A 10-minute daily sketch is a great way to start the day, keep my sketching skills up to speed, and experiment with line and color. Every piece is unique and 50% of the proceeds are donated to African conservation organizations. I begin each one with an ink drawing then add watercolor or fluid acrylic if time allows. The ticking clock keeps me working fast but I find this is mostly an advantage.

These daily sketches began when I attended a Portrait Party organized by New York City Urban Sketchers where I spent an entire day doing 10-minute sketches of people. I enjoyed it so much that I started doing a 10-minute portrait sketch every day. Soon I decided to revert to my usual African subject matter as I realized this would be a great way to keep my sketching skills up to speed for when I return to Africa and sketch animals from life. I've been selling my art for years through my person website - https://www.artinspiredbyafrica.com - but in April 2019, when my daily sketches started accumulating, I opened my Etsy store. I'll be selling them all here and will be donating 50% of the proceeds to the African conservation organizations I support. These include African People & Wildlife (Tanzania), Painted Dog Research Trust (Zimbabwe), Cheetah Conservation Fund (Namibia) and others.

My daily sketches are based on the amazing photos taken over the years by my husband, Nigel. Working directly from photos is not normally something I do, but the 10-minute deadline means I have to concentrate on the basics and eliminate unnecessary detail, just like I do when I’m sketching from life in Africa. Every day i really look forward to starting with a 10-minute sketch. I choose a photo, pick out my paper, pens and paints, set the timer and begin.

I’ll be posting new sketches every week so please join me on my exciting and colorful 10-minute daily sketch journey!
Alison