Home > Classes > Art + Design > Daily Practice
Developing Your Visual Vocabulary: A Daily Practice in Mark Making

Volume 90%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard Shortcuts
Play/PauseSPACE
Increase Volume↑
Decrease Volume↓
Seek Forward→
Seek Backward←
Captions On/Offc
Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf
Mute/Unmutem
Seek %0-9
All levels
|
3 hours 25 min
01:24
|
04:19
|
06:42
|
06:59
|
03:26
|
05:48
|
06:22
|
04:43
|
05:31
|
06:32
|
03:49
|
05:29
|
05:57
|
06:53
|
03:04
|
09:16
|
08:10
|
08:48
|
06:20
|
07:17
|
05:00
|
05:27
|
06:22
|
06:40
|
05:39
|
06:58
|
06:48
|
05:02
|
14:07
|
09:21
|
08:56
|
08:14
|
How you make marks on the page is completely unique to you and is an essential part of what makes up your visual vocabulary. Your visual vocabulary includes the amount of pressure you put on your pencil, your color palette, and the shapes and elements you use over and over that altogether create your artistic style. Join artist, illustrator, author, and longtime Creativebug instructor Lisa Congdon for this month-long mark making daily practice. You’ll explore the basics of mark making, build your own repertoire of marks, and learn how to use those marks to create drawings and collages in different media like colored pencil, watercolor, and collage. Lisa will guide you through drawing everything from leaves to birds to landscapes, as well as one large final project where you can combine and play with everything you learned in class as you continue to refine your drawing toolkit. Find Day 31’s recorded live conversation with Lisa HERE.
Learn how to:
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 9 x 12 inch smooth Bristol paper cut in half
- Colored pencils and pencil sharpener
- Eraser
- Regular pencil
- Black pens such as a micron 03 and black rolling ball pen
- Watercolor paints
- Paint brushes in a variety of sizes and widths
- Jar of water
- Paper towels
- Acrylic ink
- Household objects or upcycled items to make your own mark-making tools such as a dowel or piece of cardboard
- Glue stick or liquid glue
- Sponge
- Masking tape
- Scissors
- X-acto knife and a cutting mat
- Ruler or straight edge
- Large piece of paper for final activity
- Heat gun or hair dryer to help dry paint (optional)
Downloads:
- Draw basic marks like lines, x's, loops, and dots
- Make marks with various media like colored pencil, watercolor, acrylic ink, and collage
- Use your repertoire of marks to make drawings of things you see around you like botanicals, animals, and landscapes
- Let go of perfection and discover your own unique artist's hand










Member Gallery
Browse members' projects from this class and share your own work! Learn how to take great photos here.
Load More
Developing Your Visual Vocabulary: A Daily Practice in Mark Making Reviews
299 users recommended this class to a friend
Patricia Adams
I learned so much from this class, and Lisa is a great and inspiring teacher.
March 12, 2025
Marcia Daly
I am new to mark making so I appreciated taking my time over 31 days. Lisa is phenomenal in instructing and choosing fun items to draw. I remained committed to the exercise 95% of the time, which is a feat for me to be so consistent! Thanks, Lisa
February 28, 2025