letters at a time. This one - M & N - Madagascar and Night. The series has all been about brainstorming A -> Z to produce drawing ideas. It works! #drawing #artclass #lemur #sciart #arttutor

Three drawings of lemurs on black paper. At the top a Fork-marked lemur drawn with white gel pen and pastel pencils; in the middle an Aye-Aye - I used yellow stickers for his eyes and metallic pencils for the line work; lastly an Indri lemur - his luminous green eyes are achieved with tempera stick - everything else pastel pencil.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Mar 2

Spent some rainy afternoon hours today looking at this flowering begonia houseplant. Media: Graphitint Derwent colour plus ink & dip pen #sketchbook #drawing #houseplant #botanical #dippen #ink #watercolour

A small houseplant in a terracotta plant pot positioned above a spiral bound sketchbook depicting the same in pen and wash.
The media of paintbox, ink bottle and pen shown as well.
Plant has variegated green leaves & thin stalk topped with two delicate white flowers.

Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw@drawdrawdraw· Feb 23

I tend to find drawing tone quite tricky. Attended a class given by @cmcnamara1220.bsky.social @artistinresidence.co Managed to take a slowly, slowly approach and really look. #charcoal #drawing #artclass #sketchbook #onlineart