Story To Be Written
Tag: watercolorsketch
Urban Wollongong Sketchers
Last Sunday, I met up with the Urban Sketchers Wollongong on a field trip for the first time. The meet was held at Port Kembla, near Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Port Kembla is well known in Australia for Steel manufacturing and it covers a huge area of land near the Pacific Ocean. I can still remember going on a school excursion there back in Primary School. It was (and is a massive place).
Our field trip location was at the end of Christy Drive, Port Kembla and one of the subjects people were sketching appears below.
I had been down to this location once previously, with my Wife, Susan and remember remarking that, ‘wow, that would take some patience to sketch’, as I turned away to sketch something that I thought was easier to sketch…
So, here I was back there and this was one of the subjects to choose from.
Here is my effort below.
Overall, I am happy with the attempt however, I am conscious that I added too much water to the sky, particularly around the edges. Another learning experience, for sure.
Before we headed off for a coffee and lunch at a nearby lunch spot, I managed to complete a pen sketch of a nearby pier. I added the colour to it last night.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time meeting, sketching and interacting on a social level with the Artists from the Urban Wollongong Sketchers and am looking forward to attending the next field trip in August.
Happy Sketching/Painting!
Written, sketched and photographed by David Johnson
8 July 2023
For more information on the Urban Wollongong Sketchers:
Nil Rocha Art – A Mentor
Within the past week, a change has come across my Watercolour Sketch a Day practice.
When I started the practice it was because I wanted to learn not only Watercolour but obtain practice in sketching and drawing with pencils and pigment liners.
Over time and sometimes due to time constraints (mainly during the week), I found myself dispensing with the pencils and pigment liners and just doing a quick ‘wash’ sketch with paint only. This is ok, I guess as I was still getting practice, but I wonder how much I was actually learning, leaving myself to my own devices…?
Just under a week ago, I decided that I wanted to go back to my ‘original why’ and I started looking at YouTube and in particular searching the phrase, ‘Line and Wash.’
I came across an Artist channel, ‘Nil Rocha Art’ whose sketches appealed a lot to me. “Nil Rocha Art’ is listed as ‘a Professional Artist in ‘Line and Wash’ drawing landscape and others.
Having now done five of the tutorials, I feel like I am learning so much more now about sketching, painting and the use of colours, mixes etc than I have in all the time previously. Yes, I wish I had done this earlier but I guess we all have our own journey. Previously, I would watch different shows, picking up the occasional tips and practicing them, reading books etc.
I feel that the tutorials are stretching me, exploding me out of my comfort zone and even after only five days, I feel that my confidence in sketching/Watercolour is growing each day. I’ve included the five Line and Wash sketches I’ve done so far, below.
If I was just starting now, I would definitely jump onto YouTube or similar and find an Artist/Mentor that you can follow.
Should you be interested in learning about how to do Line and Wash here is the link to ‘Nil Rocha Art’ YouTube channel. I hope you have as much fun as I’m having.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChARxKHm9NvFsN52nnvpxRw
Thank you to ‘Nil Rocha Art!’
Written by David Johnson
22 March 2020
My ‘Daily Art Practice’
A Charming Old Shed
Yesterday, I delivered a presentation at a conference at Peppers Manor House, Sutton Forest in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia.
Peppers Manor House was built in 1878 by Henry Edward Kater and was the rural retreat for the Kater family for almost one hundred years.
In the grounds there are a few buildings, one being a charming old shed that caught my eye. I snapped an image with my phone as I was keen to use it as my ‘Day 67’ Watercolour Sketch inspiration.
Both images are below. I’m thinking of doing a larger version of it, in time.
Written by David Johnson
3 April 2019
Communicating Creatively 