Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw
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drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Helen Birch - drawdrawdraw
@drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
1.4K followers 1.3K following 380 posts
Drawn to drawing.
Art lecturer turned author
and online art tutor

Click on Media tab to see my stuff.

https://linktr.ee/helenbirch_drawdrawdraw
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drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 18 #artadventcalendar
Some more 'forgotten' stuff.
A seasonal class I gave at @sketchbookskool.bsky.social a few years back. Drawing from British stamps. Squared paper used from a stamp album.
#drawing #pen #UKpostagestamps #artyear #philately #linedrawing #stamps #collage
A black fine line drawing of different elements found in old British Christmas stamps - includes a kings head, angels, a bird flying with an envelope in its beak, 3 pears, a church, a post box, holly leaves, a partridge...and more. All drawn together in a collage style on lightly squared paper from a stamp album. A flat lay of the elements used to make the accompanying line drawing 'collage'. It is displayed in the middle, surrounded by philately paraphernalia: first day covers and enlarged images of postage stamps. Some of my looser demo' line drawings are displayed here too, coloured with felt tips and coloured pencils. This media is included with the drawings and their sources.
December 18, 2025 at 9:45 AM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 17 #artadventcalendar
White drawings on black paper.
Mostly working from photographs of wintery scenes:
white pencil / semi-blind contour drawing
distorted reflection in bauble / winter scene - white pens
#drawing #white #blackpaper #whitepen #whitepencil #artyear #blackandwhite #sketchbook
Photo of four separate pages of an A5 black paper sketchbook, each with a white media drawing on the dark background. 1. A figure walking away down a rain shiny pavement 2. An aerial view of a Scottish town in snow 3. a hand holding a large silver bauble with distorted view of holder 4. winter trees in a park - all drawn with white pencil and pen, next to a picture of their source.
December 17, 2025 at 2:27 PM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 16 #artadventcalendar
Another 'forgotten' page.
Scratching and scraping away oil pastel to make a simple still life of pear, mushroom and ginger on a spotted plate. Sgraffito technique. Black layered over white and touch of yellow oil pastel.
#drawing #oilpastel #stilllife #artyear #sgraffito
Photo taken from above of a spotted plate with three items arranged on it. It is next to a black oil pastel square with a scraped away drawing of the same set up - a reverse drawing. Pear in centre, mushroom and ginger root nestled behind. The sgraffito determines areas of light and dark.
December 16, 2025 at 9:20 AM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 15 #artadventcalendar
Another 'forgotten' page from a sketchbook.
Drawing with gouache paint - brush & dip pen - as inspired by the book 'Rediscovering Gouache' by Aljoscha Blau.
Class demo' @artistinresidence.co January 2025
#drawing #gouache #sketchbook #artyear #blackpaper #dippen #pencil
An open, landscape format, black paper sketchbook. Gouache paint and coloured pencil used to illustrate three male head and shoulder figures, and a white crow. The man on the left is painted yellow with a grey polo neck. He has sparse hair and a furrowed brow as he looks worryingly at the large crow. Two orange/yellow line drawings are drawn in between and to the right of this scenario. One man hand held up, the other wearing a monocle.
December 15, 2025 at 11:09 AM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 14 #artadventcalendar
Another 'forgotten' page from a sketchbook.
A seashell collection August 2023
#drawing #temperastick #sketchbook #artyear #seashells #ink #pen
A landscape format, A4 sketchbook, open on a worn, wooden table. A range of seashells are displayed above it. Drawings of the same are in the sketchbook below - thickish black outlines with tempera stick colour - warm tones of pinks, sepia and some pale yellow.
December 14, 2025 at 11:21 AM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 13 #artadventcalendar
Another 'forgotten' page from a sketchbook.
Something from the top shelf of the fridge
#drawing #pencil #acrylicpen #sketchbook #artyear #jar #lemon
Drawing of a jar of pickled lemons on tan paper. Red lid, English and other script on label. Mainly graphite and colour pencil with punchier colours in acrylic pen - the lemons and glass highlights.
December 13, 2025 at 11:59 AM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 12 #artadventcalendar
Another 'forgotten' page from a sketchbook.
Split pomegranate on plate. Such a lush fruit to draw.
Loosely applied tempera stick colour, then Sailor Fude 55° pen lines.
#drawing #temperastick #blackpen #blackink #sketchbook #artyear #pomegranate
At top a spotted plate with pomegranate split in two - revealing lush interior. Crimson red colouring 'bleeding' on to the white plate. Below it an open sketchbook with a drawing of the same. Colour loosely applied with tempera paint sticks. Black pen line next to add seed detail and a little definition.
December 12, 2025 at 9:55 AM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 11 #artadventcalendar
Another 'forgotten' page from a sketchbook.
October 2022.
#drawing #colouredpencil #blackpen #sketchbook #artyear
Sketchbook open on a table - landscape format turned lengthways ie tall and thin composition. Glass vase with lilac coloured flowers the subject - shown on a table in front of a bay window. Drawing across the two pages, materials used to the right - black pens, coloured pencil.
