Lots of people have been emailing me recently, and well, not-so-recently - asking for tips on where to start with ink and watercolour sketching, and urban sketching.
My YouTube has almost 400 videos now, so of course, finding the 'best' videos may not be so easy!
But this blog post will answer this question, and give you loads of different ideas on where you can get started with sketching and urban sketching!
My Philosophy - Mistakes Don't Matter
Remember when you're sketching that you will make mistakes, but that's ok. This is really important to remember when you're a sketching or urban sketching beginner, first setting out to learn how to sketch and draw with ink and watercolours.
Actually mistakes are wonderful, so saying they don't matter isn't true at all. But it's more catching than trying to explain exactly what I really mean.
No, instead mistakes are wonderful because they create unexpected moments of brilliance, happy accidents that look amazing on our page.
But they're also great learning points - when we make a mistake, we remember it. That's why they can hit us so hard. Humans are good at remembering bad experiences, not so good at remembering the good.
If we can take it as a positive though, it means that we can learn so much from our mistakes.
Now, on to those ideas!
Learn to Sketch - Start with ink sketching
Ink sketching is great - it's easy to control, and drawing with pen or pencil is the fundamental to most art.
In this video we look at simple processes and concepts that can jump start your sketching career.
Learn to ink and watercolour sketch - Sketch a Shopfront
This video shows you how to get started with a real life urban scene showing you a beginners process to take you step-by-step through ink and watercolour urbansketching.
Sketching a shope front is a great place to start, because there is no perspective, and shop fronts are very pretty and easily found en plein air. This video also talks about all the equipment you might want.
Start sketching from the basics - Sketch a Windmill
Here we can make a really simple sketch that is ideal for learning to urban sketch in ink and watercolours, from the very beginner for absolute beginners.
Using a simple sketch like this we can talk a little about perspective, textures, layering of watercolours and other great ink and watercolour techniques!
Get Started in LOOSE Watercolours - Sketch this Malta Street
This one is a little different. Again, no perspective to deal with, but lots of loose watercolours. A Good way to start if you're looking for how to play more with the watercolours and not 'just' paint.
Loads more tips tricks and techniques for beginner sketchers!
This is absolutely filled with all sorts of different sketches, doodles and concepts. You could have a look through and probably find a video on almost any sketching concept in my style.
So there you go...
Absolutely loads of ways to get started in urban sketching, from step-by-step tutorials for beginners to ink and watercolour sketching through to tonnes and tips and tricks for everyone to enjoy!