Drawing gestures is really great practice, and I hope you’re inspired to give it a try.

Here are links to Ges Draw Party and to Koosje’s Draw Tip Tuesday:

Ges Draw Party:

https://www.youtube.com/@GESDRAWPARTY/videos

Koosje Koene’s Draw Tip Tuesday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLvOk23Ppe8&list=PL75LQ84GmBUbFTT3U2MHipTcBYm00hTy6&index=13

Since January 8, 2025, I’ve been drawing 1-minute gestures using the Ges Draw Party YouTube channel. I learned about this from Koosje Koene’s Draw Tip Tuesday YouTube channel. (Links below near end of post.)

This is fun! They have five 1-minute poses, four 2-minute ones and one 5-minute pose. I only do the 1-minute ones because it’s easier to let go of high expectations of making a pretty good drawing in such a short amount of time. Often, I don’t even finish drawing the model, so I’m learning how to concentrate on the most important parts to get the essence of the pose.

I use an 8 ½” x 11” (21.6 cm x 27.9 cm) Bee Paper Pen Sketcher Pad which I divide into 6 sections. That way I can do six gestures on a page (not too big, not too small). My sixth gesture at first was a repeat of one of the 1-minute poses, but then I found it easier to just go to the 2-minute pose and keep an eye on the time and stop after one minute.

I first started using a Pitt Artist FM Pen (by Faber Castell). Later on, I decided to try using a brush pen. I’ve tried brush pens in the past several times – totally unsuccessful, so I gave up. But now, since my gestures are crappy anyway, I thought this might be a better time to give a brush pen another chance. I'm trying brush pens by Pigma/Sakura, Pitt/Faber Castell, and Pentel.

Sometimes they have two models posing together. Whew!

Drawing gestures are fun to try

I learn to leave out details and to simplify

It loosens me up and helps me find

Rhythm, movement, and where things align

I hold my pen gently and let my lines be bold

I focus, smile, and stop at the end of the pose

Am I getting better with the brush pen? No.

Am I getting good line variation? No

Am I accepting the bold lines and having fun. YES. (Sometimes I have to remind myself that I’m having fun and to have a sense of humor.)

Thanks for reading!