A Challenge Series Workshop
~Taught Live on Zoom~
Simplify the Scene. Keep the Story.
"Whistle Stop Cafe "
Create a colorful, expressive pen & ink illustration using drafting film, Derwent Inktense, and bold, selective linework!
Join me for an
Immersive and Interactive
Mixed-Media Drawing Experience!
In this Challenge Series Workshop,
You'll Learn:
-1-
Simplifying a Busy Reference Photo
Learn how to look beyond every little detail and decide what really needs to be included. We'll edit the scene, simplify shapes, and keep the elements that give the Whistle Stop Cafe its unmistakable character and charm.
-2-
Drawing Directly on Drafting Film
Discover how the translucent and erasable qualities of drafting film can make the drawing process more flexible. I'll show you my Drafting Film Reference Pocket Method for working directly over the reference while still being able to view your drawing against a clean white background.
-3-
Using Bright, Selective Inktense Color
We'll use Derwent Inktense to bring color into the scene without filling every inch of the drawing. You'll learn how to choose, simplify, and activate color with water while keeping the finished piece fresh, open, and illustrative.
-4-
Creating Expressive Pen & Ink Linework
Instead of trying to hide our lines, we're going to celebrate them! Learn how fine and expressive black pen marks can strengthen structure, suggest texture, create contrast, and give the finished artwork its distinctive illustrated character.
This workshop is a chance to loosen up, make thoughtful choices, and turn a favorite piece of Americana into something uniquely your own. Whether you're new to drafting film, Inktense, or pen and ink, I'll walk you through the entire process live and in real time.
Workshop Details
🗓️ Dates: August 18 – September 10, 2026
📅 Schedule: Opening session August 18. Each week we'll meet on Tuesdays & Thursdays for the next four weeks
⏰ Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time
📍 Where: Live on Zoom (recordings available after each session!)
You'll receive lifetime access to every recorded session so you can work at your own pace, catch up when needed, and revisit the lessons anytime.
Let's simplify the scene, keep the story, and create the Whistle Stop Cafe together!
Discover a Fresh Approach to Pen, Ink & Inktense
If you've never combined expressive pen work, Inktense color, and drafting film, you're in for something a little different.
In this workshop, you'll learn how to simplify what you see, edit a busy reference photo, build bright selective color, and use black linework intentionally to strengthen the structure and character of the scene.
The result is a colorful, illustrative interpretation of the Whistle Stop Cafe—and a set of techniques you can use whenever you want to loosen up, simplify, and create something more expressive.
Turn a Busy Reference into
Bold, Expressive Art!
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Simplify the Scene & Strengthen the Story
Learn how to edit a busy reference photo into a cleaner, more intentional composition. We’ll focus on the shapes, structures, and details that give the Whistle Stop Cafe its character while letting go of anything that doesn’t need to be there.
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Combine Inktense Color with Expressive Pen Work
Use bright, selective Inktense color along with fine and expressive black linework to create a more illustrative finish. We’ll explore where to add color, where to leave things open, and how varied pen marks can strengthen structure, texture, and contrast.
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Live Workshop Experience
Follow along step-by-step as we build the piece together during live Zoom sessions. You’ll be able to ask questions, see my decisions and problem-solving in real time, and learn techniques you can carry into future architectural, travel, and mixed-media subjects.
Yes Please!!!
What's Included
#1 Eight Live Zoom Sessions
📺 Join me live as we transform the Whistle Stop Cafe reference photo into a colorful, expressive pen-and-ink and Inktense illustration. Watch the entire process unfold in real time, ask questions, and work right alongside me from the first marks through the finishing touches.
#2 Beautifully Designed Workshop PDF Workbook
📄 Includes:
• Workshop overview and project goals
• Complete materials and Inktense color list
• Full workshop schedule and Zoom information
• High-resolution Whistle Stop Cafe reference photo
• Drafting film setup information
• Helpful notes and resources to keep you organized throughout the workshop
#3 Email Updates & Class Notifications
✉️ Receive reminders before each class along with workshop updates, announcements, and helpful information as we move through the project together.
#4 Live Q&A and Drawing Feedback
📝 Ask questions as they arise and receive guidance on your drawing during our live sessions. We’ll also have natural stopping points throughout class for questions, troubleshooting, and feedback.
#5 Interactive, Real-Time Learning
💬 You won't simply watch a prerecorded demonstration. You'll see the decisions, adjustments, testing, and problem-solving happen live as I work through a brand-new piece right along with you.
#6 High-Resolution Reference & Project Resources
📷 Download the same Whistle Stop Cafe reference photograph I'll be using in class, along with the supporting workshop resources you need to follow the process from beginning to end.
#7 Lifetime Access to Every Recording
🎥 Rewatch sessions anytime. Pause, rewind, catch up if you miss a class, or revisit the entire project whenever you want to work through at your own pace.
What are you waiting for?
Let's Create the Whistle Stop Cafe Together!
