Ohn Mar Win

In January 2024 I started working in really small sketchbooks. The month before I had returned from travelling and had caught Covid. Although I was pretty weak and wasn't feeling great I went out for short walks to build my strength back up and make daily art the best I could. I carried only a few art supplies. It was the beginning of my mixed media explorations on my daily walks. Now in 2026 I've started another small sketchbook practice leaning more towards nature journaling on my walks (as I recover from a nasty cold) There is more refinement now as i understand my materials and layering better. My compositions feel calmer too. But the curiosity is the same. The sketches in both of these sketchbooks were done quickly, standing on the side of a path, with cyclists and dog walkers passing by. They are not polished pieces. They are not the kind of images that usually perform well on Instagram. They are fast & observational but slightly awkward. Progress does not arrive by chance. It evolves over months and years, sometimes returning to the same view. On social media we often see the finished results. We rarely see what came before. These sketchbooks are being filled twenty four months apart. This quiet, imperfect practice is a very important part of my development as an artist. . . 2024 sketchbook @hahnemuehle_uk 2026 sketchbook @royaltalens @royaltalensuk

I’ve just finished sketchbook number 62 -a @hahnemuehle_uk toned watercolour book and recorded a 13-minute flip-through. This sketchbook has been with me since the start of the year, and all the pages are from the art challenges I’ve hosted on Patreon from Sweet Treats to Autumn Foraging. Looking back, I can see how those prompts nudged me to explore and push contrast including shadows in new ways. The full flip-through is FREE to watch on Patreon. If you’d like to see itcomment with the word 'TONE' and I’ll send you the link. Paid members will also find all the links for process videos and Zoom replays for some of these spreads It’s been such a joy to see how these challenges take shape in my own sketchbooks, I’d love to know what would make future challenges even more inspiring or useful for you.

I started this sketchbook in France in October 2023, during a retreat with @emmacarlisle_ . She gave us this @royaltalens mixed media sketchbook, and I don’t think I realised at the time how important it would become. This Reel is just the first half - full of gelli print textures, messy backgrounds, layered marks and early mixed media experiments (at the time I was primarily a watercolour artist) It’s really where my mixed media journey began. Layering new materials and sketching on top of these textured pages felt new, uncertain and slightly uncomfortable. But it also gave me space to fully play. Some of these pages were created while joining Patreon painting sessions with @katie_moody and @tjmarstonart Marston. Their sessions gave me brilliant reasons to keep returning to this sketchbook, trying things out and building confidence with mixed media. It's actually taken me two and a half years to finally fill it. Not because I forgot about it, but because I think some sketchbooks need time. Sometimes creative projects wait for us until we’re ready to return to them. I’m currently editing the accompanying YouTube video (coming next week) where I talk through why this one took so long to finish - and what it taught me about mixed media, patience, and letting a sketchbook evolve slowly. Have you ever had a sketchbook that took years to finish?

SOLD OUT - PLEASE JOIN WAIT LIST....In May 2027, I’ll be teaching a 12-night sketchbook travel journal workshop with @_thebluewalk through Athens, Amorgos, Naxos and Santorini. Each day I’ll lead a class inspired by the places we visit sketching on location. We'll use watercolour & mixed media to capture not just what we see, but the tastes, textures, colours and small moments of travelling through Greece. You'll be learning how to see, simplify and respond to a place in your own sketchbook. And how to build travel journal pages, capture atmosphere, notice details, and create a unique record of your journey with a small group of creative travellers. We’ll begin in Athens, then spend six days on Amorgos, a quieter and more timeless Greek island. From there we’ll visit Naxos, with its beaches, harbour and countryside, before ending in Santorini, with its cliff-top villages and unforgettable views. And there are only 3 places left. If you’ve been dreaming of sketching by the Aegean and sharing a creative adventure with a warm group of fellow artists Comment GREECE and I’ll send you the details Date May 11 – 23 2027 Duration: 12 Nights Location: Greece: Athens, Amorgos, Naxos, and Santorini

