Using watercolour while urban sketching can be trickier still.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I want to help you overcome any intimidation you may feel so that you can apply the paint with courage and master working with the paint rather than against it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditional Watercolour Painting vs Urban Sketching<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There is a big difference between how traditional watercolour painters working in a home or studio environment may use watercolour paint versus how an urban sketcher, who is painting on location, uses watercolour paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Liz Steel explores this in her blog post here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Essentially we, as urban sketchers, do not operate in the same way as a traditional watercolour painter would when we are using watercolour on location. Urban sketchers usually have less time to plan and to paint, fewer tools and an uncontrollable environment, yet we have less pressure in the sense that we are just sketching and not trying to produce a work of fine art to hang on the wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I believe there are some urban sketchers that blur the lines of these two different camps. Someone who instantly springs to mind is Marc Taro Holmes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc brings the vibe of a traditional studio artist to urban sketching. There are some urban sketchers who are almost ‘plein air painters’ in that they may set up in one place with an easel and spend a couple of hours painting a scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this post, we are considering using watercolour as an urban sketcher capturing quick sketches of the world around us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You will read many an article or hear advice that you should buy the best materials you can afford when it comes to watercolour painting. To some extent, I agree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, when you are just starting to learn a skill such as watercolour painting, sometimes having more expensive materials can actually hinder your progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are anything like me, expensive things intimidate me! That probably sounds a bit weird. Hear me out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If I have a very expensive sketchbook or paper (like the Arches watercolour block<\/a><\/strong> I just bought to do commissions on) you are scared of \u201cwasting\u201d it and you tighten up. The same if you have very expensive professional watercolours – you will be afraid to use them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It seems, at least in my experience, that the expense of something effects the ability to play, experiment and be brave. And these things are exactly what you need to do and be when you are painting in watercolours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I think as you progress and get a little more confident in your abilities, that\u2019s the point to upgrade your materials. Not all art materials in the same price bracket are made equal, however. You may have got this impression already if you\u2019ve read my posts on which watercolour sketchbooks<\/a><\/strong> or watercolour paint sets<\/a><\/strong> I recommend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For day to day watercolour urban sketching<\/strong>, you need:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are doing a watercolour-only painting, sketch very lightly. Heavy pencil lines and heavy erasing will ruin the paper surface, so when you go to paint over the top, the paper will either reject the paint, or the surface will be much thinner and your paper will wrinkle more than in other places. Obviously as urban sketchers we are not looking to create a perfect finished piece but its a good habit to get into. And you definitely don’t want to damage your paper surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I will show you my exact sketching process in ink and watercolour<\/strong>. I have travelled around the world in the last 3 years and this is my go-to system of creating beautiful yet quirky illustrations to capture the magic of my discoveries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We will work through 3 projects, step by step<\/strong> (pictured below), all of which are real-life examples of things I have sketched along my travels. I provide the photo references you can work from.Materials for Watercolour Urban Sketching<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Essential Tips to Improve Your Watercolour Painting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sketch Lightly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Do you want to learn how to sketch your own adventures in ink & watercolour?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
GET 50% OFF FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY!!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
We will start by choosing a composition, laying in the initial pencil sketch, adding ink lines, layering watercolour and adding the final touches.
This and much more are included in my course, Sketch Your Adventures<\/a><\/strong>, click the button under the image to find out more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Sketch](\"https:\/\/urbansketchingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/projects-web.jpg\")
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