A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to go to Amsterdam and while there I could only do very rapid sketching, after all it was cold and wet. I came back full of ideas so in this film I would like to share with you some of the techniques I use if I have more time. The sketch took 60-70 minutes to complete and I will show you step by step how to plan the sketch and realise your idea, how to play with perspective, how to use water soluble Tombow pens (dual tip brush markers), fineliners and watercolour to capture a lively and fun view of the bridges and canals in Amsterdam. Of course you can use these techniques anywhere! This tutorial should be suitable for both beginners and those with some experience in urban sketching, to give you ideas which you can try out and make your own.
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Materials: Cartridge paper (heavy drawing paper), Dual tip markers in greys (WHSmith or Tombows), waterproof fineliner pens in various widths (eg Microns, Unipin), watercolour (I use a box from Phoenix Arts), waterbrush (I am using an Artistro one).
If you want to make your own ring binder sketch book, please look here: • How to make a watercol...
If you want a review of the dual tip pens look here: • Tombow or WHSmith Dual...
A rapid sketch of Amsterdam can be found here: • Fast urban sketching f...
Urban sketching is incredibly popular. It's all about connecting with the place you are in. But how do you get started? There are lots of tips in this film which should set you on the right track. If you are looking for a master, do check out Ian Fennelly's work. I got the tips about using the brush pens, straight from him!
Urban Sketching is reportage - it's drawing or painting on location in the cities, towns, or villages that you live in and travel to. You are capturing a moment in time in a unique way. I saw this lovely quote from Roisin Cure "The essence of an urban sketch is that its primary function is not to be beautiful, but to capture what it feels like to be human. This could be in a man-made building, the hand of man on the landscape, or human beings in action, wherever they are or whatever they are doing."
If you want to have a go at this scene, I have put a picture on the community tab on this channel. I would love to see what you do.
Don't forget I run a Facebook group which is a great place to meet other artists, get tips and to share your work. You can join here: / if you are interested in learning more about line and wash,
I have a really comprehensive course over at www.lizchadertonstudio.co.uk/... and my book Line and Wash Painting is available from The Crowood Press and online book shops worldwide.Of course you can use whatever materials you like to sketch with, but pen and watercolour are very popular, because of the speed you can work at and also that the kit is light and portable, so that you can do a quick sketch while waiting in the car or sitting drinking a coffee. Give it a go and you will see the world in a different light.Of course going out sketching on your own can be intimidating. So maybe sitting in a coffee shop is a good place to start and having your back to a wall so no one can look over your shoulder, also helps! Most people are just impressed you are doing it. If they are a painter, they will be supportive and if they aren't an artist, well they will wish they were. So try not to care what people think! There are urban sketch groups around the world, usually organised through Facebook, so there's safety in numbers and perhaps you could go out with them - just search your local area.
#lizchaderton #urbansketching #lineandwash