Learning About Sketching
Once I learn something and it becomes part of me, my teaching gene kicks in. I love to share things I know with others and I do that through teaching, through offering tutorials, workshops, or classes. So, naturally, once I got hooked on sketching and watercolor painting and felt pretty comfortable with the process, I designed a 12-hour learning experience on sketching with pencil and pen and watercolor painting.
My On-Location Sketching & Watercolor class is meant to be for people who want to learn to sketch what they see or for people who already sketch and want to improve their skills by sketching on-location. I will be offering this 12-hour course as a 2-day workshop and four 3-hour class sessions over four weeks when the weather here in Central Virginia gets warmer in the early spring. I’ve designed the course with people with no sketching experience in mind but it is equally suited for experienced artists with no experience sitting on an urban sidewalk and drawing and painting what’s in front of them.
Tins with five half pans ready for paint.
I have also designed the course so participants need bring no materials, no drawing or painting utensils. I’m going to supply all needed materials as part of the course cost. In our first meeting I’ll distribute pencils, pens, erasers, paper, and drawing boards. Another thing I give each participant is a small, empty tin. Our first task, then, is to turn that tin into a paint palette. Armed with tins, plastic half pan paint holders, and magnetic strips, participants will assemble a DIY palette! Using paint from the five paint tubes I’ll have on hand, they will then fill the half pans so that everyone has a palette with three primary color paints and two additional “convenience” paints. Next, each participant will make an 8-page sketchbook using high quality watercolor paper. Nothing fancy as we will staple our sketchbook pages together but, nonetheless, it will be a very serviceable sketchbook to use throughout the course.
Step-by-Step sketch of a duck inked and then water applied to spread the ink.
Since we need to let the paint dry in the palettes, we will put them aside and start the sketching with pencil part of the course by drawing some circles, squares, and triangles. Then we will practice turning them into three dimensional spheres, cubes, and cones by learning a little about perspective and how to shade. The next task will be to draw something following a step-by-step exercise and go over it with the water-soluble ink pen in everyone’s “kit.” Finally, we’ll break out our brushes and water bottles and learn how to “paint” with ink.
From a workshop I attended in October (2019) in Richmond, Virginia.
And that, folks, is just in the first 3-hour block! We’re going to cover a lot of material in this course! In the second 3-hour block, we will go out on the streets and look for shapes (those squares, circles, and triangles with some rectangles and trapezoids thrown in) in the city buildings we see all around us. We’ll each get busy drawing one of those buildings with our pencils then ink our sketch with the permanent ink pens in the kit. After that we’ll be ready to add some color with our watercolor paints. Right there on the sidewalk. Yes, with people possibly watching us. It will be more fun - and less intimidating - than you can imagine! Trust me! It will!
Getting started on sketch of building across the street. (Richmond, VA, October 2019)
We’ll finish off that 3-hour block, if time permits, with another sketch/painting. For the remaining two 3-hour blocks we will do more of the same, each experience presenting us with new challenges to discuss and new approaches to learn and practice. At the end of your 12-hour sketching and watercolor painting adventure, you will come away with all the tools you need to continue on your own. More importantly, you will come away with new confidence in yourself and your ability to learn something new and put it right into practice. Sketching is a skill you will find relaxes you and provides you with lifelong enjoyment (not to mention all those paintings you now can give as gifts!).
Have a look at my course brochure (PDF) and watch for my announcements of upcoming offerings of this exciting and rewarding course. Or, better yet, contact me right now to put your name on my “interested people” list. No commitment, no money down, but I will let you know about my next offering before I publicize it.
