How I Found Greta (And Why I Almost Left Her in Black and White)
How I Found Greta (And Why I Almost Left Her in Black and White)
Every character has an origin story. Greta's began with a candle, some music, and a piece of paper I wasn't trying to do anything with.
That's the thing about flow drawing — you're not aiming for anything. You're just moving. And sometimes, when you stop trying, something extraordinary shows up.
I was working through my own flow drawing practice when the sketch you can see in the top left of this image appeared. A girl with wild, streaky hair. A bird perched on top of her head. A dress full of fish. And a note in the margin that read: "I wish these fish would settle — I'll wait."
I remember looking at her and thinking: there she is.
That sketch became Greta — the main character of my picture book Through Greta's Eyes. From that loose, candlelit drawing, I built an ink illustration, refining her face, her posture, the way she holds a book like it matters. And then came the moment I'd been quietly dreading: colour.
Honestly? I didn't want to colour her. I loved her in ink. There was something alive in those clean lines that I was afraid to cover over. But a picture book needs colour, and so I took a breath and began. The golden hair, the magenta bow, the warm mustard dress — and eventually, she was fully herself.
She looked right. Even if part of me still loves her best in black and white.
I share this story because it's exactly why I created the Flow Drawing PDF — a free resource for anyone who wants to find their version of Greta. Not a copy. Not a craft project. Something genuinely yours.
The prompts inside are invitations, not instructions.
There is no right way to respond to them. You might draw what you see literally, or what you feel, or something your hand discovers when it simply begins to move.
Let each prompt sit with you for a moment before you draw. Notice what arises — an image, a memory, a texture, a mood. Then let your hand follow.
There is no need to finish. There is no need to explain.
You might find a character. You might find a feeling. You might just find out what your hand does when no one is watching — including you.
Download the free Flow Drawing PDF hereand if you would like to read Through Greta’s Eyes click here.