ASBA 2024 - Lucy T Smith - Creating Botanical Sketchbook Studies Using Pen & Ink with Watercolor

Creating Botanical Sketchbook Studies Using Pen & Ink with Watercolor with Lucy T Smith

In this workshop we will explore the technique of using pen and ink with watercolor in our botanical sketchbooks to document a group of plants representing a Time and Place or a Special Collection. Working on one page, or across a double page of our sketchbooks, we will use either plant material or prepared reference photos to draw our chosen plants. They will first be drawn at life-size in pencil, before outlining in ink and finally adding watercolor. Considerations besides technique will include achieving compositional balance and telling a story. Alongside demonstrations, I will show a range of examples from my own sketchbooks. 

Supplies:

Sketchbook:

• P2047, P2048. A good-sized sketchbook, for example A4 (21 x 29.cm/8.3 x 11.7 inches to A3 size (29.7 x 42cm/11.7 x 16.5 inches). ( I understand that participants’ books may be limited in size by travel requirements, so bring what you can. I recommend a sketchbook containing either cartridge paper with a weight of at least 160gsm, or watercolor paper. Paper of good weight and quality will allow for erasure without tearing. A smooth surface is preferable, but please make sure your paper has some texture so that it holds graphite if you are using pencil.)

Watercolors

• HW100, WNWC1-4, S747, S1091. Please bring your usual watercolors. I use Winsor & Newton professional quality half-pans which are held in an enameled metal tin with fold-out palette surfaces. Bring your own palette to mix paint on, ideally a ceramic palette.

Paintbrushes

• BR28, BR104. Please bring your usual brushes. I mostly use a Size 1 round sable brush made by Winsor & Newton in the “Series 7” range. Alongside that I have a few larger and smaller sizes, plus a synthetic brush for taking the pigment out of my watercolor pans. The larger the area to be covered, the larger the brush required. During this workshop we will be working in small areas of color only.

Pencils

• PL38. For drawing under pen and ink: a 2H lead hardness lead.
• S859, PL13. Keep your pencils sharp with your preferred sharpener – my pencil is a 2mm lead holder, which is sharpened using a “lead pointer tub.”
• E13. For erasing I use a white plastic eraser, “Mars Staedtler” brand. Make sure your eraser is gentle on your paper.

Pens & Ink

• M17, M197, M188. Waterproof black ink pens of any type including: fineliners, rotring pens, dip (nib) pens in sizes ranging from 0.05 – 0.3.  Waterproof ink is essential to avoid ink dissolving under the application of watercolor.
• M61. If working on toned paper, an additional white-inked “Sakura Gelly Roll” pen is recommended. You might also want to try fineliner ink pens in “light grey” and “dark grey” in addition to black.

Measuring equipment

• S984. A clear plastic ruler and/or a pair or dividers for measuring from either plant material or reference photographs.

Lighting

• S4101. Bring a portable light if you have one, to help illuminate your subject and paper in class.