and some paper to work on no matter where you are. I have sketched on the back of envelopes and even a long till receipt! In this chapter I will show you how to get the most out of your pencils.
Using pencils
To get the most variety of line and shading from a pencil when you are sketching there are a few simple things to learn, the most important of which is how to hold your pencil. With the three methods of holding it shown below, your pencil will do whatever you want on your sketch. However, your pencil must be sharpened with a sharp knife to give you a long point, not with a pencil sharpener.
Following the simple exercises shown here will help you to use your pencil effectively. As you do them, practise varying the pressure you put on the pencil to give stronger or lighter lines.
You can also use your eraser as a drawing tool, creating lighter areas in your pencil shading.
▲ The short hold position that you use when writing gives you most control.
▲ The long hold drawing position allows more freedom over a large area.
▲ The flat hold position allows you to work large shaded areas with fast, free, broad strokes by using the long edge of the lead.
▲ These exercises show definite strokes, made with a 2B pencil. When you can control these, practise more irregular strokes such as the ones in the sketch opposite. Scribble away and enjoy what a pencil can do.
▲ These lines and shading were done with a 6B pencil. Compare the effect with the exercises done with a 2B pencil opposite.
▲ A plastic eraser can be used to rub out a thick line from shading made with any pencil. An eraser can be as important when sketching as a pencil.
▲ I made this sketch of a windmill with my 6B pencil, which allowed me to work quickly when shading areas but was not suitable for putting in any detail.
PROJECT
Comparing pencil grades
The pencil grade you decide to use when you are sketching will depend upon how much detail you want to include in your picture and the overall effect you want to achieve.
Choosing the right pencil
When you are out sketching, time could be against you for all sorts of reasons: the weather, the journey, or perhaps you just want to sketch as many scenes as possible. Therefore speed is essential. The answer on these occasions is to use a 6B pencil. This is also a great way to help you learn to simplify your subject (see here). You can’t draw in fine detail easily, so you work for a quick overall visual image, not looking for detail. Above all, using this pencil will teach you not to fiddle!
I did these three A4 sketches of a Norfolk lane to show the difference between a 2B, a 3B and a 6B pencil. For the first one I used my 2B pencil and it took 20 minutes plus experience! The second, using a 3B pencil, has less detail, because the pencil is softer and can cover areas more easily. The last sketch is done with a 6B pencil, and the difference is clear. Because the 6B has a very soft lead it is not easy to draw detail, but it is very easy to shade in areas quickly to give a simplified image. This sketch took minutes to do.
In this first project, sketch with your 2B pencil, then do the same sketch again with your 3B and 6B. Copy any of mine in the book, and try some of your own. I know you will enjoy it. Don’t work them smaller than A4 size, and don’t worry about time for the moment – working quickly will come.
▲ 2B pencil
For this sketch I used a 2B pencil, which allowed me to draw some detail in the trees.
▲ 3B pencil
Here I used a 3B pencil. Because the lead is softer it’s a quicker but less detailed way of sketching.
▲ 6B pencil
Using a 6B pencil, I could block in areas in minutes but it wasn’t possible to show any detail.
▲ Steamroller
This was drawn on A3 paper with a 6B pencil. There is no fine detail in the steamroller, but its bulk and strength are very evident.
▲ Cley Mill, Norfolk
20 x 28 cm (8 x 11 in)
This sky was painted with a rough wash and brush strokes gave the water light and movement.
Over a period of time artists evolve some of their own techniques through experience, and this is fine – but there are some basic ones that you will need to practise and become familiar with before you find your own developing.
Watercolour is a very direct medium. Sometimes the quicker you work – with confidence – the better the result. So practise the techniques shown in this chapter and enjoy your watercolour sketching. Remember, time is not the most important aspect of practising. Work at your own speed to gain experience with the techniques, and speed will follow quickly.
Colour mixing
Mixing your colours is much easier than you might think. By using just three colours, red, yellow and blue, almost all colours can be created. These three colours are called the primary colours. There are, of course, different reds, yellows and blues, which can help in mixing, but I use mainly French Ultramarine, Alizarin Crimson and Yellow Ochre for 80 per cent of my paintings. The other colours I like to work with are Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow Pale, Coeruleum and Hooker’s Green Dark, and these seven are the only colours that I used throughout the book.
Achieving the right mix
In