December 11, 2025 at 12:39 PM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
This week I've been teaching a seasonally oriented class online @artistinresidence.co - experimenting with drawing poinsettia using only red and green media. Felt tips proved especially challenging. I'll be trying again.
#onlineart #arttutor #botanicalart #colouredpencil #ink #dippen #Woodys #marker
Photo taken from above - poinsettia plant to the right - leaf bracts red and green complimentary colours, small yellow flowers in centre. Main part of image - several observational drawings of the plant, in a variety of media - coloured pencil, ink, dip pen, water soluble markers - all shown next to the drawings. Some more complete than others - an experimental study sheet using only red and green materials.
December 11, 2025 at 11:37 AM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 10 #artadventcalendar
Another 'forgotten' thing from my sketchbooks.
A Chagall like chicken exiting the decoration of a Matisse like ceramic. A student drawing from quite a while ago.
#drawing #colouredpencil #blackpen #sketchbook #artyear #jug #bird
The double pages of an open sketchbook. On the right a coloured pencil and pen drawn jug - thick black outlines with areas of colour - red, orange, blue, lime green. The colours echo mis-registered print ie things don't line up where they should. Across the centre fold and on to the left page - where there is evidence of colour bleed from the previous page; a black pen drawn chicken strides away.
December 10, 2025 at 10:22 AM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 9 #artadventcalendar
More 'forgotten' sketchbook drawings.
A flat piece of tracing paper, one colour per section. Refolded the overlaps come together as a drawing of a Staffordshire flatback figurine: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staffor...
#drawing #feltpen #tracingpaper #artyear #flatback #figure
A stylised figure of a Scottish woman from yesteryear. Drawn from a ceramic figurine, she wears a feathered 'bonnet' on her head, holds plaid cloth around her shoulders, has on a layered, full skirt, and stands on a rounded plinth. She's drawn with water soluble markers on tracing paper / vellum. The colours have a translucent quality. A rectangular piece of tracing paper - portrait format, folded in to equal parts. Each quarter contains a different colour drawing - orange, blue, yellow, brown. Only the brown - bottom right hand corner - makes sense as a line drawing of an historical, costumed figurine. When the paper is refolded the overlaps ie colour separations become one layered drawing.
December 9, 2025 at 10:00 PM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 8 #artadventcalendar
More 'forgotten' pages from a random sketchbook.
Drawings done whilst waiting for a friend in a cafe.

#drawing #pen #sketchbook #artyear #urbansketching #cafe #coffee
Foreground - an open sketchbook. Drawing of 2 people sitting in a cafe in front of a window. Middle ground: an ox-blood leather Chesterfield sofa. In slither of background at top of photo - the cafe couple. Drawn with black ink. Open, lined paper notebook held up in front of its subject matter - an empty cup and saucer on a coffee table with sugar bowl and menu. Drawing of scenario in black ink. Medium - a green Sailor pen evident on table.
December 8, 2025 at 11:11 AM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 7 #artadventcalendar
Another 'forgotten' thing from a random sketchbook.
Puffins drawn in an online class given by @emmacavill.bsky.social @artistinresidence.co

#drawing #biro #pen #ballpoint #sketchbook #artyear #birdart #puffins
Landscape format sketchbook open to its full stretch. Double page full of drawings of puffins: on the left with outstretched wings, in the centre, over both pages - a puffin in profile with food catch hanging from its beak, top right a group of birds in a row, beneath it a bird in flight, bottom corner - puffin floating on the sea. All drawn with various ballpoint / biro pens. These are displayed above the sketchbook alongside a mug of tea. Following the theme it is printed with puffins.
December 7, 2025 at 11:10 AM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
#XtraXmas #geese
Mirrored version of goose drawing from #avianaugust earlier this year.
#birdart #bird #goose #colouredpencil #graphite #stonepaper #sketchbook
A drawing of a goose copied and mirrored so it touches beaks with itself. Bird drawn with 2B pencil, green grass in which it stands - coloured pencil
December 6, 2025 at 12:43 PM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 6 #artadventcalendar
Another 'forgotten' thing from a random sketchbook.
Hydrangea detail.
#drawing #colouredpencil #pen #maskingtape #sketchbook #artyear #botanical
A sketchbook page next to green/pink mophead hydrangea - Hydrangea macrophylla. A small square section of a black line drawing is masked off with blue tape - a coloured pencil study of the hydrangea is contained inside the square.
December 6, 2025 at 12:26 PM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 5 #artadventcalendar
Another 'forgotten' thing from a random sketchbook.
Cafe chair.
#drawing #pencil #sketchbook #artyear
Pencil drawing of an old fashioned wooden chair. Observed three-quarters on.
December 5, 2025 at 2:22 PM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 4 #artadventcalendar
Another 'forgotten' thing from a random sketchbook.
Blossom - March 2024
#drawing #colouredpencil #pen #sketchbook #artyear #botanicaldrawing #blossom #Spring
A small branch of white blossom laid on a black table surface. Beneath it a part page of an open sketchbook showing a black pen and coloured pencil drawing of the same. Loose, fluid lines and scribbled colour used.
