6 Reasons Modern Folk Art Is the Perfect Drawing Book If You've Ever Feared the Blank Page

If you've ever sat in front of a blank page with a pencil in your hand and no idea where to start, this book was made for you.

That fear — the blank white page, the "I don't know how to draw," the feeling that everyone else got some artistic gene you missed — is exactly what I built Modern Folk Art: Draw 75 Charming Animals, Botanicals, Patterns, and More to solve. It's my first book, and it's a step-by-step, beginner-friendly guide to modern folk art drawing, built around one simple idea: it doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be yours.

Pre-orders are open now, and there are a few reasons I think this one is worth adding to your list — including a bonus I'll get to at the end.

My first book — 75 folk art tutorials, ready for you to make your own.

Reason #1: You don't need to be "an artist" to start

This is the biggest myth I wanted this book to bust. So many people believe drawing is a talent you're either born with or not. It's not. It's a skill, built the same way any skill is — small steps, simple shapes, and a little bit of practice.

Modern Folk Art starts from the basics: circles, ovals, rectangles, triangles, teardrops. Stretch them, flip them, repeat them, and suddenly you're drawing a bunny, a bouquet, a slice of watermelon. If you've ever thought "I can't draw," this book is built to prove that wrong, one simple shape at a time.

One example of how far a simple shape can go — this chicken started as nothing more than a tilted semicircle.

Reason #2: It works whether you draw digitally or on paper

I didn't want this to be a book only for people with an iPad, or only for people who love a sketchbook and a pencil. Both are covered, side by side, throughout the whole book.

There's a chapter on my favorite tools — analog favorites like pencil, markers, gouache, collage, and a good old Sharpie, alongside digital tools and brushes I reach for. Whichever way you like to create, you'll find a way in. There's no wrong tool here — just the one that feels most like you.

Whether you reach for an iPad or a Sharpie, this book works either way.

Reason #3: The "Be Bold!" prompts push you past copying

Every single one of the 75 tutorials comes with a "Be Bold!" prompt. Once you've drawn the motif step by step, the prompt nudges you to try your own version — swap the colors, stretch the shape, add your own twist.

This is the part of the book I'm proudest of. It's not a coloring-book style copy exercise. The goal from page one is to help you find your own creative voice, not recreate mine. Your version is allowed to look different. It's actually the whole point.

Reason #4: There's encouragement built into every page

I didn't want this to feel like a technical manual. Alongside the step-by-step drawing instructions, every "Be Bold!" moment is really a small nudge of encouragement — a reminder that it's about confidence, not perfection, on every single page.

Every single motif in the book comes with a Be Bold! prompt — here are two examples.

There's a whole chapter dedicated to creativity, mistakes, and play — including exercises like drawing with your non-dominant hand or doing a "bad" drawing on purpose, just to loosen up. Because sometimes the "mistake" turns into the most interesting idea on the page.

Reason #5: 75 tutorials across six very different themes

This isn't a book you'll draw through once and put away. There are 75 step-by-step motifs spread across six chapters, so there's always something new to try:

• Florals & Botanicals — blooms, leaves, and greenery

• Fruits & Snacks — playful food motifs

• Friendly Creatures — like a bunny and a bear, each with their own step-by-step approach

• Everyday Objects — including a pair of roller skates

• Holidays — from a jack-o'-lantern to an ugly Christmas sweater, ornaments, and Santa himself

• Lettering — which spells out the word CREATE across the section

Whatever mood you're in, or whatever season it is, there's a tutorial waiting for you.

Reason #6: The pre-order bonus shows you what's possible next

Here's the part that makes pre-ordering worth it right now. If you pre-order before September 15, 2026, you'll unlock a bonus video where I walk through how I take my own drawings beyond the page — photographing artwork, cleaning it up, and turning it into real things like fabric and stickers. You'll also be entered to win one of 50 tote bags featuring an exclusive pattern I designed just for this.

This is the bonus video in action — a chicken and an apple drawing turned into real fabric, a pillow, and stickers.

To unlock it: pre-order the book anywhere, then enter your order confirmation number on the publisher's campaign page.

PREORDER MODERN FOLK ART AT YOUR FAVORITE RETAILER!

Want a sneak peek before you commit?

I know pre-ordering something you haven't flipped through yet can feel like a leap. So I got a special preview link from my publisher, and I want to share it with you — five full tutorials from the book, free, before you decide.

Drop your email below and I'll send the preview link straight to your inbox.

The recap

If you've ever wanted to start drawing but didn't know where to begin, Modern Folk Art was built for exactly that moment. To recap:

• You don't need to be "an artist" to start

• It works whether you draw digitally or on paper

• The "Be Bold!" prompts push you past just copying

• There's encouragement built into every single page

• 75 tutorials across six themes means there's always something new to draw

• The pre-order bonus shows you how to take your own drawings even further

This is basically how every motif in the book comes together — shapes, color, and your own twist.

Modern Folk Art releases September 15, 2026 (US) / October 15, 2026 (UK), $21.99 / £16.99. You can pre-order now through my universal pre-order link, or read more on the book page.

Take a Closer Look

Here's a quick look at the book itself, straight from me:

A closer look at Modern Folk Art, and a peek at how drawings become real things.

If a blank page has ever stopped you from drawing, I hope this book is the thing that changes that. I honestly can't wait for you to have it in your hands.

Sandra