Capturing the Essence of Place: Sketching on Location (Part One)

It's that time of year when I, along with many other artists, start venturing outdoors to sketch on location. My outdoor sketching is influenced by the weather, and this year I had the unusual chance to sketch outside in February. There were a few days when the weather offered a preview of the warming spring sunshine, and it was delightful to sit in a sheltered area, away from the chilly breeze. Generally, however, April marks the beginning of the outdoor sketching season for me.

Out with the studio assistant, sketching at Sutton Hoo in February!

Today, I observed a pair of goldfinches near my sketching spot. They appeared to perceive me as non-threatening and were quite at ease with my presence as I sat quietly in the spring sunshine. Their cheerful chirping accompanied me for some time as they darted in and out of the hedge, occasionally pausing to sing while perched on the higher branches.

Every season offers a beautiful opportunity to sketch, each with its own unique charm. Spring is particularly special, with its vibrant colours and the lively bustle as nature prepares for new beginnings. Today, I observed birds gathering materials for their nests, bumblebees lazily buzzing around early blooms, and the proud display of pheasants strutting and calling to attract females. It's all truly wonderful and enchanting. I always bring a cup of tea with me, allowing myself to pause and observe these scenes as I settle into my chosen spot, immersing myself in the ambiance. Taking this time influences the mood of my sketches.

This season offers a chance for me to capture tree shapes as branches weave through fresh and budding leaves, creating beautiful forms and views of the sky. By May and June, the trees will be in full bloom, with the foliage capturing light differently and providing great opportunities to capture textures. During this time, swifts and swallows will be active in the sky, while various flowers and butterflies will adorn the hedgerows. I'm already anticipating the warmer weather.

The topic of sketching on location is quite extensive, so I'll address it over the next two blog posts. This month, I'll outline the tools I use and the reasons behind my choices, and next month, I'll discuss how to find inspiration while sketching on location.

Why Sketch?

Sketching is about capturing the essence of something. They can be done quickly and with relatively little equipment. Completed or partially completed sketches can be taken home and developed further in the studio, used for reference for future works, or just be kept as a sketch journal. Words can be added, as well as notes on colours or anything else that sparks interest.

Sketching captures more than a camera can too. The act of sitting and sketching allows the artist to get an authentic sense of place as they become immersed in the environment. Cameras often distort the colours and depth of the subject, whereas a sketch is created using the perception of the artist.

It is also good practice for artists to sketch outdoors as it exercises essential skills like proportion, perspective and composition. Being out on location also provides opportunities to connect with other artists and passers by who may just stop, watch, and want to chat about it. I always carry a few business cards with me just in case!

Materials for Sketching on Location

Since the primary goal is sketching, it's best to avoid being weighed down by carrying a lot of equipment. The most effective method I've devised is to pack everything I anticipate needing into a single, easily portable bag. When I was younger and fitter I would have happily carried a rucksack style outfit with a built-in stool, and all the pockets rammed with stuff I thought I might want. But experience has taught me that I didn't need half of it, so several years ago I really pared it down. We are not painting on location (en plein air), we are just sketching, so a mobile studio is not what we need!

My kit for sketching out on location

I typically bring a watercolor set along with one or two additional items. I pack my bag based on my destination, the weather, and the temperature.

There are numerous portable and tidy options available, so I'll outline a few choices here:

• Graphite Pencils. Can be used on their own, in which case a set with a few different grades of hardness, plus an eraser, sharpener and maybe some blending stumps is required. If I am painting or colour drawing too, then one pencil will suffice. When I am using watercolour I use a watersoluble pencil which will blend in with the watercolour as I paint.

• Coloured Pencils. Either watercolour or normal drawing pencils can be used. I prefer using watercolour pencils because I have the option of using them with water. I take either waterbrush, or brushes and water too.

• Charcoal or Pastel Pencils. These are a nice medium to use, and easy to carry. They can be used on white or tinted paper. I always ensure they are packaged in a proper carrier, because they won't sharpen if they are dropped and shatter inside.

• Watersoluble Wax Sticks. These have the same properties of watercolour pencils, but are more like using a wax crayon. I like them because I can block in areas quickly and create texture.

• Fineliner Pens. Great to use on their own or with watercolour. A set of different size nib pens is useful, but I if I am using watercolour, I just take one in size 0.1 or 0.3

• Watercolour Half Pan Set. Watercolour is a versatile medium and can be used with any of the above, or just on their own. I use a small travel set of 12 colours of artist grade watercolour. I initially used student-grade paints, but as my confidence grew, I transitioned to artist-grade. When a pan runs out, I refill it with paint from a tube and allow it to dry. Since the pigment content is higher, I find that the pans last longer because I need less paint for effective coverage.

