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

“Glacier” – 6 Years, 125 Days of a Watercolour Sketch a Day!

It has been another very hectic month for many reasons. I am fortunate to have started this daily Art practice a few years ago. Without this practice I think I would have been using the old excuse, “that I didn’t have time” a lot!

Here is today’s sketch.

Materials:

  • Aquarelle Watercolour sketchbook 300gsm Cold Press
  • Sumikondo Japanese Watercolours (Blue-Black)
  • Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolours (Indigo)
  • Aquawash & Neef brushes

I had a lot of fun doing this one!

Till next time!

Written & painted by David Johnson

31 May 2025

Reflective of my Mood…

Today’s post is Watercolour Sketch a Day, 4 years, 363 days (in a row).

It has been a fairly hectic start to the year work and other commitment-wise and I think the subject of today’s sketch was clearly about my mind looking for a rest, I feel…

I called it, ‘Meditative.’

Is the art that you produce always reflective of your current mood?

Till next time!

Written by David Johnson

24 January 2024

Experimenting With Card Stock

Mostly when I do my Watercolour Sketch a day, I will use Watercolour paper (in a sketchbook), mixed media paper anywhere from 200 gsm to 300 gsm.

Occasionally, I’ll try a different type, and recently, I purchased some plain and some textured Card Stock. I intend to use it mainly for some junk journals I want to make however, today, I decided to use the Card stock in my Watercolour Sketch a day.

I quite like the way the paint moves around the paper. Below is Day 1,368.

Written by David Johnson

30 October 2022

I Climbed Upon A Mountaintop