I'm sketching buildings - come and see my process
I have recently discovered Craftsy. Well, its not that I didn't know about it before. I did know of it, but given my online art class addiction I had been avoiding heading over and browsing the classes. Because this, for me, is fatal. While procrastibrowsing last week, I happened upon the Crafty drawing classes and found a few on sketching. I'm always interested in learning a bit more about drawing so before long I found myself enrolled in a couple of sketching classes. Big thumbs up for Craftsy classes, by the way. All very professional and yet affordable.
Anyway, one of my favourites has been 'Sketching in Perspective' by Stephanie Bower. Stephanie is delightful and her beautiful watercolour sketches inspired me to spend the month trying to make some of my own.
My series for this month will be done in my Moleskine watercolour notebook. They call this the 'large'. Not sure that is what I would call it as it is only 21cm by 13cm. However, I am finding that is rather a nice size. I worked small last month and concluded that was good on many levels. Time and confidence building, for example. I like the feel of the paper in this moleskine and it is good for a watercolour wash or two but certainly is not the sort of paper you might be used to for larger watercolour work. It is still a sketchbook, after all I suppose.
The supplies for this month are then:
- moleskine watercolour sketch book
- pencil
- paintbrush
- watercolour paint.
Armed with clear instructions from Stephanie I set about making a pencil sketch of a simple elevation view of a door. This was one of Stephanie's first assignments in the class. I chose a cute little cottage rather than some sort of grand architecture. Felt more forgiving somehow.
Once the sketch was completed it was time for the fun part ... colour! Really this is like making your own colouring book and then getting to fill it in with juicy paint.
Stephanie's sketches are all rather sophisticated. Mine seem to all turn out with a touch of the cartoon about them. I think I am okay with that. I am mad for cartoons after all. Here is another one I did.
It is amazing how a little bit of colour brings a wonky little pencil sketch to life. I do hope you will try it. It is easier than I thought it would be.
Give it a go.... you might just discover your inner urban sketcher...
