Meet Amanda MacKenzie-Noice

Amanda is sharing drawing tips and demo videos with Sktchy subscribers throughout September. Learn more

What's your background?

Born and bred in paradise aka Portland, Oregon. I got into drawing at a young age watching both of my parents run a screen-printing business together. Their hustle and creativity combo was/is a huge inspiration.

What's your medium of choice when you're creating art?

My ideal toolkit contains Crayola markers, Caran D’Ache pastels, watercolors (of any and all brands and price points), 0.5mm mechanical pencil and a few synthetic flat shader brushes.

How did you build your creative habit?

I go through phases where I am constantly making and creating, or I’m on a break to recoup. It’s important to take a break every once and a while and come back to your work. Fresh eyes can show you a whole new side of yourself. A habit forms when I’m inspired and excited by capturing the idea and mood of something. Inspiration is everywhere, and it’s important to fight your personal art-block and get that idea on to paper.

When you find yourself in a creative rut, how do you get out of it?

I make myself just put something on paper. I often just sit at a blank sketchbook with a marker and add random lines every once and a while to get the creative juices flowing. Eventually a drawing will come of it.

Which of your recent Sktchy artworks most expresses who you are now as an artist?

Probably the piece with the red museum background and statue. I’m really into capturing interiors at the moment and trying to gain a larger understanding of perspective.

Get the Sktchy iPhone app to join Amanda on Sktchy, and subscribe in-app to learn drawing tips from her. Learn more.