My different styles of sketching

Today, Saturday, I did four drawings, each in a different style. I thought that this would be an opportunity to write about it.

I draw with watercolour pencil and also use a Lamy Safari Joy ink pen. Depending on the day, how I feel, I use them in  different ways. Sometimes in combination and sometimes on their own. Some are quick sketches in minutes capturing a moment, others are completed over a few nights, as a study. 


A quick unplanned sketch of some  buskers Winterbourne in the Pitt Street Mall. I found a place out of the crowd, leaning up against a wall, and decided what to include. I started with the main guitarist, then the second one really got into it and so I quickly sketched him.  I then added the onlookers.



Lunch –  sushi at David Jones . Sushi is such a sketchable subject, so I chose my lunch subjects for their aesthetic value. And sushi doesn’t get cold as you sketch , and you can have multiple plates to choose from . This was drawn and coloured on the page in watercolour pencil and then I used waterbrush to spread the colour, then added some more pencil lines. I ate the avocado sushi and then drew the second  sushi and then ate it !


The next sketch was when I arrived very early for my hairdressers appointment. I found a place in the sun, leant up against a wall and spend about half an hour on this.  I drew in the lines of the buildings, either in their colour (such as Burnt Yellow Ochre for the cliff) , or Paynes grey . I then took colour off the tip of the pencil with the waterbrush and adding it to the page. Then I added the final lines of street lights and poles.


and finally a more studied drawing of some watercolour paper that I bought . I spent half an hour with the helpful (and patient) staff at Parkers Art Supplies in Sydney looking at a number of papers. I bought five.  I am going to use them to test as I am looking for a comparative paper block or sheets of my wonderful Moleskine watercolour sketchbook. I am still going to continue using my journals but am drawing some more “finished” subjects on loose sheets. I will be writing a separate blog post on this.

8 thoughts on “My different styles of sketching

  1. MiataGrrl

    I love your sketching style and appreciate reading about your various techniques. I just recently started using watercolor pencils for sketching as an alternative to traditional watercolors. I really like them, although my use is much looser than yours. I enjoy seeing how others use them.

    – Tina

  2. Alissa Duke

    Thanks Tina, I love my watercolour pencils and have been using them for about six years. I don’t use any paints at all. I love to draw and am still excited by what I can achieve with the pencils. Over time I discovered my styles.

  3. Alissa Duke

    Thanks Barbara, It has taken me year to figure out my styles and they are still emerging and changing. However I am much more confident when starting to draw on a page than I would have been a few years ago.

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