Julie Crouch — Simplify for Stronger Sketches

When out and about, we are tempted to include all of the beauty in our sketches and get lost in the details, often resulting in a messy sketch. Learning to edit what you see — deciding what to draw and what to leave out — will help you achieve a stronger sketch.

In this workshop, participants will learn how to decide what to put in and what to leave out of a sketch, simplifying by:

• Limiting the palette
• Limiting the number of brushes
• Cropping the subject 
• Reducing the number of values
• Using detail only where it counts

Most importantly, participants will learn when to stop!

SUPPLY LIST

• A SKETCHBOOK that can withstand a wash of watercolor. I like Strathmore Visual Journal 140 lb. with watercolor paper for its inexpensive price, hard cover (which eliminates the need to carry a board), and its lifting ability.
• A small travel PALETTE such as Portable Painter Travel Pocket Size Palette that you fill with your own watercolor pigments from tubes (which is my preference) -OR- a small travel palette that comes filled with pigment. If your palette isn’t already filled with WATERCOLOR PAINT, fill it with at least 3 colors (one red, one blue and one yellow) plus additional hues if you like.
• 2B PENCIL (either mechanical or wood)
• PLASTIC WATER JAR (unless you use a Portable Painter Travel Pocket Palette which comes with 2 detachable water containers)
• 2 watercolor BRUSHES, depending on the size of your sketchbook, one ½” – 1” flat and 1 round size 6-12
• CLOTH DIAPER OR KLEENEX OR PAPER TOWELS

Optional:

• Orange colored pencil/watercolor pencil and sharpener
• Stool
• Hat with a brim
• Sunscreen