Watercolour Sketch a Day! – Recent Sketches

My Watercolour Sketch a Day project has now entered its 8th year. When I complete today’s sketch, I will have been doing a watercolour sketch a day for 7 years 135 days straight.

Here are a few recent sketches…

“Solitude” 7 years 100 days of a Watercolour Sketch a Day
“Bombo Quarry” 7 years 107 days of a Watercolour Sketch a Day
“Sea Barrier” 7 years 115 days of a Watercolour Sketch a Day
“Snow Laden” 7 years 125 days of a Watercolour Sketch a Day
“Mountain Art” 7 years 133 days of a Watercolour Sketch a Day

Materials used:

Sketchbook: Pleinly 300GSM 100% Cotton Cold Press paper (a real delight to use)!

Paints: Kuretake Gansai Tambi; Sumikondo; Daniel Smith, & Winsor & Newton

Brushes: Aquawash & Neef

Other: Uniball White Gel Pen; Uni-Pin Fineliner

Still thoroughly enjoying the journey. I am going to start to attempt to expand the subject matter in these daily sketches. In the past, I haven’t done many sketches with things like reflections, people especially. I would also love to ‘loosen up’ more, as I feel my lines are still too straight. I’ll keep working on that!

I always find it interesting when some people I know, and some I don’t know, say, ‘I don’t have time to sketch or paint.’

Obviously, I don’t know what their lives are like fully, so it’s hard to say to people, ‘if you really want to do something, you need to prioritise it.’

I approach it this way. We are often waiting for things, e.g., in Waiting Rooms, in queues, and what do people use to fill that time in the modern world…the Smartphone. How about purchasing an A6 sketchbook and carrying any sort of pen or pencil with you? In those Waiting rooms, you could be doodling, sketching. Just a bit of fun. 🙂

What are the positives of this new habit?

  • You get to have some fun!
  • It gets you away from your screen
  • It may develop into a hobby/interest
  • It is relaxing as it diverts your mind from the problems/challenges of the day

Your new activity is something personal to you, i.e., you don’t have to show anyone your creations, or you can. Its totally up to you. 🙂

Happy Sketching! 🙂

Till next time!

Written, sketched and painted by David Johnson

13 June 2026

The Watercolour Journey Continues…

Yesterday, it marked 7 years, 100 days since I started this wonderful journey.

Here is the image I sketched/painting yesterday, one from my imagination.

Materials:

  • Pleinly 8×12 inch 300gsm 100% Cotton sketchbook
  • Kuretake Gansai Tambi Japanese Watercolours
  • Aquawash brushes
  • Neef brush
  • Uni Pin Pigment Liner 0.05mm

Till next time!

Written, sketched & painted by David Johnson.

10 May 2026

Relic

Earlier today, I attended another Sketch-Meet run by Urban Sketchers Wollongong. I have been to a number of their sketch-meets over the past 2-3 years, and I really enjoy the subjects we do, the time together, the conversation, and of course, the Throwdown. It really is always so interesting to see not only the different subject matter the artists pick, but also seeing the different interpretations is a joy to behold.

Today’s outing was to the HARS Aviation Museum at Albion Park Rail in the Illawarra Region, south of Sydney.

I chose the a plane that is actually attached to the ground and is at an angle outside the museum.

I could have been closer, i.e., on the other side of the entrance however, I quite liked the angle as seen in the image above.

Here is my interpretation below.

I am pretty happy with the result especially as it is only the second plane ever that I have tried to sketch/paint.

Looking forward to attending the next Urban Sketchers Wollongong Sketch-Meet.

Till next time!

Written, sketched/painted by David Johnson

3 May 2026

New Sketchbook Adventures!

Last weekend, I ordered a Pleinly 8″ x 12″ sketchbook via Amazon. I’ve been researching their Watercolour Easel package and am about to buy it. When you buy the Easel package you get the sketchbook below with it.

I have used it on my last three Watercolour Sketch a Day’s (below) and have to say that I am impressed with what I’ve seen so far. Every type of Watercolour paper handles differently and although I am still getting used it, I’m having a lot of fun. 🙂

A few things I’ve noticed are that it can take a lot of water, it feels different to touch and paint on than other cold press 300gsm 100% cotton papers/sketchbooks I’ve tried. Considering it has 52 pages and it is 300gsm, the sketchbook is quite light. I haven’t painted on the back of the page yet, but I am confident the paper will take it.

“Headland” 7 years, 83 days of a Watercolour Sketch a Day
“Light Interceding” 7 years 84 days of a Watercolour Sketch a Day
“Alpine Design” 7 years 85 days of a watercolour Sketch a day (Yesterday)

Later on, I will do another post and make some further comments. Can’t wait to do today’s sketch! 🙂

Till next time!

Written and sketched/painted by David Johnson

25 April 2026

Wonderful To Be Back At Red Point!

This month has been a very busy month for a number of reasons, so it was a real pleasure to get back down to Red Point Artists Maker’s Market at Port Kembla last Saturday.

