Take yourself to new levels of creativity!
Are you ready to elevate your artistry but unsure where to start? Perhaps you crave clarity and guidance to overcome self-doubt and refine your skills.
Enter Sharpen Your Creative Edge in Paris—a transformative, four-day workshop designed to meet you where you are and take you where you want to go.
This isn’t just another art class; it’s an immersive experience tailored to help you push boundaries, deepen your skills, and reignite your artistic passion.
Finally get a grip on a skill you've felt lacking.
Led by three expert artists, this workshop is:
Personalized: Focus on a creative edge you choose to overcome blocks and advance your skills.
Interactive: Engage in guided exercises, discussions, and feedback tailored to your goals.
Transformative: Leave Paris with renewed confidence, refined techniques, and a clear direction for your artistic journey.
By the end of our workshop, you will have gained confidence in your style and will go home knowing your next steps.
~ Your creative edge is where you grow the most ~
Is This for You?
This program is perfect if you:
Have mastered the basics and are ready for a new challenge.
Want to refine a particular skill.
Are eager to take charge of your artistic growth beyond structured classes.
Value feedback and are ready to tackle inner blocks holding you back.
Feel a mix of nerves and excitement just thinking about it—a sure sign you’re ready for the next level.
~ What To Expect ~
This is a group experience that’s customized by you. You choose your lodging and means of getting around the city - bike, metro, walking, or taxi - yet you are part of a group with a shared mission: delving in to learn and grow your art.
Every day, we’ll meet for workshops customized to everyone's creative edge.
Alongside a group of new creative friends, you will have a ton of fun learning and exploring. A small group of a dozen artists will be guided by three teachers who have:
- Made and sold bodies of work,
- Filled hundreds of sketchbooks, and
- Lead their lives with their creativity in the lead.
We will spend our afternoons out and about in Paris, in our favorite locations where we will continue our studies.
Depending on our participants' creative edges, our locations could include:
- Pont des Arts
- Luxemburg Garden
- Pere Lachaise cemetery
- Small museums
- Artist studios
- And more!
If you're ready to uplevel your art, we are ready for you!
What's a Creative Edge?
As we learn and grow our skills, we have a creative edge at each phase —a specific skill or competency that, once improved, unlocks new levels of expression and achievement.
Examples include:
- Enhancing composition
- Mastering color theory
- Refining lettering or storytelling
- Improving quick-sketch techniques
- Building fluency in your sketchbook practice
As part of your enrollment, you’ll identify one creative edge to focus on during the workshop. Your guides will craft customized exercises and provide hands-on guidance to help you make tangible progress.
This is for you if:
You've been practicing your art for some time now, and feel a sense of stagnation. You crave the ability to go to the next level, whether that's:
- Getting out of the sketchbook and making art
- Learning how to have more control over what you create
- Understanding your unique process so self-doubt dissolves
- Being able to objectively assess your process
- Finishing things you start
- Overcoming insecurities
- Entering the flow state more easily
Paris is ready for your creative edge!
By joining this workshop, you’ll gain:
- Confidence to experiment with new techniques and push your limits.
- Focused, accelerated skill development.
Insights into your creative process and strategies to overcome obstacles. - A personalized plan to continue growing long after the workshop ends.
Rave reviews
"I love these teachers and their different styles and perspectives. Their teaching is relevant, inspiring, and immediately applicable."
Katy Stone
"I loved the chance to learn lots of new techniques from so many talented artists as well as from the other students on the course."
Gillian Oliver
"The variety of instructors was great. I loved discussions with the instructors about what I could do or why something didn't feel like it was working."
Laura Leenhouts
Get ready for the time of your life
So, what do I need to know?
What's included:
Morning sessions
Daily instruction in English with three seasoned artists. Skill-building exercises, engaging discussions, and small-group feedback will guide our work together. Our atelier is in the 12th arrondissement, and our afternoon excursions will take place around the city.
Pre-Paris guidance
We will meet online as a group before Paris to discuss our Creative Edges and to prepare for our time together. Partipiants will receive a guide to help them plan their trip and set expectations.
Afternoon meetups
We will host afternoon excursions based on the creative edges of the participants. Locations could include a visit to an artist's studio, a gathering on the Pont des Arts, sketching in Luxembourg Garden, Père Lachaise cemetery, or museum visits.
Open Studio time
We will host optional open studio time for those who want more time making art in a focused space.
What's not included:
- Lodging
- Airfare
- Transportation to and around
- Paris
- Meals
- Excursions on your own
Limited Spots Available!
This intimate workshop is limited to 12 participants to ensure personalized attention. Here’s how to apply:
-
- Complete the application, outlining your creative edge and artistic goals.
- Our team will review submissions and select participants ready to make the most of this opportunity.
- Notifications will be sent on a rolling basis, that is as we accept participants to the program.
We expect this to fill right away with people on the interest list. If you have questions about whether this is right for you, simply ask here.
~ Meet Your Teachers ~
Your teachers are accomplished, generous artists!
Meet your cohort of creative pals who will help you move to your next level.
You’ll get instruction and inspiration from some of the world’s most devoted sketchbook keepers. Each teacher has honed their skills and style by filling hundreds of sketchbooks at home and on travels. Meet your guides:
Koosje Koene
Koosje Koene (pronounced “Kosha Koonah”) is an artist, illustrator and writer, and co-founder of Sketchbook Skool. Ever since starting a regular drawing practice herself, she’s been teaching others why drawing makes you happy and can change the way you see the world and yourself. In her sketchbooks, Koosje draws the world around her; she captures exciting adventures as well as everyday things. She does this in her classes, in her weekly YouTube series Draw Tip Tuesday, and in her book “Life is better when you draw (it)”.
Marcus McAllister
Marcus McAllister is a French-American full-time professional artist based in Paris for the past twenty-five years. In his acrylic paintings and long-term sketchbook discipline, he layers figures, animals, text, abstract signs and mystic symbols to create meaningful dream-like glimpses of his inner universe. He sells his artwork at shows in Paris and Arkansas. Check out more of his artwork on marcusmcallister.com.
Cynthia Morris
Cynthia's illustrated journals are bursting with color, drawings, and snippets of life both on the road and at home in Colorado. Her pages show how to see familiar and faraway places with new eyes. Cynthia is the creator of Writual Blessings, a colorful deck of affirmations for writers. Cynthia illustrated the book, How to Sell Your Art Online by Cory Huff. She has been leading writing and creativity workshops in Paris since 2005.
Your investment in Sharpen Your Creative Edge will pay off for your future creative projects.
~ FAQ ~
