“How to Paint a Cheeseburger” + Week 6 Giveaway

Sketchbook journaling is about everyday life. It offers a way to capture moments in time and hold onto them by drawing and painting what you see and experience. And what’s a bigger part of life than food? 

My everyday sketchbooks and travel journals have food sketches scattered throughout their pages.

Some were done at home…

or just down the road.

Many others were done during my teaching trips across the US.

And when I’m traveling in Europe, where almost everything I eat is a novelty, there’s no better way to remember all those fabulous meals than by drawing them.

Sketching food is a low-pressure activity. Accuracy isn’t important. Having fun is!  

No one will ever know exactly how many blueberries were on my yogurt… 

or how many slices of pepperoni were on my pizza. So I can simplify, rearrange, add, or eliminate whatever my heart desires.

Just look at how many great memories I’ve captured in the sketches I’m sharing here. I would certainly never have remembered our meal at NEO Brick Oven Pizza in Annapolis (above) if I hadn’t whipped out my sketchbook and done a drawing of my “Popeye Pizza” before diving in and devouring it.

And, years from now, would I remember a summer afternoon when granddaughter Isabelle came to visit and we decided to have a tea party? 

Or the morning Callista and I made chocolate donuts which she buried under an avalanche of sprinkles? Probably not, without this sketch to remind me.

All of that leads me to my point, that sketching food is a great idea! So let me show you how you can get started…

Masthead for cheeseburger painting lesson

Back in the good old days, pre-COVID, I did a series of Summerhill Sketching workshops that focused on painting food. Since my Summerhill classes had always been as much about the food and camaraderie as they were about watercolor, it seemed like a good fit. How to Paint a Cheeseburger was one of those lessons, and I recommend it as a great introduction to painting food of any kind. In fact, it’s a great starter lesson for someone who is just getting started with watercolors. 

The techniques you’ll learn while painting all the colorful layers of a loaded cheeseburger will equip you to paint anything from a chocolate croissant to a plate of spaghetti and meatballs.

The lesson starts with some great tips for drawing the reference photo, and I show you how to achieve interesting, varied lines when inking your drawing.

Then the fun begins! We’ll start off with a base layer that’s so much more than just a bland wash of pale color. With the painting techniques I’ll show you, you’ll achieve dramatic value contrast from the first stroke of the brush.

By the time all the elements of the sketch have a base layer in place, the cheeseburger is half done!

That’s when the real magic happens! We’ll add texture…

and deeper values…

plus some pops of color, a few shadows, and some final detailing. By the time we’re finished, your cheeseburger sketch will look good enough to eat!

And all of the techniques we use in painting this yummy-looking burger are the same ones I use when painting pizza, salad, or chocolate chip cookies. Glazing, masking, smudging, lifting, and spattering – they’re all in there.

This is the perfect way to gain confidence in painting. Follow along with a detailed, guided tutorial, then branch out on your own to paint related subject matter. 

I’ve taught this lesson many times over the years in live classes, and it has proven to be a student favorite because everyone feels successful with it. I love seeing the happy smiles on their faces during sharing time when each student proudly holds up her colorful cheeseburger sketch.

Taking it one step at a time is the key. As with all my lessons, these written instructions are specific and detailed, with photos showing each step of the painting process, plus color recommendations to remove any guesswork about how to get that bright lettuce-green or tomato-red in your sketch. You’ll also find extra painting hints and tips that you won’t find anywhere else. 

This is a fun lesson that has a lot of “meat” to it. (Haha!) It’s loaded with content, easy-to-follow, and success is practically guaranteed. I hope you’ll give it a try. 

The winner of last week’s giveaway is

Lin Frye

Congratulations, Lin ! You’ve won the Winsor & Newton sketchbook and Princeton Aqua Elite travel paint brush.

I whipped up something extra-special for this week’s giveaway…

I’ve put together a customized palette filled with American Journey, Daniel Smith, and Holbein artist’s quality watercolors, perfect for painting the sketch in How to Paint a Cheeseburger

Fourteen luscious colors are nestled into a medium-sized American Journey Nomad Metal Palette. It comes in a drawstring carry bag, and its compact size makes it perfect for sketching on the go. The paint pans are attached with magnetic tape, making it easy to switch colors. 

To complete this sketching set, I’m including two of my favorite drawing tools:

a 0.7mm Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Mechanical Drafting Pencil

This little sketch kit would be perfect for sketching onsite in a coffee shop or restaurant, or even at your own kitchen table.

