Rio dei Greci – Venice

The Story Behind the Urban Sketching

Another European trip, this time a stopover in Venice to take in some of the architectural delights. The streets and alleyways got me a little confused as I struggled to get to some locations I had my eye on. I would like to return with a different mindset and hopefully a sketch pad to capture the magnificence of Venice.

My Sketching and Painting Process

Initial Pencil sketch.


Adding waterproof Ink over the pencil so this will not bleed during the watercolour stage.

Pencil marks erased.


Watercolour added loosely just for some basic colour.


Tombo brush pens added for toning and shadows.


Drawing in all the fine details in ink.


Finished artwork.


Final framed artwork.


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 paintings are based on my travel experiences. Through this blog, you can discover The Story Behind the Painting, including where and when I captured these wildlife moments, old rustic cars from historical villages, and beautiful seascapes from faraway places.

Enjoy, Chris Osborne

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