Thanks so much for joining me live yesterday! I always decide to do these completely spontaneously, which matches my erratic sketchbook drawing schedule. There’s never been a set routine. Sometimes I know in advance that a certain day or event will give me dedicated time, but most often, my sketchbook just lives in my bag or stays close by—ready for whenever the mood strikes and I have a window of time.
I was able to squeeze in a few hours between two things on my calendar, and I was so happy to see so many of you were able to hop on and join me. For those who couldn’t make it, the replay is available here!
This past weekend we were in Philadelphia, and while driving down the Parkway—passing my old high school and so many familiar buildings—we stopped at a red light right next to Love Park. I quickly rolled down the window to snap a photo and happened to catch a man in a bright red t-shirt walking below Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture. There was also a recent graduate right next to him, which was perfectly fitting, as one of the events we went to over the weekend was my nephews college graduation. This drawing, along with a much busier page next to it (that I will finish eventually), captures memories from what was a very jam-packed weekend. We were bouncing from one event to another. That never happens, but thankfully, everything was packed into the same weekend in Philly.
If you are in or around Philadelphia over the next five days, be sure to see Cecily Brown: Themes and Variations at The Barnes Foundation. It closes on May 25th!
Draw Your World Meetups
The next meetup is on May 27th with Jessie Kanelos Weiner who will be leading us in a few exercises and prompts from her new book, Thinking in Watercolor. All invitations are shared in the subscriber chat.
And on June 10th,
and I will be hosting a session together: Drawing Dogs of Brooklyn using canine color palettes. Paid subscribers stay tuned for that invitation link.Heads up: My paid subscription price is going up on May 24. If you’re already a member, your rate won’t change—so now’s a great time to upgrade to lock in the lower price! I share lots of extras with my paid group. It is going up to $7per month/$75 a year from the current rate which is $5 per month and $55 a year. I always make adjustments for those who need help.
I created the spread in the Note above last week on Zoom. It was a nice and relaxing session with lots of chatting about art supplies and Mother’s Day adventures.
Brooklyn Events:
Maker Night at Dawn’s ‘Til Dusk
May 22, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm Join us for a very special evening—Make a mini dried flower bouquet with Sonoko from Kajiha, learn some “Draw Your Day” tips with illustrator, Samantha Dion Baker, and 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! USE CODE: maker15 for 15% off your ticket.
Drink & Draw With Creatively Wild
Join me on June 25th from 6-8pm for a fun workshop that I am teaching under the archway in DUMBO. This year we will be creating continuous line faces or portraits and then painting them and filling the shapes with color and collage. This is an all-level workshop. Click here to book your spot.
Coloring Wall Under the Arches
I’m excited to be part of Live at the Archway this summer in DUMBO! On Thursday, June 12th from 5–7:30pm, I’ll be taking over the Art Wall under the Manhattan Bridge with a giant 8x8' coloring book-style mural. I’ve created a custom black-and-white design just for this event, which will be printed large-scale for everyone to color in throughout the evening. I’ll be there in person while the public helps bring the piece to life—come say hi, grab a marker, and make your mark! This event is free and open to the public!
Special shout-out to
, who generously sent snacks for my recent Brooklyn workshops—Tate’s Bake Shop Cookies and some delicious Wonderlands nut snacks! This recent post of hers shares a bit about her trip to the Hamptons with Tate’s. Abigail writes beautifully about food, cooking, and dining out. Thank you, Abigail!A Retreat in France—only two spots left, or add your name to the waiting list!
Next summer, I’ll be teaching in the French Pyrénées at Atelier Clos Mirabel, and since sharing a few weeks ago, it is almost full!
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, experiment with colour, line, and composition. My forthcoming book, Draw Your Adventures, will be available, 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.
Above 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.
If the retreat is booked, you can add your name to a waitlist.
You can now order signed and personalized copies of Draw Your Adventures from Books Are Magic. (Please order by July 9th to be sure to receive your personalization.)
Or you can order from your own local bookstore or anywhere books are sold!
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!
My relationship with the US distributor of Caran D’Ache, Creative Art Materials, started back when I wrote Draw Your Day in 2018—after they saw that I have been using their materials 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.
All of my books can be found here.
All of my Skillshare classes can be found here.
Thank you
, , , , , and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.
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