A bit of color. I use ‘Ink-tense’ pencils to color my quick sketches. They are Derwent brand pencils with a watercolor-pencil like consistency. But when you add water washes to make them into paint, they actually become permanent, making them less likely to smear or bleed in high humidity in my abused little sketch pads. I sometimes use a brush with an internal compartment for water when I travel, so I don’t have to carry too much. I also freely use water offered to me at restaurants, blotting my little 0 watercolor brush on paper napkins. I don’t use a lot of color as I go, but sometimes I find it helps.

shy holly dragon

And a few sketches showing how the sketch-a-day progress is improving my work in Celtic art. The first is a quick layout for a chariot, the second a quick layout for a piece on Bellanos.

two horse chariot

Bellanos

So, the sketching is definitely paying off, giving me a better feel for putting down ideas in quick formats and keeping them dated and organized. I feel more confident in putting layouts together without as much fussing, and saving the critique for later.

kjn

kjn

I have worked up an intricate border of spirals for this piece. I wasn’t sure how detailed I was going to be, as I didn’t have a clear view of this piece yet.

I’ve finally decided to work the Pookah in a crisper and darker fashion than originally intended. Rather than work with loose and light glazes of colors to create a more mystical look, I’ve decided to work with ink and crowquill nibs to render some rich details and spirals. Especially in the border.

I’ll add watercolors in oranges, reds and golds, and work in some highlights of gouche in copper to bring up my feeling of autumn. The central image of the Pookah will be a bit less stylized than the border, but maintaining a clarity of detail.

The first step is to transfer the design, laid out on a masonite board, to a heavy sheet of cold press 140 lb. watercolor paper. I usually use D’Arches blocks because I have a very limited storage space for paper, and I have three cats who get into things. Blocks store upright without warping any papers.

I would usually use hot press paper, to get in my details, but in this case, I wanted the cold press texture to come out in the central design.

I don’t own a light table, and wouldn’t have much room to install one big enough for most of my watercolors, so I use a vertical surface. After tracing the design from the board, I tape it to the large window next to my easel, and then tape the watercolor paper over it. It works well for large pieces, though it can cause some stress in the lower back if you work at it too long.

I use an H or 2H to lightly trace the design. Any harder and the pencil will dig into the paper and lines will bleed with paint. Any softer and the lines are too dark and smear too easily. I don’t always follow the lines exactly, so I don’t want them dark or deep enough to alter the flow of ink or paint.

After lightly tracing the lines, I will soak the paper lightly and tack it to my board with staples or tape. I may lose some lines in the soaking, but they are more of a suggestion, anyway. I’ll have enough to work with.

KJN