The Power of Patterns in Simple Drawings

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Happy Thursday!
Newsletter #8 is out — and it’s all about making your art pop.

📰 In today’s newsletter:

🦋 Drawing Trick: Discover the power of patterns with Solène’s butterfly drawing.
❓ Quiz & Giveaway: Want to win a card and a magnet? Be the first to answer this week’s mini quiz!
💡 This newsletter contains a sponsored ad that helps keep the newsletter free for everyone — your click makes a difference. We’re grateful for your support. 🙏

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🎨 Playing with Patterns in my Drawings

— by Solène

I recently started drawing simple illustrations using markers on my greeting cards — but I felt like something was missing. They looked… kind of too plain (picture plain donuts).

So I started wondering: how could I make my drawings more interesting and give them a little more wow? That’s when I had the idea — patterns!

Why patterns? Because they add color, texture, and sparkle. They make a drawing feel more alive and fun to look at.

To learn more, I got a book with step-by-step instructions:

1. Color the base and let it dry.

2. Then, add patterns — like lines, fur texture, or fun shapes like hearts, stars, and circles.

3. Last, use a white gel pen to highlight some parts!

🧡 Here's my favorite page so far:
I love the sunset colors in the background, the sparkly white stars in the sky, and the silhouette of the buildings. Everything just fits together well.

After practicing, I made a thank you card with a simple butterfly drawing — and the pattern made a big difference! By layering tiny details, the colors and shapes gave the butterfly so much more life.

👉 Your turn!
Do you like drawing patterns too? Or do you have a favorite way to make your drawings more exciting?
Reply to this newsletter — I’d love to hear your ideas!

P.S. Last time, Zélia mentioned Skillshare for learning scrapbooking. They just added a new (and very short!) class about drawing patterns. If you’re curious, you can try it for free and get some fun ideas to practice.

🦋 Patterns with a Purpose: The Green Hairstreak Butterfly in San Francisco

In nature, patterns aren’t just for beauty — they help species survive. The Green Hairstreak butterfly, with its shimmering green wings, uses its patterns to blend into leaves and hide from predators.

This tiny butterfly had nearly vanished from San Francisco, but a local conservation project helped bring it back. By restoring its habitat with native plants, the Green Hairstreak’s vivid green wings are once again fluttering through the city.

➡ Read the full story about the Green Hairstreak and where to see it here.

🤝 Before You Go

💬 We’d love to hear from you: Are there any topics you’d like us to cover? Hit reply and let’s chat, or leave a comment on the web version (just click “Read Online” at the top of this email).

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Solène, for SoliaVenture