The watercolour sketch above is of Druidstone Haven and was done on the scene last week. It was painted on Saunders Hot Pressed paper. I don't usually use HP paper but I had been generously been given a pad. The paper is smooth and similar to painting on thick cartridge paper. Anyway why do people make sketches? For myself I sketch both in pencil and watercolour for a number of reasons:
To make a record of the scene before me for a possible painting later
To keep my hand in drawing and painting from nature
Because I enjoy doing it
A sketch will take about 2-15 minutes normally. The time is generally dictated by the subject, the weather conditions and my wife Alex. If it is wet and windy I paint very quickly but more importantly I judge how long I can take by my wife's look when I say,
"I am just going to do a quick sketch!"
In fairness she is very patient, more patient than I am when she runs into a friend and starts a long conversation.
The majority of my sketches are kept for a period and then culled,(taken to the skip), if I haven't made use of them within a couple of years. So even if I havent used them for reference I have still enjoyed doing them and they have helped to keep my skills honed.
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