A sketchbook is a great thing to have at hand when you are out and about.

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Quick sketches are just as valid as longer planned out drawings, but can become even more important in
developing technique and addressing the immediacy of a scene or view.

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Don’t worry what people think as it is about you experimenting with the media and seeing what does and
doesn’t work. I like using a soft 2B pencil into washes of watercolour or acrylic while it is still wet.

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The pencil works well with the layers of colour and can emphasis a loose approach while getting important
detail, line and shape. The pencil becomes stronger when the paper is wet.

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A trip to Seville in Spain gave me the opportunity to experiment further with this technique.

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Whether I was sketching a fountain and trees near the Plaza de Espana or outside the Museum of Fine Arts
sketching the building and people talking on benches, it was great to mix the pencil with the watercolour.

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The great thing about a sketchbook is that when you look back at pages, you can remember who was talking to
you at the time of the sketch and even the weather and smells. It’s like opening a video recording! I love
sketching out and about.

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You will learn and understand more as you increase your sketching.