Be sure to leave a comment below to enter this week’s giveaway. (US addresses only, please.) The winner of the drawing will be announced next Tuesday, September 14, 2021.

As for this week’s comment prompt, how about this? Just for kicks, look back over all the sketchbook pages I’ve shared in this post and tell me…

If you were coming to my house for lunch, which of the food items in the sketches should I prepare for you?

Good luck with the giveaway, and happy sketching!

Leslie Fehling's signature

65 Comments

  • I’m with you on the Popeye pizza. That looks wonderful! Thank you for a chance at the giveaway!
    So generous!

    Reply
  • Wow, tough choice! I’m not to hard to please and there were some tasty looking items there. But how about the cheeseburger and the ginger cake with a little vanilla ice cream? Thanks for asking. Now you’ve made me hungry so I’m heading to the kitchen right now for a snack. LOL.

    Reply
  • Oh your Sunday morning breakfast looks so good but since it’s lunch how about that delicious cheeseburger.
    Thanks again for a chance at the wonderful prizes

    Reply
    • That’s one of our favorite dinners when I’m traveling in Europe with my mother.

      Reply
  • Lunch with Leslie (Something to look forward to!)
    ***Menu***
    Appetizer: Creamy Pumpkin Soup w/chestnuts & Mozzarella
    Entree: Shrimp and Grits
    Dessert: Orange/Peach & Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato
    Beverage: Aperol Spritz

    Reply
    • So hard to choose, but the shrimp and grits would be a winner for sure!…….and a pistachio gelato for dessert. The magnetic tape is a great idea to stick the pans of paint in the container.

      Reply
      • I think I have two sketches of shrimp and grits in this collection, because it’s something I order whenever I’m down south and have a chance to get it. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

        Reply
    • Wow, that sounds amazing! Don’t you wish we were eating it instead of only dreaming about it? 🙂

      Reply
  • I love your food sketches and find them so inspiring. I sketch meals too, but struggle with them so may need to buy your cheeseburger lesson to pick up some tips! Thank you for hosting these giveaways. It has been a great way to showcase your tutorials. As for joining you for lunch…those berries and cherries on yogurt are the most tempting. Let me know the date and I’ll be there. Ha Ha.

    Reply
  • I just love your food paintings… you paint such happy food!!!! Xoxoxox

    Reply
  • I would eat anything you prepared, but how about we meet for lunch at Hotel del Coronado?

    Reply
  • I love all the food pics, what a fun way to capture a lot of great memories of your travels. I would love to try the pizza! 🙂

    Reply
  • I love your food sketches! Sometimes I eat ice cream for supper. So I choose chocolate ice cream for our lunch. Guess you know I’m wanting some now!

    Reply
    • My mom’s the same way – she will gladly substitute ice cream for real food anytime anywhere.

      Reply
  • I loved painting this during class. My kids still marvel at it. It is one of the best classes I took!

    Reply
  • Weird combo, but I’d go for all the gelato flavors and the Aperol spritz- it’s all about the colors! Thanks for all these giveaways

    Reply
    • You’re welcome, Denise. Sounds like a yummy meal. That reminds me of the time we made wine floats for one of my Summerhill Sketching get-togethers. Ice cream or sorbet plopped into a glass of rose or Prosecco – divine! A scoop of gelato IN an Aperol Spritz sounds pretty good, too!

      Reply
  • I love to see your bright and cheerful posts! You have a unique talent for making ordinary things beautiful!
    Ann

    Reply
  • OMG! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH, LESLIE! I AM THRILLED! AND VERY GRATEFUL! THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

    Reply
  • I LOVE how you paint food! So delicious looking! I think if u cooked ANYTHING on these pages, I’d be ready to sit down and eat!

    Reply
  • Those shrimp and cheese grits sound good but the Mojito Watermelon would be delicious too! Both would be new to me!!

    Reply
    • You have to try the Mojito Watermelon – it’s a favorite among the Summerhill Sketchers. Really takes watermelon to the next level. The flavor is subtle but so-o-o good.

      Reply
  • Oh, please, the gelato! What a collection of flavors- mouth wateringly immortalized in your artwork. I’ll bet all you have to do is look at one of your scoops to remember not only the taste but the weather, time of day, and the company you were with!

