Sketching with John

I have started to write a series of short Squidoo lenses (lens=focused web page) about my sketching techniques. Not quite a tutorial but they do give ideas which any artist may find useful. Basically showing the many different ways of achieving an image to capture the fundamentals, quickly and easily. I start with a rundown of why it is important to sketch and sketch regularly. The skills aquired can only improve your art but also give you an insight and a way of capturing real world images to use as they are or to adapt later in your studio as part of a larger or more thought out work.

 A page from one of my sketch books (watercolour)

Not Another Watercolour painting the overview of why and how I use sketching as a learning tool. So far there are three completed chapters to the set, more will be added as soon as I can get around to the task, time being my enemy at present. EAch contains many example of sketches in several different media.

1. sketching on location (tba)
2. sketching trees
3. sunsets and sunrise
4. finding inspiration (tba)
5. Sketching In The Lake District ( UK) (tba)
6. Choosing colours to paint the seasons
7. Sketching water ( tba)

A pencil sketch, with lines to helpwith redrawing in the studio

I would really love to know if you find any of these guides useful, and to do this you could either leave a comment below or attached to any of the lenses. You do not have to be a member of  Squidoo to leave a comment.

 A charcoal sketch overpainted with watercolour

One of what I call my "turnerisms", very quick sketches of skies, etc. Named after Turner of course.

A look into the past ( some old ACEO paintings)

Do you ever look back over your old artwork and think, "Did I really do that?"

I was in that sort of a mood just recently. I have been having a little difficulty in getting my act together over painting. I have been doing mostly mixed media art, for example:-

and even when painting I have mostly been doing abstracts or semi-abstracts:-

and whilst I have no problem with these, I am finding that my drawing is getting a little rusty. In fact my ability to create a true to life drawing (especially a figurative drawing) is virtualy nil. This made me start to look over some of my older work with a "jealous eye". Hence the comment, "Did I really do that?"

 Brockhampton, a National Trust property

 The girl with a black hat

Seated Nude

Well, after this wallowing in nostalgia, I am going to have to get myself sorted anad set aside a little more time for simply sketching. Something I used to do regularly and often. there is nothing like it for developing the ability to draw accurately and to capture the essence of a subject. I have even written a page on Squidoo, "Not AnotherWatercolour Tutorial", about my sketching - but the examples I have used have all been very old. Just goes to show I guess, that a return to my old habits ( artistic, LOL) is long overdue.