Each year, I sketch my Easter hot cross buns with watercolour pencils. It is a tradition. I also have a very soft jellybelly rabbit and he sometimes gets sketched.
Last year they both got sketched and I also filmed my hot cross bun sketch, so I will include it here for anyone who would like to try it.
Ivory
Warm Grey II
Burnt Ochre
Paynes grey
Dark Sepia
Black (coloured pencil) – I use for the lines where I dont want the pigment to dissolve or blend. This is the only non watercolour (in coloured pencil) pencil that I have in my sketchkit.
I was a bit ambitious to sketch this real birds next ( I have a collection of about 20) and paper eggs that I purchased from Two in a Teacup in Tasmania
I also bought myself some lovely flowers. They are so detailed, so I did not even try to capture that
This weekend’s blog post is an example of the sort of things that can be sketched quickly with watercolour pencil. Each sketch took approximately 15 -20 minutes.(I didn’t time them).
They are everyday objects that were sitting out on the bench. I had just been shopping and chose a few items of different colours and sizes. You don’t need to recognise specifically what they are, and probably won’t unless they have a brand on them, or they are a giant slice of watermelon.
This quick sketch is just an impression of the moment, not a still life. I could have spent longer on it, but made a decision to stop.
You can see what happens when water is added to the watercolour pencil that I drew on the page. You can see the difference. Knowing this, you can decide where to add water on the page. It can really make an area of the page ‘pop’.
I then did a second sketch of the sardine tin that is on the bottom right of the page. It can barely be recognised in the first sketch (above). I have shown the colours used.
Then a third page sketch of some of the sardines that were in the tin.
Ideas from today:
Anything is sketchable !
You can make choices along the way of what to sketch, and what to focus on.
Is is a busy time in the lead up tp Clunes Booktown Festival in less than two weeks. I have over 80 ‘drawn in’ books for my stall. This weekend I finished drawing in the last books and started the next steps of organising for the stall. This inclused, creating spreadsheets, making, signs, getting out the four siotcases, and all of the boook themes greeting cards that will also be abailable for purchas.
This week I have a short video for you.
Sketching a passionfruit with watercolour pencils. I meant to sketch it last weekend, so now they are a bit sad looking. I ate them as soon as I did the sketch. They were from our local community garden out the back of the Library.
I then added the watercolour pencil colours for you. They are:
Black
Dark Naples Ochre (not in my everyday kit, but it was out on the table)
Light Cadmium Yellow
Magenta
Blue Violet
Chrome Oxide Green
Grass Green
I used small and medium paintbrushes, instead of the waterbrush that I use out and about.
I wiped the brush on a papertowels in between colours.
Any questions? Just ask !
Happy sketching.
I have new Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil dates available for books, ,as well as other classes. See them all on my website,
On Saturday, I held a Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil class in a room in my local Library. I have been fortunate to have some travel sketchbooks on display in the Library and met a few locals who attended the class.
We had blue skies and sunshine and went outside in the heat for our short walk to do some outside, on-location sketching. I always enjoy the class as the attendees are always so enthusiastic and curious.
On Sunday, I decided it was time to do another film of me sketching. I took my phone outside and found a place in the local park. It was a very humid day. They have a few tables, but I stood up and established my sketchkit and sketchbook at an empty (and clean) BBQ site for this short film. It is much easier than sketching and filming when sitting on the ground. I wanted to sketch an interesting tree. It is just a quick sketch, an impression of a large tree with a heavy canopy.
The FaberCastell Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils I used were:
Pine Green
Chrome Oxide Green
Grass Green
Dark Sepia
Burnt Ochre
Below is the short video.
I then sat under another tree that was closer and focused on the trunk.
I am planning some more Travel Sketching with Watercolour pencils for the months of April, May and June. They will be on Saturday mornings 10.30am to 12.30pm.
A long weekend in Sydney. A great opportunity to do some example sketches for Travel Sketching with Watercolour pencil class next Saturday !
The sketches tell a story. I have a bit more writing to do on the page, but I wanted to share these now.
On the Skybus to the Airport
At the Airport
I HAD to sketch the Sydney Opera House. It was very hot and sunny and there is not much shade around. I found some next to a big group of tourists waiting for their bus.
I never tire of this. So many angles to sketch from !
I met Sydney Urban Sketchers Hyde Park. Two hours of chatting and sketching (mainly chatting)
A part of the big fountain. Sketched very quickly as it was in full sun on a hot day.
Magpies – NSW are different from Vic ! white back v black back
Ibis – These bin chickens have beautiful feathers
Lunch
early morning at the airport
I have not included the sketches from the events I flew to Sydney to attend: a Georgette Heyer event and Jane Austen reading from “Lady Susan”.
I always love my classes. On Sunday, I held a Watercolour Pencil Sketching class at The Johnson Collection in East Melbourne. I meet the most interesting people in classes, have fascinating conversations and introduce people to watercolour pencil. The best way to spend an afternoon !
The Johnston Collection is an exhibition house of exquisite British and European fine and decorative arts in a historic East Melbourne townhouse. They have guided tours, amazing lectures, and events. I have presented a number Watercolour Pencil sketching classes in 2024, 2025 and continue in 2026.
