The Story Behind the Urban Sketching

This is from my 2018 Europe trip where I walked 900km on the Camino de Santiago. It was early morning and I spotted this car right next to a vineyard. The metal car was such a stark contrast to the leafy fields of grape vines that merged into the distant hills.

I also love how the car’s colour is almost an identical match to the sky and the interior colours match the distant hills. Unfortunately I started painting with the wrong blue and it started to dry before I had chance to lift the colour. As Bob Ross would say, its still a happy mistake.

This style of sketching is a loose representation and not a photographic copy like my gouache paintings, I’m still very happy with the result. This is also usually why I don’t show the exact photo I’m working from so people don’t compare the sketch and the photograph.

My Sketching and Painting Process

Unfortunately I totally forgot to photograph the initial sketch and ink overlays, this sometimes happens if I sketch in the evenings and wait for better light in the morning.

Watercolour added loosely just for some basic colour.

Tombo brush pens added for toning and shadows.

Drawing in all the fine details in ink.

Watercolour Paint, Ink & Paper

I use Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolour on Arches France Watercolour Paper, 300g Hot Pressed or Fabriano Artistico Watercolour Paper 300g Hot Pressed..

Tombo Brush Pens N15, N45, N55, N60, N65, N95 and Faber Castell Fine-liners 0.05, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7

My painting come from my own experiences that I have photographed while traveling. By reading this blog, you as a viewer can now hear The Story Behind the Painting. Where, when, what was happening while I was photographing the wildlife. 

Enjoy, Chris Osborne