December 4, 2025 at 3:56 PM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Chihuahua drawings. See previous drawing to realise his destructive powers 🐕
#dogdrawing #sketchbook #chihuahua #pen
#artadventcalendar #artyear
Several black pen and felt tip studies of a chihuahua - head and shoulders, and in a standing pose.
December 3, 2025 at 9:35 AM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Dec 2 #artadventcalendar
Another 'forgotten' thing from a random sketchbook.
My dog's favourite toy last year. Monkey was past his best: mangled, stuffing leaking out. He got his portrait done before he went to soft toy heaven!
#drawing #colouredpencil #sketchbook #artyear #monkey #toy
A coloured pencil drawing of a purple monkey - a dog's toy, mauled, chewed, grubby. Sketchbook format tall and thin - study across 2 pages. Monkey cross legged. Pencils used placed next to soft toy and sketchbook.
December 2, 2025 at 10:10 PM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
#XtraXmas #PartridgePeartree
Pears and a collaged partridge. A demo piece from an online xmas art class I gave @artistinresidence.co
Today's class will be developing drawings for 'illustrated cookbooks'. Mince pies may make an appearance!
#collage #birdart #bird #partridge
At the top 3 pears in a row. Below it a collaged partridge - red beak and legs, grey yellow plumage. Arranged on vertical / portrait format white paper.
December 1, 2025 at 1:13 PM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Think I'm going to use the lovely, annual #artadventcalendar to dig 'forgotten' things out of random sketchbooks.
Today 'Caroline's Garden' - Summer 2023.
#drawing #inkpen #neocolour #sketchbook #artyear
A black ink drawing of a garden on landscape format tan paper. Two shed structures nestle amongst summer foliage - trees and bushes Lines fluctuate thick and thin - drawn with a Sailor Fude 55° pen. Passages of colour added with Caran D'Ache neocolour pastels - a pale blue sky, a white Birch tree trunk, lime green and pink, round bushes.
December 1, 2025 at 12:57 PM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Week 7/12 of my 'Botanical Inspiration' classes @artistinresidence.co
This week 'Lichen & Moss'. For demo drawings - acrylic, TWSBI Eco, & Paper Mate InkJoy pens.
A big thank you @beckmckim.bsky.social for her donated gel printed papers as base.
#drawing #artclass #botanical #sciart #lichen #pen
Horizontal format drawing of a branch covered in various lichens and moss. Initial drawing collaged on to a 2nd piece - to allow for extension of drawing in black line beyond acrylic pen colour. Off cut off pink/green gel printed paper - uneven edges, used vertically. On it, to the left, a drawing of an upright twig covered in lichen - some growing close to the wood, one extending out in long tendrils. Diagonal drawing study of a colourfully decorated, lichen covered twig. Mainly pale greens and blue with some mustard and bright yellow types.
November 27, 2025 at 5:20 PM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Acrylic pen in sketchbook & on #gel-printed paper (pine cone unfinished but showing process). Details with #TWSBI Eco pen.
Printed paper c/o @beckmckim.bsky.social - fabulous class, and lovely colours to work on top of. So much nicer than starting from a white page.
#drawing #artclass #acrylicpen
Holly sprig drawing on right - drawn on card stock. Plant specimen on the left. Open A5 sketchbook, clipped flat each side. Drawing of ivy across double page - bottom left corner to top right. Plant specimen shown above sketchbook. Pine cone on left, next to an unfinished drawing of the same - on pink/peach coloured, gel printed paper. Beginnings of cone mapped out in acrylic pen line.
November 25, 2025 at 6:07 PM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
Yesterday's live demo' portraits @artistinresidence.co
Charcoal pencils & coloured pencils. Picture sources: @earthsworld.bsky.social and Museum / Sketchy app
#onlineartclass #drawing #portrait #charcoal #colouredpencil #sketchbook
Drawing of a white haired and bearded man looking towards us, head turned, his shoulders at an angle. Drawn on brown paper with charcoal pencil and white pencil crayon. An open sketchbook showing drawn portraits of two women. On the left a full faced woman, three quarters on, scowling slightly, gazing intently to the right. On the right a long haired woman posed straight on. Drawn with red and blue coloured pencils. Both have red/auburn hair.
November 22, 2025 at 5:28 PM
drawdrawdraw.bsky.social
This week I delivered this online class @artistinresidence.co #Birds of North America.
Smooth-Billed Ani - charcoal pencil
Red-Throated Loon - water soluble markers, fine pens
Bluebird - tempera sticks, 2B pencil
Blue-Footed Booby - Staedtler fineliners
#Avian #artYear #drawing #birdart #sciart
Four line drawings of birds - all portrait format - mixed media. Charcoal pencil top left, thick and thin felt tip top right, tempera sticks and 2B pencil bottom left, fineliners bottom right. Birds variously swimming, balancing, standing - first one - head and shoulders in profile.
November 19, 2025 at 2:35 PM