Sketch of the Day: New Sketchbook

When I open a new sketchbook, I like to go straight to the back and make some test charts to see how the different tools work on the paper. I just finished my last sketchbook and am starting in a new watercolour Moleskine sketchbook. Instead of making little ordered grids of squiggles, I thought it would be fun to sketch the supplies using the supplies! Easier said than done, it turns out. It sure was fun, though! The pens turned out very bendy, which amuses me (need to remember to wear my glasses next time). I forgot to use the Aquash waterbrush, but otherwise I kept to my rule: the Winsor and Newton paints are just that, same with the Neocolor watersoluable crayons. This is the first time I've tried to use them like gouache. I had swapped the white for ultramarine, but I found it fun to add white touches here and there for a different effect.

For the sake of completeness, these are two examples of the same exercise using the Aquash waterbrush, both from when I was just getting used to it. In fact, I was starting to believe I wouldn't like to use it; it seemed like a lot of water and very little control. But I did get used to it, or it to me!