I had another wonderful Nature Sketching with Watercolour Pencil class on Saturday at Royal Botanic Gardens of Victoria on Saturday. It was a very brisk 12 degrees (Celcius) and enough of a breeze to stay inside for the sketching. Usually the first 45 minutes are spend inside at the table learning about the pencils, paper, waterbrush and playing with pencils and then we go out to sketch. Not today.

On Saturday I bought the outside in by collecting leaves and taking cuttings from the plants around the cottage.

I have some of my sketchbooks out on the table open at a nature sketching page for people to look through to get an idea of my style. This is just one way that watercolour pencils can be used.Everyone likes to look through the other pages too, I think that it gives an idea of the sort of things that can be added to sketch journals.

On Saturday, all the participants had their own watercolour pencils. The pencils have often been in a cupboard for years. People come along for many varied reasons. They are from all backgrounds. Some have not done art since Primary school, other’s have different levels of experience with other mediums or work with textiles.

. My parting words in class are:

• I hope I have motivated and inspired you to the wonderful world of Watercolour Pencils

• Play with the pencils on the page. Find out what marks they make and what happens when you added water to the page.
• Have your sketchboook and pencils on the desk or bench so that you can pick them up easily. If they are shut away in a drawer you will forget them.

Happy Sketching