In my last post, I shared how I've been taking an online course from Cathy Johnson called Quick Sketching in Color.
Cathy explains that one of the tricks to doing a lot of sketching is keeping your journal and supplies simple. She's right! Her techniques inspired me to fill this concertina journal in less than a week.
My simplified art kit includes:
a travel watercolor palette, two water brush pens, a pen with waterproof ink, a mechanical pencil, an indigo colored pencil, a jar lid for extra mixing space, a water spray bottle, a tiny container to rinse brushes in, a small water bottle,my journal, and some paper towel.
And, here's a tour of my journal, start to finish.
When the page spreads are this small ( 9"x 6"), it takes very little time to fill them.
The size forces you to simplify complex landscapes.
A single 4.5" x 6" page gives just enough space to explore one facet of the natural world around you,
like a sleepy flock of geese or a tiny newt underwater.
Whenever I flip through this journal, I remember each of the experiences that inspired a sketch. This last one was made on a beautiful, chilly afternoon hike with David. The sinking sun lit up the woods along the creek, making the last bits of color seem electric against the shadowy trees.
I hope you give this approach a try!
If you'd like to learn more about Cathy's online, self-directed classes, follow this link: https://cathyjohnson.info/art-classes/
