No. 48: New Daily Drawings

Vitamins, coffee dates, and a note that resonated.

Morning routines and an ever-growing pile of daily vitamins. I still feel like I’m in my thirties, but the expanding collection of supplements reminds me of my real age.

Breaking in new shoes. I knew I should have gotten the larger size…

Meeting friends for coffee dates. 7:30am-11am is my favorite social time. On this day I met my friend April Hannah and later my friend Richard Haines, both very inspiring artists. Richard looked so good outside of Cafe Gitane, I had to draw him.

A girl in a jean jacket covered with stars smiles at me just before I hop on the train, then looks away. I quickly snap a photo, but her mother catches me. I explain that I like to draw the people I see. She seems a bit unsure but doesn’t get too upset. In that moment, I feel a bit like a street photographer, caught between capturing something beautiful and the need to apologize. It reminds me of something my son recently shared with me from Jeremy Paige’s work: "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than to get permission." In my drawing, she looks a bit different from the photo—enough to keep her anonymous. It's something a drawing can do that a photograph cannot.

The note I shared on October 10th, and later posted on Instagram, seemed to resonate with so many people—which, honestly, isn’t all that surprising. The mess above my head represents months of holding so much in. I don’t often share the more vulnerable side of my days, but this experience made me realize how meaningful it can be when I do. It’s nice to feel encouraged to be more open, to connect on a deeper level with those who follow my work. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in showing only the ordinary or the things I find fun to draw without touching on the big stuff, but there’s so much value in sharing the raw, real moments too.

An obligatory reminder to vote! One of my illustrations in “The Truth Will Set Your Free, But First it Will Piss You Off!”

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Below is the replay of my recent class with Derwent: “Rocks: A Study in Light, Texture, and Color.”

The loose plan I put together for my class on drawing and painting rocks—from small, stacked stones piled high, to large rocks by the water. You can see the final results in the replay.

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October Meetup

The next Draw Your World Meetup for paid subscribers is tomorrow at 2pm EST. I will share the reference images via Luma in the email that will be sent to everyone who has registered tomorrow afternoon. The link to sign up is shared in the most recent chat thread.

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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 Canvas lights and accessories are 10% off with my discount code: SDB10.

All of my books can be found here.

All of my Skillshare classes can be found here.