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  • …  
    • Home
    • Printmaking 2024
    • Paintings 
      • Sketchbook 2025
      • Sketchbook 2024
      • Sketchbook 2023
      • France 2023
      • Scilly Sketchbook 2022
      • Sketchbook 2021 2022
      • Oil Paintings 2021
      • Scilly Sketchbook 2021
      • Paintings 2020
      • Paintings 2018
      • Paintings 2017
      • Paintings 2016
      • Paintings 2015
      • Early sketchbooks
      • Helford Sketchbook
    • My Art Bag
    • Shop
    • Contact
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    • Home
    • Printmaking 2024
    • Paintings 
      • Sketchbook 2025
      • Sketchbook 2024
      • Sketchbook 2023
      • France 2023
      • Scilly Sketchbook 2022
      • Sketchbook 2021 2022
      • Oil Paintings 2021
      • Scilly Sketchbook 2021
      • Paintings 2020
      • Paintings 2018
      • Paintings 2017
      • Paintings 2016
      • Paintings 2015
      • Early sketchbooks
      • Helford Sketchbook
    • My Art Bag
    • Shop
    • Contact
    • …  
      • Home
      • Printmaking 2024
      • Paintings 
        • Sketchbook 2025
        • Sketchbook 2024
        • Sketchbook 2023
        • France 2023
        • Scilly Sketchbook 2022
        • Sketchbook 2021 2022
        • Oil Paintings 2021
        • Scilly Sketchbook 2021
        • Paintings 2020
        • Paintings 2018
        • Paintings 2017
        • Paintings 2016
        • Paintings 2015
        • Early sketchbooks
        • Helford Sketchbook
      • My Art Bag
      • Shop
      • Contact
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      • Sketchbook pages

        Some examples from my sketchbooks illustrating a variety of media and subject matterLine - rollerball penLine - pencilLine and tone - pencilLine and tone - rollerball pen and brush penLine and tone - dip pen and washA good number of my sketches involve sitting in a pub or cafe enjoying a beer or a cup of tea... which in one case becomes the medium 

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      • my art bag

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        Art bag

        Typical contents of my art bag:

        Sketchbook

        Drawing materials

        Viewer

        Drawing board clips

        Hat & sunscreen

        Roll-up mat

        & not shown:

        Water & snacks

        Lightweight waterproof

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        Drawing materials

        Some of my current favourites

        Daler Ebony Hardback Sketchbook

        Tombow Brush Pens

        Uniball EYE UB-157 Rollerball pen

        Palomino Blackwing pencils and 2-stage sharpener

        Dip pen and ink

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        Marks & tones

        A starter menu of marks and tones

        5 tones (values) of coolish grey chosen from the Tombow range

         

        Uniball EYE rollerball is permanent and waterproof

         

        Refillable brush pens are great for tonal work... until they burst in your pencil case... I usually prefer to carry a pot of ink and a tiny palette with deep wells

         

        Palomino Blackwing pencils - the ultimate creamy pencils as used by Steinbeck & Disney animators. One pencil teamed with their 2 stage pencil sharpener is the ultimate minimalist sketching kit for a day's sketching

      • SKETCHBOOK WORKSHOP

        Workshop details

        Venue:

        Date & time:

        Tutor: Nick Penn

        Workshop outline

        This course is intended for all skill-levels and is an opportunity to explore new ways of using a sketchbook whether as a day-to-day journal, a record of days-out, a memento of a holiday or as preparation for a painting.

         

        The emphasis will be on travelling light - finding a 'tool-kit' that is so compact that there is no excuse not to have it with you! And then on working quickly to capture the essence of a place without the worry of needing to produce a masterpiece: if it goes 'wrong' just turn over the page and have another go.

         

        Weather-permitting we will work outside for most of the day.

        Topics covered

        • materials - sketchbooks and mark-making gear
        • composition - ideas on framing a view to make a dramatic composition
        • medium - choosing a medium to suit the image
        • where to start - how to fit the image onto the page
        • mark making - expressive marks inspired by the subject
        • tonal drawing - using a full range of tonal values to build a strong image

        What to bring

        Your favourite sketchbook. My favourite is a stitch-bound sketchbook (rather than spiral bound) as big as you can fit into an easy-to-carry bag. I'm currently using a Daler Ebony A4 Hardback Sketchbook 150gsm acid-free paper. Has lovely ivory paper with good bleed resistance.

         

        Viewfinder. I use a home-made cardboard viewfinder with a cutout which has the same aspect ratio as my sketchbook. I have embellished it with a criss-cross made of elasticated cotton.

         

        Mark-making implements. The course will focus on the use of line and tone and we will be working in monochrome. Bring along whatever you have in the way of pencils, brush pens, dip pens, inks etc. in black or sepia. There are lots of good brands - at the moment I'm using Tombow brush pens along with a Uniball EYE rollerball UB157 and Palomino Blackwing pencils.

         

        Clothing for a typical 3-season Cornish day i.e. warm clothes, waterproofs, sunhat, suncream etc. We will work within walking distance of the Hall so you can pick-and-mix and won't have to cart all this round with you.

         

        A small mat or cushion to sit on.

         

        A pack lunch

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