I’ve just shared a new process video on Patreon, filmed outside my shepherd’s hut during my recent stay in Norfolk. Norfolk is known as the 'big skies' county for a reason, and on my final morning there, the clouds were perfect for sketching. I painted a few freestyle cloud studies in watercolour, entirely on location, using a simple lifting technique with crumpled kitchen roll to create those soft, irregular cloud shapes. This was not a polished studio demonstration. It was real, responsive sketchbook work - changing light, moving clouds, a portable tripod, and me trying to capture as much as I could before checking out that morning. In the video, I talk through what I noticed, what I learnt from the first version, and how I adjusted the second study with stronger colour, clearer cloud shapes and more considered shadows underneath the clouds. These are studies, not finished pieces - and that’s exactly the point. I’m learning all the time too, and each study teaches me something new about looking, simplifying, and responding to what’s in front of me. At the end of the video, I’ve also included a few candid behind the scenes snippets from some of the places I sketched at during my Norfolk stay. And next week is our live Zoom session, where we’ll paint clouds together using more Norfolk reference images. Join my Patreon to watch the clouds video, come along to the Zoom, and explore the full archive. Paid Patreon members can watch this now, along with over 2 years of process videos, Zoom replays and behind-the-scenes posts. You can cancel at any time.

You can watch the full 14 minute video tour of my April mixed media sketches over on Patreon - it's FREE for everyone. It includes sketchbook pages from trip to Norfolk and walks around Ely and the Fens. Plus sketches created during our live Patreon Zoom sessions. April’s theme was nature journalling, so this month’s pages are full of seasonal Spring details, walking, looking closely, and responding to what was right in front of me. I also talk through the palette and materials I used for my most recent sketches, including the colours I tested over several days. If you’d like to watch the free video, comment APRIL and I’ll send the link straight to your DMs. @royaltalensuk Art creations sketchbook

I’m co-hosting a free live Zoom next week with @andbydonnareeves and we'd love you to join us . Monday 11 May, 4–5pm (UK time)
Free live Zoom drawing session - shells, pen and ink, and tone . Donna Reeves is an artist, educator, and owner of &ByDonnaReeves Gallery in Ware (the creative space where I host my in-person workshops). Donna has over 30 years of teaching experience and she’s brilliant at explaining fundamentals in a relaxed, beginner friendly way. I attend her Social Art mornings locally, and I always come away learning something new - she’s honestly the art teacher I wish I’d had as a youngster. . What we’ll do * short pencil warm-up * then pen and ink * contour lines and tone explained step by step * very beginner-friendly Bonus: free Q&A There’s also a free Q&A session on Monday 18 May (UK time) where you can ask Donna questions about art fundamentals. Details of both Zooms are shared when you sign up. . To get the sign-up link straight to your DMs, comment: SHELLS

Just shared a new YouTube video where I test five watercolour pigments across three professional brands - @schmincke_official @winsorandnewton and @holbeinartistmaterials to see how much the same colour by name can vary....sometimes a lot. I’ll be swatching them side by side, comparing colours like olive green, indigo and alizarin crimson, and talking through what surprised me along the way. Because sometimes the same colour name can behave very differently depending on the brand. This isn’t about deciding which brand is best. It’s about noticing those differences more clearly, and helping you make more informed choices before you invest in new paints. Especially if you’re building your palette slowly, buying one or two tubes at a time, or waiting for a good discount before stocking up. Comment with PIGMENT and I’ll send the YouTube video link to your DMs.

I’ve just shared a FREE 14 minute video on Patreon and it's open for EVERYONE to watch. It's a little round up of my April sketchbook pages, including my trip to Norfolk, local walks, sketches from our live Patreon Zoom sessions, and a visit to Ely and the Fens. April’s Patreon theme was nature journalling, so there’s been a lot of walking, looking closely, and responding to what’s around me this Spring season . In the video, I also go through the palette and materials I used for my most recent sketchbook pages, including the colours I’ve been testing over several days. . Just to clarify, as I’ve had a few slightly confused DMs recently, around 95% of the time I work entirely on location. Apart from the two live Zoom sessions, where we used reference photos together, these pages were not sketched later from photos back in my studio !!! They were made out on walks, in fields, by paths, near rivers, and wherever I happened to be with my sketchbook. That’s a big part of what I love about this way of working. It’s not about perfect conditions or polished pages - more about responding in the moment with the materials I have on me in the swiftest time. . If you’d like to watch the free video, comment APRIL and I’ll send the link straight to your DMs. . And if you’d like to see more of the bluebell sketches, have a look at my previous post. . Paid Patreon members also get access to over 2 years of Zoom replays and process videos, with the freedom to cancel anytime.

