Create a Set of 5–10 Inky Spot Illustrations

Your project is to create a small series of 5–10 spot illustrations based on the prompt “A Few of My Favourite Things.” You’ll narrow this into a theme that feels personal and specific—such as my favourite things to draw, favourite things from my desk, favourite holiday objects, or anything else that interests you.

Download Affinity Here: https://www.affinity.studio/

Remember: A more personal and specific theme leads to clearer ideas and stronger illustrations.

You’ll complete the project in four stages:

Sketch & Brainstorm (on paper)

Generate a list of 10–20 objects that fit your theme.
Make quick, rough pencil sketches (choose objects with distinctive silhouettes)
Scan or photograph your sketches at high resolution.

Build Your Base Illustration in Affinity

Set up a 6×8-inch postcard canvas (horizontal or vertical).
Place and arrange your rough sketches into a balanced layout.
Use the Pen Tool to create clean, flat vector shapes for each object.
Limit yourself to two bright colours + black to keep things cohesive.

Create & Scan Your Inky Textures

Use pens, brushes, smudges, and other media to make marks, lines, textures, lettering, and happy accidents.
Scan your texture sheet in black and white at 600 dpi.

If you don't have a scanner, see my YouTube video on how to do this with your iPhone and a cardboard box.
Clean it using Levels and Affinity’s Erase White Paper filter.

Combine Vector Shapes & Inky Marks

Mask your textures into your shapes using Affinity’s vector and pixel clipping techniques.
Add labels, small details, and final refinements.
Export your finished postcard as a JPG or PNG using Affinity’s Export command.

When you’re done, upload your final 6×8 postcard—plus any sketches, inky sheets, or process images you want to share—to the Projects tab. Seeing your process is always inspiring for other students!

This project is designed to help you loosen up, think more playfully, and build confidence in both Affinity and handmade illustration methods.

LINKS

DIY Scanner with a Cardboard Box on YouTube — https://youtu.be/P3-KJE4zdTA?si=FSVuE3QfcQJ6lMY2

My website — tomfroese.com

Pre-order/Order my new book (Publishes April 2026)! — https://geni.us/DrawingisImportant

Thoughts on Illustration Podcast — tomfroese.com/podcast

Music by Roof on Epidemic Sound — https://www.epidemicsound.com/artists/roof/

Drawing is Important — Based on the Popular Skillshare Class!

Alina Anikeyenka

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