Here is a selection of my recent Watercolour Sketch a Day images starting with today’s.
The first 4 images are on Pleinly Watercolour paper – 100% Cotton, 300gsm Cold Press & the last image is on Arches Watercolour paper – 100% Cotton, 300gsm Cold Press.
Paints used are Kuretake Gansai Tambi & Sumikondo Japanese Watercolours, Daniel Smith and Winsor & Newton Watercolours.
Till next time!
Written & Painted by David Johnson
21 August 2026
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…
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?
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
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:
Till next time!
Written, sketched & painted by David Johnson.
10 May 2026
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
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.
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
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
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:
Till next time!
Written & Sketched/painted by David Johnson
22 February 2026
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.
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.
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.
Till next time!
Written & Painted by David Johnson
8 February 2026
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.
Till next time!
Written & Painted by David Johnson
8 February 2026
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