Hello! It’s Charlie O’Shields, and we’ve made it to the 65th episode of Sketching Stuff! It’s been an amazing journey filled with lots of sketches and stories and I hope you’ve enjoyed it and found lots of inspiration along the way. I wanted to announce that this is going to be my last episode for a while. You see, I’m […]

Hello again! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! If you’ve been listening to my stories for even just a little while, you’ll likely know that I’m a big kid at heart. So it should be no surprise whatsoever that as the holiday season arrives, my inner child is pretty much in charge of the entire month […]

Hey there! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! I’ve been sketching and writing every day now for over five years. What I’ve found is that I very often forget things that I’ve sketched and things that I’ve written about until I see them again. It’s fun to revisit older illustrations and stories, and see how my […]

Hello! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! This time of year is my favorite as it’s a lovely holiday season here. Granted, this year is quite different than in past years as we’re in still in the throws of a pandemic. While many big events are no longer happening, I still look forward to those little […]

Hi again! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! One of things that’s been challenging for me on my art journey is to continue to challenge myself. To step outside of my lovely comfort zone and try completely new things. This can always be a bit scary, as that fear of failure creeps along with a touch […]

Hello! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! Looking back on my own art journey, there have been so many twists and turns along the way. Sometimes, I thought I might head in one direction and ended up taking an entirely different path. But, one thing has always remained the same and that’s my love of art […]

Hello again! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! For this set of stories I simply pulled the ones that made me feel happy and hopeful. And it’s my sincere hope that they’ll make you feel the same way. These are trying times indeed where many things can seem to be nothing like we’d wish them to […]

Hi there! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! Sometimes creating “art” sounds like something that’s very difficult to achieve. The reality is that what one person deems art isn’t always exactly the same as what another person might think of as art. Indeed, the very idea of art is quite relative. I consider art as simply […]

Hello, there! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! Often one of the most challenging things about showing up to sketch and paint each day is finding inspiration. That core feeling that fuels me and gets me excited to create something. It’s always there, but some days, it can feel a bit muted. Instead of an excited […]

Hi, again! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! I’ll admit that I really do love to geek out on new technology. I love all of the things that we can do today and think it’s really cool that much of it simply wasn’t possible even just a few years ago. But, as awesome as all of […]

Hello, again! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! As many of you know, I’ve personally formed a daily sketching habit that’s been happening for over five years now. Yep, I haven’t gone a single day without sketching stuff in all of that time. While that sounds like a rather incredible thing, it’s really not all that […]

Hey there! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! I hope everyone who is participating in World Watercolor Month during July is having a blast painting with watercolor! And if you haven’t jumped in yet, there’s still time, unless you’re listening to this in a different month, in which case, no worries as World Watercolor Month returns […]

Hello! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! I’m super excited that World Watercolor Month is here once again in July! If you love watercolor like I do, or even if you just want to give it a try this month, I DO hope you’ll join us! This event is an annual non-profit event that features the […]

Hi there! It’s Charlie O’Shields, here with another episode of Sketching Stuff! As most of you know by now, I adore sketching things each and every day. It’s a habit that I’ve formed and I simply can’t stop. It’s too much fun! I also ramble on a bit after I’ve sketched based on whatever inspires me in the moment. And […]

Welcome back! It’s Charlie O’Shields, here with another episode of Sketching Stuff! I love this time of year where I live! As the days get longer, they also start to get a bit sunnier as well. While I love a rainy day, a sunny day is particularly inspiring. As a kid, I was always excited for summer break. And even […]

Hello again! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! This marks the 50th episode of this podcast, and that feels like a lovely milestone. Indeed, when I set out to DO things, I don’t set a specific goal that I intend to hit, but it’s always nice to celebrate those special little moments along the way. I’ve […]

Hello! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! One of the things I’ve loved most about developing a sketchbook habit is that at any moment when I find myself bored, I always know I have something really fun to do. Indeed, when I was bored in school as a kid, which was more often than I’d like […]

Hi there! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! I hope you’re staying safe, happy, and healthy. Sending you a big virtual hug and heaps of hope for the future. As so many of us find ourselves at home these days and far from our normal routines, it’s always good to take a moment to think about […]

Hello again! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! As we continue to live through one of the most challenging moments in history, there’s a lot of stress and uncertainty. The future seems a bit blurry and tough to figure out. So, rather than focus on things that we can’t change, I’ve compiled a set of stories that focuses on those beautiful simple things in life that remain constant. Things we would never change, even if we could. There’s still so much beauty...

Hi again! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! The current events we’re facing have been very stressful and the world is suddenly a very different place than the one we knew just weeks ago. I hope everyone out there is staying healthy and safe during these times. We’re living in a moment when uncertainty abounds and that often brings a lot of anxiety. So I thought I would assemble a little collection of stories all about love and hope. As many of you know, I’m...

Hello again! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! In the more than four and half years that I’ve been sketching and writing every day, I’ve often been inspired by nostalgia. I love those flashes from the past that bring back such good memories. Of course, they’re called retro or vintage now, but once upon a time, they were the coolest, most modern inventions ever. Indeed, it’s funny how time alters our view of things. Another reason why I adore these things...

Hey there! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! When it comes to sketching and watercolor, I love capturing the light in things. Whether it’s the shininess of a metal pot, the sparkly qualities of glass or the reflection on a pair of sunglasses. It makes me happy to recreate those little bits of life as I see them. The result may not be exactly like a photograph would portray, but it’s my own perception of the world that makes the final sketch appear....

Hello! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back again with another episode of Sketching Stuff! I’ve been sketching, painting and writing daily now for over four and a half years. Yep, I still haven’t missed a single day! Sure, I’m totally hooked and it’s definitely a habit now, but it’s also something I simply love to DO! And when you find something you enjoy this much, it’s always worth finding the time to make it happen. I hope my stories will inspire you in your art journey. These stories, as many...

Hey there! It’s Charlie O’Shields, back with another episode of Sketching Stuff! For this episode, I’ve pulled together what seemed at first like a random bit of stories, but there’s still a lovely theme there. As most of you know, but it might bear repeating if not, these are posts that have appeared on my blog at Doodlewash.com. I call them rambles, because they are written in the moment and without any editing. So, the topics tend to bounce all over the place, but sometimes, there’s a few...