This is a unique opportunity to learn to sketch ‘on location’ at The Johnston Collection. Become familiar with watercolour pencils and how to use them. Then test your new skills as you explore the ground floor rooms of The Johnston Collection’s exhibition house, Fairhall. Have a look at their Special Events to book and see what else is on offer. Anyone can book for my event, you don’t have to be a Member.
I have been sketching all weekend in one way or another.
Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil class
I held the first of my Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil classes. It had been a long time since I held this class and I have missed sharing my passion for travel sketching. It is a two hour class in person, which is repeated in February & March. There is an option to BYO gear or purchase a sketchkit.
No experience necessary, just curiosity and enthusiasm. The lovely attendees yesterday had plenty of that. We were fortunate to have great weather. It was exciting to have visitors from California, the Philippines and China as well as Brisbane. There were locals from Melbourne and some here in East Melbourne. Great fun!
Mark 21 & 22 March in your calendar if you are near Melbourne and read more about the Festival here. I have shelves of books ready to be drawn-in, that I have been collecting from op-shops throughout the year. These books were under $5 or about to be discarded. I will also bring any that are currently on my ETSY site.
These are all works in progress.
The Small Cellar: the small wine-cellar-It’s care and maintenance L.B. Escritt Herbert Jenkins 1960 178 hardcover
Black Beauty Anna Sewell The Thames Publishing Co 1948 247 hardcover
My Family and Other Animals Gerald Durrell The Reprint Society 1958 319 hardcover
Image ideas for a new class at The Johnston Collection
I am very excited to be planning more watercolour pencil sketching classes in my continued relationship with The Johnston Collection (TJC). The Johnston Collection is a house museum with a superb collection of English Georgian, Regency, and Louis XV fine and decorative arts, and objet d’art . The current display theme is “Home Comforts which invites us to consider, ‘What makes a home, a home? ’Each room of Fairhall has been re-imagined, revealing new stories about the meaning of ‘home’ in the 1700s and 1800s.
We are planning for a new “sketching on location” class in the new display that will be in place after April. Here are some sketching images being considered for the promotions.
This event is supported by The Colin Holden Charitable Trust.
It may seem like I have not had a pencil out of my hand all weekend, but I have and have enjoyed chatting to friends, swims in the pool and a bit of art administration.
Back to work tomorrow.
Happy sketching everyone! I hope that you have been inspired in the New Year to take your sketchbook and art gear out and do a bit og playing.
Please let me know if you have any questions about watercolor pencils.
On Sunday night, some good fiends took me to the first night of the Australlian Open.
I have never been to the tennis before , so to go to the biggest Australian event was s wonderful opportunity . And of course, a wonderful sketching opportunity.
I had sketched at the cricket at the Boxing Day test (another big event). This gave me the experience of how to approach sketching a large stadium and the crowd.
At Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Open 18 January 2026
The first sketch is in watercolour pencils. I started before people started to arrive. Yes the seats and the courts are blue.
I stayed in the same seat LL from 5:30pm to 11.05 pm. People don’t move around as much as they do at the Test Cricket.
I also learnt, at the cricket, that the players were difficult to sketch as they more all the time. But the ball boys and girls stayed still and returned to the same spot. I think that if I practiced and became familiar with the different stances.
I have lots of art plans and projects in place for 2026.
I will, of course, continue to sketch everyday. I have also booked in some exciting events.
Yesterday I set up a display of my sketchbooks in my local East Melbourne Library. The theme is travel sketching and the pages are open at some relevant sketches.
This is associated with my Travel Sketching with Watercolour Pencil classes that I will be running from the library rooms over the next few months. It had been a long time since I held this class and I have missed sharing my passion for travel sketching. It is a two hour class in person and is repeated in February & March. There is an option to BYO gear or purchase a sketchkit. No experience necessary, just curiosity and enthusiasm,
The Johnston Collection is an exhibition house of exquisite British and European fine and decorative arts in a historic East Melbourne townhouse. They have guided tours, amazing lectures, and events. I have presented a number Watercolour Pencil sketching classes in 2024 and continued in 2025.
This is a unique opportunity to learn to sketch ‘on location’ at The Johnston Collection. Become familiar with watercolour pencils and how to use them. Then test your new skills as you explore the ground floor rooms of The Johnston Collection’s exhibition house, Fairhall. Have a look at their Special Events to book and see what else is on offer. Anyone can book for my event, you don’t have to be a Member.
On Christmas Eve I received an email that I had been accepted as a stallholder at the Annual Clunes Booktown Festival. It was the best Christmas present !
Mark 21 & 22 March in your calendar and read more about the Festival here. I have shelves of books ready to be drawn in that I have been collecting from opshops throughout the year. These books were under $5 or about to be discarded. I will also bring also any that are currently on my ETSY site.
Australian Seashores: a guide for the beach-lover, the naturalist, the shore fisherman, and the student by William J Dakin published by Angus and Robertson (1953) 372p
Melbourne Rare Book Week
I will continue to be the official sketcher on location at Melbourne Rare Book Week and Rare Book Fair this year. I have been involved with this amazing event since 2015 and my involvement and friendships have grown each year. The date has not yet been announced. It is usually the last half of July.
Commission
I have been working on a private commission over the past few weekend and adding the final touches today, to be delivered next week.
There are many other exciting plans in the pipeline that I will share if they eventuate.
