Coloured sketches

I love to take a sketchbook with me when I’m out in the countryside. I can make detailed drawings, quick watercolour sketches, or add just a few brief marks with a pencil or pen to remind me of the sc

I often see raised eyebrows when I mention that I love using soft pastels in my sketchbook. Watercolours are a popular choice, being portable and easy to use, but pastels and pastel pencils feel more

‘The real subject of every painting is light.’ CLAUDE MONET WHENEVER I’M PAINTING A PIECE, I am constantly appraising each movement, blend and nuance along the way. When you break it down, the number

SOMETIMES THE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR NEXT PAINTING can be right in front of you – literally. Trying to find the correct subject with great lighting and composition is quite an art: a lot of images won’t

Gouache is a versatile, opaque medium providing great covering power and the ability to correct errors very easily. The range of colours is relatively small compared to other media, but gouache colour

Sometimes the sky in your painting can be quite plain and isn’t meant to be a major part of the subject matter. On other occasions, however, it may be the subject itself or create drama and contrast i