Sketching outside

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Ardnamurchan view

Aided perhaps by the long days and sunny weather, I’ve been getting back into sketching outdoors recently.

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sketching at Greyfrairs Churchyard in Edinburgh

It helps that I’ve finally sorted out my sketching kit. For the longest time I was unhappy with my options, and could never quite work out how to improve things. I love sketching in charcoal, but don’t like having to bring fixative with me (or worry about smudging). Same with pastels (plus I never seemed to have the right colors with me). These days I’m down to an efficient little set of materials that fit in my purse, so I can carry them every day.

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I’ve got an A5 sketchbook with two binder clips on it (essential for keeping pages in place on a windy day); a small pencil box containing various pencils, an eraser, a sharpener, a paintbrush, and a few bits of charcoal and pastel; a travel watercolor box (with a thumb ring on the bottom, so it can perch on my left hand) and a small container of water.

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It all fits into a 17x24cm ziplock bag (along with a paper towel or two). I also usually have a couple of black drawing pens floating around in my bag, as well.

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Greyfriars Churchyard

Since putting the right materials together and having them with me almost always, I have been much better about using spare moments to sketch rather than play with my phone or whatnot. I look forward to arriving places early, in order to have time to sketch. I know all this sketching is good for my eye, and my art. You learn so much about a subject by sketching it, things that a photograph can miss.

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Old Man of Hoy

2 thoughts on “Sketching outside”

  1. Hello,
    I was just in the highlands in August on a Road Scholar trip where I met your dad, Leon. I, too, am a painter. Your dad saw me making lots of sketches on the trip and so sent me this link to your blog.

    Sketching and drawing when I travel is more important to me than photos. I will remember the sketches more and they feed more directly into paintings. I always have a sketchbook with me.

    Nice to see your work. I enjoyed perusing your website, too.

    Good luck!
    shannon

    Reply

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