This long weekend I was determined to film myself sketching using my new Uniqu lighting set-up. This is where your camera fits in the lighting aparatus, I watched two YouTube videos, as the instructions that came with it were not helpful. After much procrastination/fear – I did it. You cannot imagine how proud I am of myself to have managed this technology,
I have not edited the video in any way (even to turn it horizontal). I could have spent a long and stressful time editing cropping etc but instead am using this blog to think through the process of sketching and recording.
Sketching
I usually sketch directly on the page with the colour of the object (where possible). In this case, it was easy (which is why I chose this as my first trial run). I used Orange Glaze for the mug. I very rarely use a graphite pencil to put in the first lines or use an eraser. Unless the drawing demands it (or I demand it of myself) it is all about the impression on the page and not getting it perfect. Of course, it helps that I have sketched this mug many times, and know the proportions, which makes it look easy. I thought that degree of confidence in what I was doing was best for this experiment. Once I started sketching I forgot about the camera.
I had the watercolour pencils colours put aside that I knew I would be using as I have sketched this mug many times. I knew which colours to get from my sketchkit.
I set it up and then only looked at my sketching page, and not the camera on the mount. This was not as difficult as I thought.
Filming
Things I need to think about
- I knew there would be shadows on the pages, but not where and how much
- how much my hand moves across the page,
- how long I am going to sketch for
- what and how much editing I am going to do afterwards
- what I am going to sketch
I am not going to stress about these too much.
I am now so excited about how I can use this and what other examples I can use. It is going to be great to be able to share my watercolour pencil technique with everyone. Sometimes you just need to see something being done. No amount of explaining can substitute.
Let me know if there is something I can share.
Happy sketching
Thanks for sharing your video, Alissa. I agree, often a sketch is worth many, many words! I enjoy watercolor pencils, though I don’t use them often as my usual go-to is watercolor. Thanks for a bit of Sunday inspiration – it’s always a joy to watch an artist in their moment.
Yes, being able to see you sketch is a great opportunity, thanks for sharing it! I will be very happy to see more, whatever you are sketching would be great.
I just recently got into watercolor pencils and I found your blog and Tina Koyama’s when looking for watercolor pencil artists who were also Urban Sketchers… I’m taking a lot of inspiration from both of you, and I’m especially grateful since it doesn’t look like there are many urban sketchers who consistently and exclusively use watercolor pencils, but after a couple of years of struggling with WC paints I feel very attracted by the medium and want to learn more about how to use it.
So thanks again for everything you have shared so far and all you’ll be so kind to share in the future!
Yes, this is wonderful to actually see you sketch! I, too have struggled with watercolors and have really found that I am wanting to learn more about using watercolor pencils. I realized I like drawing more than painting and this just seems perfect!
Do you go back into the watercolor pencil when it is still damp? I have ended up with a big thick blob and it’s hard to have it melt into the original color that was put down first.
Thank for your time sharing your knowledge with us!
Thanks so much for your comment and support Cathy. It is lovely to know that what I post on these blogs has some impact on someone, whether it is motivation, inspiration or sharing knowledge. I might try and do another video soon.
I definitely wait until the page has dried! I am trying to get more detail or colour into the next layer. There is always another part of the page to work on that is already dry !