These little cuties grew out of the page after I found a fallen birds’ nest in the garden. I picked up a Staedtler liner pen and sketched some bird-like shapes sitting on twiggy branches, and then coloured them in with loose, splashy watercolor brush-strokes.

A satisfying way to spend half an hour – and every half an hour spent painting is taking you in the right direction, towards mastering the wonderful art of watercolor.

No, it doesn’t have to be difficult or mysterious. You just need to trust yourself, find a good tutor, buy some good(ish) materials and most importantly, spend half an hour a day sketching or painting. That’s all.

Sketch in front of the tv – maybe draw some of the actors in the show you’re watching, or watch a nature show and draw the animals. Take inspiration from your kitchen, and paint the bright peppers and eggplants sitting on the countertop while you wait for the meal to cook. Carry a sketchbook (a tiny one) with you in your purse and make sure you always have something to draw with – even a ballpoint pen makes interesting lines and great sketches.

One of my favourite bedtime treats is scrolling through the wonderful images on Pinterest. Plenty of inspiration on there! But remember, when you copy someone else’s work you shouldn’t sell it, and if you post it online you should give credit to the person who inspired you.

So here are my Doodle Birds! See you over there!