My artist's watercolour compact tin, a collapsible water pot, and some travel brushes that fit into a little pouch.

• Gouache. Like watercolour it can be used on its own or with pens and pencils. It is more opaque than watercolour and fills in areas quickly, meaning you I can use light colours over the top of darker ones. However, that can lead to muddy colours, and it dries quicker, so not always suitable for outdoor sketching, particularly hot days.

Employing other mediums like acrylic, inks, or oil paints is more fitting for en plein air work, where I tend to settle in one location for several hours, as opposed to merely sketching something for only half an hour to an hour.

Packing the right surface to work on is essential. Whatever I choose will be portable and lightweight.

• Paper. It is important to have the correct paper for the medium being used. For example, using watercolour or gouache requires a watercolour or heavy multimedia paper to prevent it buckling up and not taking the pigment. I often take a board to which I can tape the paper. Stiff cardboard is effective—I save the pieces from the back of watercolor paper pads since they tend to be quite sturdy.

  

  Watercolour paper taped to an old cover from painting paper pad that I take out with me.

• Sketchbooks. Sketchbooks are a great option, with paper is that suitable for my chosen medium. Sketchbooks are available with cartridge, multimedia, watercolour, pastel paper and tinted paper. Sketchbooks with tinted or kraft paper are perfect for using only black and white, as the tinted paper acts as the mid tone.

• Carriers and Chairs. These days, instead of the all-in-one carrier, I use just one small messenger bag. If I am on foot then I carry a tiny sit mat (like a mini picnic blanket) so I can sit on the grass, a wall or on a public bench. If I am in the car, then I will take a small foldable stool, and maybe a separate bag for larger pieces of paper and a board.

My small messenger bag containing my kit plus a folded up sit mat.

• Portable Easels. I thought I'd mention easels as there are some very lightweight easels available that are useful, and I have one for when I am going out in the car. The benefit of an easel is that I can look at the view, then back to the paper quickly instead of looking up and down all the time.

The right brushes for painting will make for a successful sketch. Sometimes travel kits come with one or two brushes, but over the years I have build up a collection to choose from. When I first started to paint outdoors 30 years ago, I used to cut down full-sized wooden handled brushes for portability! Travel brushes were hard to come by and expensive. Fortunately these days they are readily available and affordable.

• Waterbrush. These are plastic handled brushes with a reservoir inside for water. They can be bought individually or as a set of different sized brush heads. They are useful for sketching, particularly with watersoluble pencils and wax sticks.

• Travel Watercolour Brushes. Travel brushes make life a lot easier as they are designed to be compact and easily stored. Here is an example of what you can buy online.

An example of a travel set of watercolour brushes.

• Water Pot. If I am using mediums that require water, I take a collapsible water pot and a small bottle to take water out with me. I always take a water bottle for drinking, so I always have spare water. I also take a piece of an old tea towel for wiping my brushes on too.

• Viewfinder. Viewfinders are essential. I will talk more about using one next month, but they are very handy and don't take up much room. I have one that is adjustable (rectangles to a square). I started out with a piece of cardboard with a rectangle cut in it, but eventually I bought one that is more durable.

• Colour Chart. Until I got to know my travel paint box well, I used the little chart that comes with most kits. But I also made up a colour mixing chart which I found invaluable to help me find mixes quickly.

• Camera. Most mobile phones have a camera now so I rely on that to take a photo of what I am sketching in case I want to refer to it later. There are times when I take my DSLR camera with me to capture better details, but I only take it out if I have a car.

As I mentioned before, I only take what I need, but it does depend on what I fancy using, and the weather. But most of all, I want it to fit into the one bag, which is easy to carry. Sometimes the limited supplies force me to think more creatively - I have been known to use found thin sticks or dried flower stems dipped in watercolour for mark-making!

To wrap up, sketching on location is a simple but powerful way to capture the essence of a place while truly experiencing it—something a camera can’t quite replicate. With a lightweight, well-chosen kit and the habit of taking a moment to settle in, observe, and absorb the atmosphere, you’ll find your sketches become more confident and more expressive. Next month I’ll build on this by sharing how I find inspiration when I’m out and about, and how a few small approaches can help you decide what to focus on when the landscape feels full of possibilities.

Thank you for joining me for this months behind the scenes blog. If you wish to share your thoughts, please comment below.

Back next month,

Deborah x