Quick Sketching with Watercolours

I’m always interested in the quick watercolour sketches that people produce and often envy their ability to produce loose, quick and good looking paintings with seeming ease.

I struggle with that. Often, my paintings start loose, and then I load them up with detail as it goes on. Perhaps I don’t work wet enough on the paper or brush, or maybe the colours I use just aren’t quite right.

The above painting was a recent attempt at painting loose. It has a charm to it but does come across as amateurish. The tree especially lets this painting down.

I do struggle with painting nature, especially trees and bushes. It’s hard to know what the correct technique is and what to show or hide. In this case, I think I worked too wet initially with the tree so the paint spread much further than originally anticipated.

Something to work on and a challenge to overcome.

This second attempt at a quick and loose painting was better. Possibly because it’s in my wheelhouse of architectural painting. I am especially happy with the cars – I purposefully left white areas for highlights, something I have previously struggled with (it’s so tempting to fill in all the space).

Lesson for the future, and something I always tell others: ‘Don’t be afraid of the white space.’ (The wise words of my former graphics tutor).