As i’ve been exploring my new art journey — wondering around Youtube — i’ve come across the art of ink and wash style urban sketching. I’m very attracted to it and want to give it a go and see where it takes me.
So i thought i’d buy the bits i don’t have — like the paint.
And whilst perusing ebay i came across the “Cotman Water Colours Pocket Plus” palette. ink and wash Someone was selling them, brand new, for less than £10 including postage: so yeah, i bought one.
When it arrived i had a good look at it and decided that with a bit of coaxing from my Dremel i could turn a 12 half pan palette into an 18 half pan palette.
So, having thrown out the “Chinese White”, as i bought a tube of white gouache instead, i was left with space for another 7 colours.
Which i promptly ordered.
I then hacked out the needless bits that were in the way, cut a piece of sturdy plastic to snugly fit the bottom with and stuck the half pans to that with Pritt sticky dot things. This allows me to lift all the pans out if i need to and to also remove them individually as well.
All six additional half pans i added were Cotman, and the empty “Chinese White” half pan i filled with “Winsor Red” from “Winsor and Newton’s Professional Water Colour” range.
I then proceeded to make a swatch of all my new colours in my new Handbook sketch book.
I’ve never been very good with paints, but i’m quite happy with how this turned out for a first time ever go with proper water colours. I don’t think a 6mm flat brush was the best choice, but it got the job done good enough for me.
As a place to start from i’m very happy with my 18 colours and i’m looking forward to playing with them a lot this year, especially when the weather gets nice and i can get outside and play.
I’m thinking of buying a colouring book and just playing with the paints in it. Seems like a good idea to get some much needed painting practice in.
