Draw Your Dreams: Make History

I’m going to cut to the chase about what this newsletter is going to be: insights from my recent trip to London (my very first time in the city EVER!). Drawing as part of movie history, drawing and art in general being located on one of the most exclusive and luxurious streets in the world, and drawing as a career that enables high-end collaborations and connections - have you looked at drawing from this perspective? If not, let me break these examples down for you👇

First, let’s talk about drawing as part of the movie development process of Harry Potter and how all those magical scenes from Hogwarts or the Weasley house came to life from a simple… sketch!

Before my tour of the Warner Brothers Studio in London (which, of course, was part of my London program - after all these years? ALWAYS 🥹), I’ll be honest, I never looked at the series from the perspective of how it was created. I was simply immersed in its magical world. But in the Warner Brothers studio, they actually showed a lot from their art department, explaining how their artists and designers brought these scenes to life.

Look at this example: we see how Hogsmeade Village was created, starting with a quick sketch, followed by a detailed illustration, and then the final step of bringing those drawings to life in the movie.

And this is how I draw too, and teach you how to draw like this - by starting with quick scribbles, then moving on to neat outlines and details (exactly like in the Hogsmeade example), and at the end, bringing our designs to life!



Before we move on to the next truly inspiring drawing examples, you're invited to my brand-new drawing workshop, where we will draw together on both paper and iPad, and explore the magic and power of drawing from real life!

Look, this is the composition we’ll be drawing! It's very special to me because it was shot in Vitra in London, where I met some of my ASDB students - incredible interior designers and creatives - with whom I instantly connected and was even more inspired 😍

👉 Register here for free to draw with me.

I seriously can’t wait for this workshop because it will be full of insightful and informative drawing hacks, inspiring stories from London, career tips, and SO MUCH MORE.

>> Don’t miss it, register here ✍️

Now, back to the magic of Harry Potter and drawing. Just look at the creative process from start to finish of the Weasley House! Isn’t it incredible how drawing allows you to communicate unique and even wild ideas? Now, think about how challenging it would be if drawing didn’t exist and there was no way to communicate our ideas with the world?

This, by the way, is the creative chaos inside the studio of Harry Potter's production designer, Stuart Craig. I was standing there and crying - seriously! I even filmed my emotional reaction and will probably post it today on my stories and in an upcoming YouTube video.

Next on my list of inspiring drawing examples is the unexpectedly fascinating gallery on New Bond Street in London, near all those luxurious shops, including works by renowned artist David Hockney. Check out his iPad drawings 🥹

I got SO emotional there as well - you can’t even imagine. David Hockney is my favorite artist of all time, and I ADORE his style, bold colors, and surreal shapes. I aspire to reach this level of drawing too. By the way, during our meetup with my students, we also discussed how CRUCIAL networking and putting yourself out there are! That’s why I’m sharing this with you - to show that drawing is just as powerful a skill as, say, being a lawyer.
As for my career, next week, along with the drawing workshops and other projects, I’ll be working on an illustration for a long-term client, where we’ll be turning his recent achievement into a stunning artwork, developed especially for him. As soon as it's ready and he’s happy with the result, I’ll make sure to share it with you too. But I’m telling you this to show the importance of taking initiative and bringing drawing to a completely new level, making it an inevitable part of our lives - not just our careers.

And finally, let me share more insights from my London trip, including Harry Potter (yes, I’m currently sipping tea from a new Gryffindor teacup 😀):

And once again, if you're ready to master this powerful drawing skill with me, make sure to register for my drawing workshop OR sign up directly for my full drawing course if you don’t want to wait and want to start drawing all types of drawings ASAP. More info here!

And… cheers to the power of creativity and how this skill changes lives and history!

After all these years? …Always.

Anna at @andshedrawsbig