    Reply
    • Absolutely right! It was so much fun, trying to find a different flavor to try each time. It was a tough job, but my art demanded it. 🙂

      Reply
  • The cheeseburger for sure, always a favorite. Your are so talented in all aspects…what a delight it is to open my email and view the world as you see it. I already previously purchased the lesson…now I’m super anxious to paint this mouth watering treat.

    Reply
  • So many choices, but I would go for the shrimp and grits as that’s something I have never had before. I would choose the cheeseburger – it looks so good, but I think I’ll buy the class and paint it. Thank you.

    Reply
  • I would like a heaping bowl of watermelon salad, thank you very much!
    Ooh, seems like I’ll have to make that this week. Then paint it of course,

    Reply
  • My choice is strange for sure. I would ask for gluten free rolls! I recently had to go gf
    (but boy do I feel better!!) and every time we go to a restaurant I have to watch my hubby eat those wonderful rolls! I’ve had gf bread, but not rolls. 🍞🥐🥖

    Reply
  • The cheeseburger looks amazing but I would probably be happiest with the gelato. I wasn’t hungry before looking at your post.

    Reply
  • Newly diagnosed with diabetes, I would choose the yummy pumpkin soup in your Paris sketch. But I must admit to drooling a little over the cheeseburger and chocolate ice cream in the same outlay. Love your paintings Leslie. And btw IF my name was drawn, even though I live in Canada, it could be sent to my daughter in the States. We were just finally able to have a visit from her and her family after one and a half long years!

    Reply
    • Hi Lois, I am also Canadian and type 2. May I suggest looking up Dr. Jason Fung from Toronto. I am off of all meds after 10 years of taking them and down 30 pounds. He is a legitimate doctor. Hope this save you a lot of illness and anxiety associated with the illness.

      Reply
  • Ginger cake for sure! Sounds terrific with a generous portion of vanilla ice cream.
    But I must say, it was hard to choose. You made everything look so luscious.

    Reply
  • 🙋‍♀️ It’s only 8 in the morning here, but I would love to taste that delicious looking cheeseburger! I also love your daily and travel sketchbooks, and really hope in-person sketchbook classes appear again soon! Maybe at Cheap Joe’s?!
    Have you always been a doodler, or is sketchbook-recording something different for you?
    (Congratulations, Lin!)

    Reply
  • Creamy pumpkin soup and gelato. And those donuts look good, too! Thank you for these fun give-aways!

    Reply
  • All the pictures beautiful and look delicious but I have to watch my caloric intake so my approach is lets just cut to the chase and eliminate a lot of calories and just have dessert. 😁 Ginger cake please.❤👍😊

    Reply
  • Cheeseburger!! no onions, please. I love a good burger! And I love the little paint box you whipped up, how clever of you. I love good quality paints and have a few, adding them one at a time, so this would be lovely to have a whole palette of top quality paints. And your posts are SO charming! Bless you

    Reply
  • I’ll go with the ginger cake. Love ginger cake. I make a lovely ginger cake with spicy/sweet ginger pieces and roasted walnuts on top. But I’ll start out with a little protein, so hamburger, strike the cheese and mayo but don’t hold the fries. Wait… did you have fries with that burger?

    Reply
  • I love the picture of Gelato. It reminds me of all the fun that we had in Italy. Thanks for the memories….

    Reply
    • That was such a fun trip, and I have a great picture of you and Julene eating gelato in Siena.

      Reply
  • Of all the beautiful things that you paint, I love your food sketches the most. They are so beautiful and I get hungry just looking at them! I am currently in the mood for the gelato and watermelon mojito, but I would eat anything you sketch.

    Reply
  • So many great choices! I was thinking the cheeseburger or popeye pizza but I’d have to pick shrimp and grits, my favorite!! Your sketches are beautiful and make me hungry! Thank you for the inspiration!

    Reply
  • Love your work! Bring on the Tea with Isabelle! I love tea, small sandwiches and dainty desserts.

    Reply
  • Hi Leslie,
    I will have the Popeye pizza and mojito watermelon then gelato for desert.
    I will buy the cheeseburger lesson then feel like eating it after I finish!

    Reply
  • I don’t know how I missed this or your next. I don’t think my email notifications are coming through. I love all the food paintings! They’re fun and happy!

    Reply

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I’m Leslie. A painter, teacher, and lover of all things creative. A sketchbook artist who captures everyday life on the pages of my illustrated journals. I love sharing, connecting, and encouraging people to find their creative voice through sketchbook journaling. Read more about me, my art, and my life HERE.

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