Recently, at an en plein air field trip to a ‘Back to Belgenny’ farm open day with some fellow members of Macarthur Art Group, I was introduced to Sumikondo (Japanesque) Watercolours by Michele Arentz.
Michele has been using them for a little while now and quite liked the colours. Below is an example of the 6 colours I recently purchased from Amazon to try out.
I must say that even with my early attempts, I am quite impressed and am thoroughly enjoying using them. Michele has a set of 20 colours and I feel it won’t be too long until I add more of these Watercolours to my set.
Below are a few of my Watercolour sketches with these paints so far. A couple are using only the Sumikondo Watercolours, and I have also included a couple where I have used these watercolours plus Daniel Smith watercolours.
My first attempt. Blue-Black and Purple-Black are used here.
Blue-Black, Purple-Black, Red-Black plus Daniel Smith Burnrt Sienna & Burnt Umber
Blue-Black, Purple-Black, Daniel Smith Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Yellow Ochre
It’s only early days yet however, I believe Sumikondo Watercolours have a lot to offer, and I am having a lot of fun experimenting with them.
I’m currently working on a 15cm x 23cm Watercolour using both the Sumikondo & Daniel Smith Watercolours. The Watercolour paper I am using for this one is Baohong The Master’s Choice, rough, block paper, 300gsm. I am already loving the combination of the Watercolours and the paper and I will post the finished artwork on this blog.
Four days ago, on 13 August 2024 I completed by 2,000th Watercolour Sketch a Day in a row.
Back in 2018, I had started back doing Watercolour after doing it briefly in 2010 after doing a basic, six-week Drawing course. Photography was still my main creative interest at the time so doing Watercolour, or any other sketching/painting-related activity was just something I dabbled in for a bit of fun, on and off for the next eight years.
Towards the end of 2018, I wanted to start to learn Watercolour however, I was only getting to do it once or twice every two-three weeks which was frustrating. Around that time, I was talking to a business friend, who in outside hours, sketched in Charcoal and also used Soft Pastels. Also, I have been listening to a podcast called, ‘Sketching Stuff’ over time, which was broadcast by Charlie O’Shields who created the ‘Doodlewash’ website. Charlie had done a Watercolour sketch a day & a blog post every day for 5 years. He only stopped as he was going to be working on a project, doing illustrations for children’s book from memory.
I thought that something like what Charlie did seemed impossible, but he had done it. I didn’t start straight away, though.
On 26 January 2019, it was Australia Day and I was sitting at home relaxing and thought I would do a Watercolour sketch, the one you see below.
It was done on cheap Monte Marte paper with Sennelier Student Watercolour half-pans. This sketch ended up being Watercolour Sketch a Day, Day 1.
I set my goal as doing ‘one Watercolour Sketch a day’, and that is still my goal. I was very pleased to reach seven days in a row. Quite chuffed actually. I almost stopped after 400 days in a row, then I thought ‘this is so much fun’, and it became a kind of meditative experience where I could ‘zone out’ from the day.
Sometimes, I do the sketches early in the morning before the business day gets going. Other times, I do them at the end of the day. I really look forward to the time I spend doing them. Sometimes, I spend 10-15 minutes, other times it is 30 minutes or more. It just depends on the day.
Sometimes, you notice improvements, and other times it can feel like the sketches are not as good as some of the previous ones. It’s kind of like Life, or building a business.
The Watercolour Sketch below is the one I did for Day 1,000. It was tutorial by Peter Sheeler on YouTube. Early on I did quite a few tutorials, particularly by Peter Sheeler, and Nil Rocha Art. I highly recommend them.
Between 1,000 and 2,000, I’ve done less tutorials and more
sketching from imagination
sketching from my own reference photos
en plein air
Within that time, I’ve also attended quite a few sketch-meets with Urban Sketchers Sydney and Urban Sketchers Wollongong, and over the past few years, I’ve obtained a lot of inspiration from being a member of Macarthur Art Group and Red Point Artists.
I also use much better, Artist quality paper this days and a few years ago switched to Artist quality paper and brushes which certainly makes a difference.
For my 2,000th Watercolour Sketch a Day, I chose to do a landscape/seascape below. This is a variation of a previous one I did. Sometimes, I like to go back to a previous sketch and see if I can improve upon it, from last time. Very happy to have this image as #2000!
So, where to from here?