Happy 1st of May. I tend to journal and reflect at the end of each month just so I understand what's occurred and give myself a moment to reflect. A few things I'm happy to share about April… Far, mid, near and close-up views can completely change how I tell a story in a sketchbook page. Value contrast really matters too - especially when everything starts to feel a bit flat. Working on location brings so much energy and immediacy to my sketchbook art. I often find meeting new people daunting but April showed me how valuable it is to spend time sharing ideas & making art in the company of others. Old hurts can begin to ease when I meet them with a bit more compassion. I’m realising I’m allowed to want support and I don't have to do everything on my own. Being honest with myself and protecting my energy is better than trying to pretend I’m 'fine' My creative direction is becoming clearer. I can feel myself leaning into a slower, more grounded way of making art. It feels less about producing something impressive and more about building a sustainable creative practice that supports me rather than depletes me . 👉🏼 What did you discover about yourself or your art this April? . . . MATERIALS USED @derwentartofficial Cobolt Green watercolor pencil @carandache dark sap green watercolour pencil & NeoColour II sky blue @stabilo woody pink @holbeinartistmaterials raisin colour pencil

I’ve teamed up with @hahnemuehle_uk for a gorgeous GIVEAWAY where you could WIN a Hahnemühle A4 Watercolour Book! ✨Open to UK participants. They asked me to create a piece of art inspired by what Spring means to me, and I was immediately drawn to the vivid mustard yellow rapeseed fields around where I live. They always make me smile as when my daughter was tiny, she used to shout 'yellow flowers!!' whenever we passed a field, and it’s still a long standing joke. Now it’s your turn. For this #capturespring competition, create a watercolour piece inspired by Spring. It could be blossom, birds, fresh green leaves, a hidden path, flowers in your garden, or something simple you’ve noticed on a walk. To enter: 🌼 Create a watercolour piece inspired by Spring 🌼 Share it to your page 🌼 Tag @hahnemuehle_uk and me @ohn_mar_win 🌼 Use #capturespring in your caption . . Hahnemühle are giving away 10 A4 Watercolour Books to UK participants.. . Winners will be chosen on 30 May. This competition is not affiliated with Instagram.. . . Good luck everyone! 🍀 #hahnemühle #prgifted . These sketchbooks are my favourite! Features include: * 30 sheets of fine-grained, 100% cotton 250 gsm watercolour paper * Natural white in colour with a fine-grained surface front and back * A protective hardback cover with elasticated fastening * Suitable for all watercolour techniques, especially wet-on-wet technique * Age-resistant, vegan and acid-free. . @schmincke_official watercolours @proartebrushes quill brush

I found this older illustration while looking through my @theydrawandcook files and it made me smile. I called it Secret Sauce for Success. Self discipline. Perseverance. Curiosity. Goal setting. Patience. Community. Self belief. And please don’t forget to finding the fun & joy. I still think this holds true today. So much of a creative career is not one dramatic breakthrough. It’s really lots of tiny ingredients and small wins, adding up over time. Some days you need a huge dollop of patience. Other days you might dish out more curiosity. Sometimes you need the discipline to keep going, and sometimes you need the wisdom to step back and remember why you started. Looking back, I can see how much these ingredients shaped my own path as an illustrator, especially during the years when I was slowly building a portfolio, submitting work to art directors. While experimenting with food illustration, and trying to find my way back into the industry. There was no single magic sauce or magic route. Just a lot of showing up, learning from the detours, adapting, and finding small pockets of joy along the way. Which ingredient do you feel you need most at the moment?