59: New Drawings + A Week in the French Pyrénées
Pre-order a signed and personalized copy of Draw Your Adventures and more
Lately, I’ve noticed a lot of new readers here (hi!), and I get the sense that not everyone quite knows what I do—which makes sense, because it’s a bit of everything. So…If you’re just discovering my work, here’s a quick intro. Since 2014, I’ve been documenting my daily life in sketchbooks—a personal practice that started as a way to get off screens (I was a graphic designer and spent hours on the computer), to find purpose in drawing, and to remember the big and small moments I experienced as a mom of two boys. I still draw in a sketchbook almost every day—now I have over sixty of them, each page filled with something new—but I also teach, write books, and illustrate and design things for other people, too.
Here on Substack, I write about drawing, painting, and my creative life. But sometimes, I just share my sketchbook pages. There’s so much to read online, and I think there’s something refreshing about simply looking—at artwork, at ordinary days, at one person’s visual journal from Brooklyn and wherever else life takes me. From celebrity sightings to peanut butter and jelly on a bagel… here are this past week’s sketchbook pages.
What started as a regular drawing practice has grown into something much bigger—three published books and a fourth on the way this July: Draw Your Adventures. Scroll down for a link to pre-order a signed and personalized copy!
Drawing Your World: A Visual Storytelling Workshop in the French Pyrénées
In 2026, I’ll be teaching in the French Pyrénées! I was invited to host a workshop at Atelier Clos Mirabel, and after reaching out to the inspiring botanical artist Lara Call Gastinger, who has taught there before, she raved about the property and the people who run it. That made it an easy yes for me!
From the website listing:
August 15-22, 2026
This week-long workshop at Atelier Clos Mirabel explores the art of seeing and storytelling through drawing, no matter your experience level. From abstract sketches to detailed renderings, there’s no right way to capture your world. Through hands-on exercises, you will get familiar with tools and materials, practice blind contour and continuous line drawing, as well as experimenting with colour, line, and composition. Samantha’s forthcoming book, ‘Draw Your Adventures’, will be available by the time you meet, providing the opportunity to work through some of its challenges and prompts together. You will learn to organize your thoughts on the page by creating meaningful visual narratives and challenge yourself to draw in new ways – all while capturing your adventures with confidence and creativity.
Below are some images showcasing the beauty of the property, but you can see many more on their Instagram. My favorite part? It’s just a four-hour train ride from Paris.
Note that this retreat is paid in two separate payments. One to me, the featured tutor, and the other to Atelier Clos Mirabel for all accommodations, meals, etc. Substack paid tier subscribers receive 10% off my fee.
Draw Your World Meetups
Today at 4pm EST is the first handwriting, typography, and letter-writing meetup with paid subscribers. In this first meeting, I will share examples of handwriting in art, we talk with
about his work and his relationship with handwriting and lettering, and then I will dive into a bunch of fun exercises. Read this post for more. I hope you will join us!Brooklyn Events:
DUMBO Open Studios
My studio will be open to visitors from 1–6 PM on April 26th and 27th, alongside over 160 other Brooklyn artists. My son, Theo, who shares part of my space, will also be there, selling some of his handmade clothing and more. Click here for more info
Maker Night at Dawn’s ‘Til Dusk
May 22, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm Join us for a very special evening learning from some of the finest Brooklyn artisans while mingling with friends over snacks and sips. Make a mini dried flower bouquet with our friend Sonoko from Kajiha, a stunning dried flower design studio, based in Industry City. Then, learn some “Draw Your Day” tips with illustrator extraordinaire and our longtime collaborator, Samantha Dion Baker. Finally, decorate your own Lambeth cupcakes with Tiffany Canuelas, the creative mind behind the cakes and sweet treats that you know and love at One Girl Cookies & Dawn’s til Dusk. Snacks and one drink ticket provided to all guests. Book your spot here!
You can now order signed and personalized copies of Draw Your Adventures from Books Are Magic. Order by July 9th!
Ambassador and Affiliate Codes
If you’d like to try out Blackwing pencils or just order some new items, please shop using this unique link: blackwing602.com/sdionbaker. When you purchase using my link, there’s no additional cost to you, and I earn a small commission. I appreciate your support!
Most of my Skillshare classes feature my favorite Caran d’Ache art supplies. My relationship with the US distributor, Creative Art Materials, started back when I wrote Draw Your Day in 2018, and they saw how heavily I featured their art tools—many that I have been using since I was in grade school. Click here to find some my favorites on the Orange Art website.
All products from Art Toolkit are 10% off with my discount code: SDIONBAKER10
All Canvas lights and accessories are 10% off with my discount code: SDB10.
I received your Draw Your Day for Kids the other day and loved looking through it. So much fun and I can't wait to share it with my grands. That'll be quite a while, though. They're currently 16 months and four years old. They're going to have a blast with it though. Thank you so much for sharing this kind of art with everyone. It's so down-to-earth and alive. And I'm looking forward to getting my copy of Draw Your Adventures this summer. WOOHOO!
I enjoy your art.