Due to ‘Life’ getting in the way late last year, this was the first time I had been able to get there since June last year, so it was great to back.

They always have some form of music down there. Music certainly adds to the relaxed atmosphere of the day.

When I go down to Red Point Artists, my expectation is that I will have a relaxing time, sketching, painting and catching up with other artists. If I sell a painting, I consider that a bonus. A bonus happened on Saturday.

All in all, another wonderful, relaxing day! We are looking forward to attending again next month. 🙂

Till next time!

Written & Painted by David Johnson

20 March 2026

Watercolour Sketch a Day – Sheds

I love photographing old, rusted and or wooden sheds, and I’ve taken quite a liking to sketch and paint them. I think I am improving, and at the same time I’m endeavouring to ‘loosen up’ my sketching style.

The following two sketches are not of any particular sheds anywhere; they are just random images I did.

Materials:

  • 300GSM 100% Cotton paper sketchbook purchased from Amazon
  • Kuretake Gansai Tambi Japanese Watercolours
  • Sumikondo Japanese Ink Watercolours
  • Daniel Smith Watercolours
  • Neef brushes
  • Aqua Wash brushes
  • Pigment Liner – UniPin 0.03 & 0.05
“Old Shed” Watercolour Sketch a Day 7 years, 23 days (yesterday).
“Work Shed” – Watercolour Sketch a Day 7 years, 24 days (today).

Till next time!

Written & Sketched/painted by David Johnson

22 February 2026

Devil’s Marbles

Back in 1986, I went on a Con-Tiki tour of the Northern Territory in Australia. Whilst I have quite a few photos from that location (we stayed overnight there), and the trip itself, I have never got around to attempting a painting on any of the subjects I saw on that trip.

The Devil’s Marbles are a loose formation of mainly rounded boulders, plus some other shapes that are anywhere from 50cm (19.6 inches) to 6 metres (19.6 feet) in diameter.

The painting below has a mixture of them. I’m sure I’ll do more of the Devil’s Marbles, and other locations from that trip.

  • Baohong Aquarelle 100% Pure Cotton Rough Watercolour paper
  • Kuretake Gansai Tambi Japanese Watercolour pans
  • Daniel Smith Watercolours
  • Aquawash brushes
  • Neef brushes
  • Size 18 x 26cm (7 x 10 inches)

Till next time!

Written & Painted by David Johnson

8 February 2026

Here is a link to find out more information if you would like visit it.

https://northernterritory.com/tennant-creek-and-barkly-region/destinations/karlu-karlu–devils-marbles-conservation-reserve

Near & Far

I seem to do a lot seascapes. I live about 45 minutes to an hour from the nearest beach so I don’t get a lot of time to spend near the water. The painting below is another one from the imagination.

Like a lot of people, I guess I find the ocean/waves relaxing, even if I cannot get there, I love to recreate the feeling/sight at home.

  • Baohong Aquarelle 100% Pure Cotton Rough Watercolour paper
  • Kuretake Gansai Tambi Japanese Watercolour pans
  • Sumikondo Japanese Ink Pigments
  • Aquawash brushes
  • Size 18 x 26cm (7 x 10 inches)

Till next time!

Written & Painted by David Johnson

8 February 2026

Towards Another Dimension

Whilst I am enjoying painting standard subjects like seascapes, landscapes, building etc, I like to break out every now and then and do something ‘a little bit way out.’ I do love a good Sci-Fi or Fantasy book or film.

This is where I think the inspiration for, ‘Towards Another Dimension’ came.

  • Baohong Aquarelle 100% Pure Cotton Rough Watercolour paper
  • Kuretake Gansai Tambi Japanese Watercolour pans
  • Sumikondo Japanese Ink Pigments
  • Masking Fluid pen
  • Aquawash brushes
  • Size 18 x 26cm (7 x 10 inches)

Till next time!

Written & Painted by David Johnson

8 February 2026

7 Years – Watercolour Sketch A Day!

7 years, 2 days ago, I began my Watercolour Sketch a Day, Daily Art practice.

I began doing this daily art practice for a number of reasons:

  • I wanted to improve my skills.
  • Previously, I was only getting to sketch/paint what seemed like only once every couple of weeks. I thought I didn’t have time.
  • It’s fun!
  • Creativity assists my mental health.
  • It’s my ‘escape’ as I co-run a business and have a full life!

The Watercolour Sketch-a-day that I did for the 7-year mark is below.

I think it’s always good to look back and see where you came from/where you started your journey. I’m more than happy with my progress, though I still have a lot to learn. I’m certainly looking forward to doing my Watercolour Sketch a Day, each day forward. That is my number goal…a Watercolour Sketch a Day.

My very first Watercolour Sketch a Day is below. I started off using cheap Watercolour paper and below student-grade paints.

Thankfully, over time, I have tried several different papers, sketchbooks, pigment liners, brushes and paint, stepping up the quality of the tools I use and have been having a lot of fun along the way.

Looking forward to more fun, and of course, learning more and more!

Till next time!

Written & Sketched/Painted by David Johnson

31 January 2026