Let’s Draw ANIMALS IN ACTION!

Plus a peek in my sketchbook & what I've been up to 👀

Melissa Martin

Jul 06, 2025

THURSDAY, JULY 10 @ 7:00PM ET on YouTube

Get ready for a very cute time this week as we draw animals in action!

I feel like I should have more to say about this theme, but it’s really very self explanatory.

I don’t yet know the timing (I’m leaving it up to Louise who suggested the theme) or what materials I’m going to use.

What do know is that it’s going to be fun!

It’s my goal to keep ART HANG PARTY! free and accessible for everyone. If you like what I do here and are able please show some support over on my Kofi.

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✏️🤗💖✨

Next ART HANG PARTY! will be Thursday, July 17 at 7pm et on YouTube

Theme: TBD!

Do you have an idea for a future ART HANG PARTY! theme?

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MONDAY JUNE 30

I had to dig something out of our storage locker today and found a photo album with some old family photos in it. Looking through it I had most of them already snapped and saved in my camera roll, but there was this one of two of my cousins fishing in the little creek at Grandma & Grandpa’s house. There was barely ever any water in the creek and definitely no fish, but the boys were from PEI so they probably weren’t used to that 😂

Today’s self portrait

✨🦫TUESDAY JULY 1 🇨🇦✨

Happy Canada Day!

Today was such a relaxing day. We spent time in the park chasing the shade and I made this scribbly drawing in my Pith sketchbook with Neocolor IIs.

I also filmed my monthly art chat where I go through all the art I made in June. If you’re reading this you have no doubt already seen everything, but I really like making these videos, seeing everything together (and will be especially thankful for them in the future).

Watch it here!

Today’s self portrait

WEDNESDAY JULY 2

Today’s self portrait was my only art for the day. I spent the day hanging out with my friend Susie at the mall, filling in a few gaps in my wardrobe.

THURSDAY JULY 3

Today we travelled to Hong Kong with

Lorrie Chan

at ART HANG PARTY!

Lorrie draws about her commute tales in Hong Kong, and also translates Cantopop lyrics into English. She share this on Instagram and here on substack:

Sometimes when I get really excited about a particular session it’s kind of a letdown. Like the anticipation turns out to be the best part, but not today!

Lorrie’s photos were so good and felt exactly like the things I would snap pictures of on vacation to draw in my sketchbook.

Speaking of sketchbook, up until an hour before I had no idea what I was going to use (I usually know once I gather references). I was looking on my shelf considering all the options when I saw this Uglybook and its violently yellow pages peeking out at the back of the pile. I went about getting set up, recorded a whole other video, all the while thinking about what else I could use because did I really want to start another new sketchbook?

The answer was yes because nothing else felt as fun! I grabbed a black acrylic brush marker and thinner felt tip and was all set.

We started with two minutes on the timer:

Then five minutes:

And ended with seven and ten minutes.

I’m thinking I need to designate this sketchbook as to our travel series at AHP, which will happen on the first Thursday of every month. Next month we’re going on tour with

Meli’s World

Catch the replay here!

Before AHP I had a package delivered from the one and only

Debbie Draws Funny

! I made a short little video unboxing and squealing over everything!

Deb did the same with some things I sent her! If you remember one of the embroidery pieces I shared some sneaky-peeks of recently, it has been received so I can show you now!

This is an embroidery of one of Deb’s artworks. It was really enjoyable working on this!

You can find similar artworks on Deb’s website at debbiedrawsfunny.com

Today’s self portrait

FRIDAY JULY 4

This month for

Blueshine Art with Charlotte Hamilton

the theme is 𝔀𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓻 ˚˖𓍢ִִ໋🌊˚˖𓍢ִ✧˚.

I have been trying to think about what I want to do for it. How I want to tackle it. What materials I want to use for it.

I had so much fun with Abstract April that I kept coming back to it. To abstracts. But change it up.

After having a play today, I’ve decided that I’m going to use as few strokes as possible to paint the references. Today I used ten strokes!

I also drew this little guy I saw last weekend at the Tall Ships Festival double-fisting rocket popsicles! What a treat!

Today’s self portrait

SATURDAY JULY 5

Today was Retro Beach Party day with Free Draw Friendzy!

You’re probably tired of hearing how much I love drawing with everyone, but it’s so true! Free Draw Friendzy feels especially special because 1) I get to cohost it with

Debbie Draws Funny

and 2) I get to talk and see and draw with so many other art friends!

The idea for this session was to build a retro beach party, as in fit all the reference photos together to make one big scene (though you know, as always, do it how you want).

We started by doing a self portrait, as we do, but this time I did a guided self portrait where we used our non-drawing hand to feel our way around our face while following the movements with our drawing hand. I found it really relaxing and meditative, and a little silly.

Shoutout to Marie-Louise for inspiring me to use a piece of a bag as my paper, and

hippo fait des trucs

for the idea to make a zine!

Here’s a better view of the zine, all folded up. I used a felt tip pen for the linework and brush markers for the colour. (I’m happy with the looseness I got with the markers!)

Catch the replay here!

Today’s self portrait