Drawing Kelp, Maybe it will Help?

Probably not, but taking time to create is important.

Hey there.

If you are also feeling like we are living in a weird dystopian timeline… Well you aren’t alone.

To be honest the last year has been hard right? Regardless whether you’re an artist, a business owner, really just anyone trying to exist because I don’t care about job titles around here. Everyone. Every human matters, and the past year hasn’t been easy on anyone.

Now looking at 2026, which has only been 25 days, and whoa. What we’ve all witnessed in real time is not normal. Especially if you are reading this in the “United” States. Its not right, and we can’t normalize it.

The last week was weird. It was a big market week for the B2B part of 25 Sweetpeas, good things were happening but so many bad things were happening simultaneously, it was just quite the juxtaposition. I was trying to market my art, I was trying to advocate for the ocean by trying to get more to oppose offshore drilling, all while learning of kids being taken used as bait, and then also witnessing another murder of a US citizen.

Not normal.

At all.

Making art in times like these always feels a lil weird right? However I keep seeing signs and reminders as to why it’s still important to create. How it can help. Be it a form of resistance, be it just for your own mental health, or for something else.

This note from Amie resonated. Art is Hope.

So after some errands and shipping off some orders I escaped the studio, got some sun, and got to spend a little time in my sketchbook, which was much needed.

I’ve been reading David Attenborough Ocean Earths Last Wilderness Book (which I highly recommend), and I recently read the kelp chapter which I loved.

To be honest, because my coastal area doesn’t support kelp forests my Kelp knowledge is lacking so it was fun to read about.

In learning about kelp I also realized I’ve never drawn kelp so that had to change, duh! 🙂

Kelp is so important to the health of the ocean, and seeing how helpful it is, is fascinating.

I didn’t have any of my photo based ocean books with me so I pulled up Unsplash and found a kelp photo to draw from.

I wasn’t sure what I was doing and I wasn’t feeling confident with any mediums so I started with my Pilot Color Eno pencil in blue to get going.

Once I kinda had a plan I just went in with some colored pencils. Which I will say one of them was pretty dull and I didn’t have anything to put shavings in so I just went with it.

Note To Self, get a lil tin or something to use for scraps when working out outside of the studio.

I used a total of 2 greens for the kelp, and didn’t overthink it which was nice!

Does it look like kelp, nah not scientifically but of a fun lil doodle I think it suffices. Also using color is still rather new for me in my sketchbook. Historically I like an ink sketch and maybe a pop of a single color or something so this was different on many levels for me.

After that I was kinda just in the flow and decided to risk ruining it with some Neocolors! Ha!

I used an interesting blue and just scribbled it around the edges and then used an aqua brush and pulled it in.

I don’t think this paper loves water so I didn’t want to over do it.

Is it wonderful? Nah, but it was fun! I was just sipping on a coffee, outside, and playing with art supplies which I don’t take for granted.

While today’s post wasn’t super uplifting, or exciting, or really significant in any way I hope you know you aren’t alone. I hope you are ok, and I hope you remember that you still need to do things that bring joy. No matter how big or small. We all need that reminder, myself included.

Sea ya soon!

Sarah

P.S. I only want ice in my coffee. Thank you.