Well today is 5 years, 203 days of a Watercolour Sketch a Day and I’ll be doing it at an Open Day called “Back to Belgenny”, which is being held at a colonial homestead about 1/2 hour from where I live. I’m one of quite a few members of Macarthur Art group who are doing en plein air demonstrations for the public, which seems a long way from the Day 1 sketch I did in my lounge room back on Australia Day 2019.
I am loving the different experiences of this Artistic journey, which I will be continuing for a long time to come yet. 🙂
Written by David Johnson
17 August 2024
All the Watercolour Sketch a Day images are on my Instagram:
Last Sunday, I had the pleasure of being part of ‘Artists In Action’ again.
My first appearance at this event, last year was so enjoyable I thought I would do it again this year.
Some 30 or so local Artist’s, some professional, some semi-professional, and some enthusiasts, all combined to showcase their art and craft at the Camden Civic Centre in Camden, some 60km (37m) south-west of Sydney, Australia.
It was such a fun event again. People of all ages came in to view our art and craft. There demonstrations and workshops, and people could enjoy having a go at creating art.
At my table, I had some my art on display and in between talking to people, I went about doing a couple of watercolour sketches, including my, ‘Watercolour Sketch a Day’ that has been going for over 5 years now.
As I did last year, I encouraged people who
‘had always wanted to try sketching and/or painting’ but hadn’t,
‘those that had been doing it but had stopped’, or
those who think that they don’t have time’ to go ahead and try it/take it up again, as it offers:
some great mental health benefits
it’s fun and relaxing
All-in-all a fun day! Looking forward to next year’s event.
Last Sunday, I was one of 30 ‘Creative’s’ that assembled down at the Camden Civic Centre to display our creativity. All manner of arts and crafts were on display.
There were:
Painters
Sketchers/Drawers
Mixed Media
Photographers
Japanese Martial Arts
Floral creations
Chinese Brushwork
Charcoal
Pastel
Bonzai
Ballerinas
Couture
Live Demonstrations
Talks
Kids Competition
and more!
Ho Yee Wong (Jo), the President of the Macarthur Art Group (of which I am a member), asked me if I would promote my ‘Everyday Art Practice’ aka my ‘Watercolour Sketch a Day’? I said I would be glad to.
We were there for 8 hours (and open to the public for 6), and I completed a couple of Watercolour Sketches whilst chatting to interested onlookers.
I asked them whether they practised any form of art and/or craft and often, they would say that ‘they didn’t have time’, or ‘they were not talented enoough.’
Wanting to help them, I advised them that I wasn’t very good drawing as a child, or even up until into my 50’s( all true), however, it is a skill that can be learnt. As far as ‘time’ goes, most people have a certain amount of time that is wasted during our days.
We stand in queue’s or sit at the Mall eating lunch or having a cuppa. There are miniature sketchbooks available and you only need one pen. Instead of pulling out your mobile phone, use your sketchbook. You don’t even have to show it to anybody, it can just be your personal hobby.
The simple of act of sketching takes your mind off other things. It can be the ‘mental break’ that you need when you are trying to solve a problem, when you are stressed out or when you are bored.
My creative journey
Began with a camera
This went on for many years
I was an enthusiastic amateur
Joining and starting camera clubs
Was so much fun
I made many friends
My creative life had begun
I entered competitions and exhibitions
Sometimes I won
All in all
It was just good fun
Along the way
I became a Photographic Judge
Which gave me a different perspective
It gave my photography a nudge
Briefly, in the Nineties
I started to sketch
Though photography remained King
I felt the itch
I took a basic drawing course
In two thousand and ten
Three years later
My photography business opened
The business ran
For a couple of years
Then I decided
To do something else
In the meantime my love
For sketching and painting had grown
It was battling photography
For the Title and Crown
Oil painting at that time
Was my preferred expression
It became my ‘go to’
My new expression
Joining Art groups
Has helped me to foster
My desire to create Art
They helped my creativity to prosper
Then I returned
To the first painting medium I tried
The one that had captured me
That reminded me of Slides
Line and Wash
Then caught my attention
It became part of me
A lifelike extension
A Watercolour sketch-a-day
Would give me loads of practice
It continues to this day
Feeding my Inner Sanctum
Oils too
Remain a passion
For me, I think
They’ll always be in fashion
Photography still
Has a special place in my Heart
It started my creative journey
Of me, it will always be a part
Though at this time
Sketching and Painting are my direction
They will for a long time
Have my attention
Communicating Creatively 