Watercolour on Location
Improve your urban sketches of complex scenes by learning how to tell better stories, create stronger values and develop your own style of painting.
Does this sound like you?
“I’m unsure where to start, what to include and what to leave out”
“I don’t feel comfortable sketching on location and so often sketch from photos afterwards”
“My sketches feel flat and my shadows are often too harsh”
“I need help with skies, trees, water”
“I want to be faster and looser – my watercolour sketches always seem overworked”
Watercolour On Location has been designed to address these common struggles
Why learn Watercolour On Location?
Many sketchers feel comfortable sketching isolated objects at home, but feel overwhelmed when they try sketching on location
The secret is to spend time thinking about story and composition before you start
In this course you’ll learn how to:
• simplify and interpret complex scenes
• create lively watercolour sketches with strong values.
• sketch any scene, no matter how complicated,
• create a focus and work in a way that will strengthen it.
You’ll be part of an inspiring community of sketchers from around the world who will share their unique styles. You’ll never lack inspiration!
You can use these techniques for any outdoor subject matter, for a variety of different sketching styles and any level of experience.
Who is the course for?
Watercolour on Location has been designed for sketchers with some experience – with some general drawing and watercolour skills.
WANTING TO START SKETCHING OUT ON LOCATION?
This course will give you lots of strategies for becoming an urban sketcher and inspire you to get out sketching in public more often!
FINDING THAT YOUR URBAN SKETCHES ARE OVERWORKED AND PATCHY?
The secret to a successful urban sketch is to have simple shapes, strong values and lively watercolour washes. In Watercolour On Location you'll learn how to create all of these!
WANTING TO BE ABLE TO SKETCH MORE COMPLEX SCENES?
In Watercolour on Location you will learn how to simplify any scene into main elements and how to tell better stories. This will make sketching it easier!
Watercolour On Location is built upon the concepts, skills and techniques developed in other SketchingNow courses – including Foundations, Edges and Watercolour.
Please check out Foundations if you want general drawing instruction, Watercolour for developing essential painting skills and Edges for improving your ink and wash sketches.
Please check out Foundations if you want general drawing instruction, Watercolour for developing essential painting skills and Edges for improving your ink and wash sketches.
How will the course work?
Start today and work at your own pace
- All lessons are available when you purchase the course so you can work through the lessons at your own pace
- Share your work and interact with other students inside the custom-designed classroom galleries and forum
- Ask Liz questions related to the course in the dedicated question section for each lesson.
Work through the course with a group
- Each year Liz hosts a number of Group Self-paced or Live Versions for selected courses.
- A Group Self-paced Version allows you to work through the lessons as a group with weekly emails to prompt you to move onto the next lesson.
- A Live Version will include bonus live teaching sessions with Liz (private YouTube Livestreams) as you work through the lessons with a group.
- If you’ve purchased the course at any time you can join these group events for free. See FAQ below for more details
Ready to create urban sketches with eye-catching compositions?
How you'll learn
Custom-designed classroom
Interactive Livestreams
How you'll learn
- over 20 hours of step-by-step video lessons, each lesson building on the previous, so you can make steady progress in a systematic way
- theory sections that clearly explain the essential concepts so that you can apply them to your own style and way of working
- downloadable PDF handout so you can quickly review the key elements of each lesson when you need it
- specific assignments designed so that you really understand and know how to use the concepts from the lesson – these can be done from the comfort of home, from photos, or out on location
- multiple examples from Liz’s sketchbooks explaining how to use the concepts
- bonus material showing how to apply the concepts in more intermediate ways so that you can continue to improve your sketch every time you go through the course.
Custom-designed classroom
- specially designed private classroom with dedicated assignment galleries and forum so that you can connect with and be inspired by other sketchers from around the world who are working alongside you
- ability to ask Liz questions about the lessons you are working through so you can get help when you need it
- livestreams during Live Versions – which will include reviews of student’s work, mini demos, bonus material and a chance to have your questions answered in real-time
- full transcripts for all video lessons so you can easily follow along
- lifetime access to all course content and any future Group Events and bonus material so you can continue to learn as your skills grow
Interactive Livestreams
- A very special part of SketchingNow courses is the interactive livestreams that are hosted during Live Versions. These live Q&A sessions include a review of work posted in the classroom, additional demos and a chance to get all your sketching questions answered in real-time!
- Live Versions only occur once every 1-2 years however replays of previous livestreams are available inside the classroom.
“I absolutely loved the course!
I wanted to sketch faster on location, more spontaneous and I think I’ve learned how to do that!
I normally blindly sketch whatever is in front of me that I like, but I never asked myself “why am I sketching this?”
I plan to take a few minutes longer selecting my scene so I can tell a better story.“
I wanted to sketch faster on location, more spontaneous and I think I’ve learned how to do that!
I normally blindly sketch whatever is in front of me that I like, but I never asked myself “why am I sketching this?”
I plan to take a few minutes longer selecting my scene so I can tell a better story.“
Yvonne
“This course has a tremendous amount of information to think through, practice, use again and again. I could go on and on about what a wonderful course you have given to us, just amazing!
One of my big takeaways for this course was. Interpret the scene, the story that captures my interest and keep light values light even if everything seems dark.
I just want to keep sketching for the sheer joy of being lost in the scene! Thank you, thank you!!“
One of my big takeaways for this course was. Interpret the scene, the story that captures my interest and keep light values light even if everything seems dark.
I just want to keep sketching for the sheer joy of being lost in the scene! Thank you, thank you!!“
Lura
“I was so enthused about this class that I did about 98 percent of the homework and pushed everything else out of my life. It was two months very well spent!
I learned how to decide on story and I’m now careful to leave out what doesn’t help the story.
I learned how to research something I don’t know how to draw. And I also I learned how to use a grey scale and a thumbnail to determine where the lights and darks go.”
I learned how to decide on story and I’m now careful to leave out what doesn’t help the story.
I learned how to research something I don’t know how to draw. And I also I learned how to use a grey scale and a thumbnail to determine where the lights and darks go.”
Vivian
“Great class, great content and lots of fun, yet challenging, exercises.
I felt an improvement towards my goal of working faster and looser:
Spending the time to do a value thumbnail can actually help me work faster, looser and more confidently by forcing me to make decisions early on.“
I felt an improvement towards my goal of working faster and looser:
Spending the time to do a value thumbnail can actually help me work faster, looser and more confidently by forcing me to make decisions early on.“
Johanna
Course Outline
Introduction
1 week
- Challenges of sketching on Location
- Start thinking about your work (exercise)
- Essential Drawing Skills (exercise and drawing thumbnail challenge)
- Essential Painting Skills (exercise and shadow shape thumbnail challenge)
- Materials (exercise)
- Putting together an Urban Sketching Kit (exercise)
- Start thinking about your work (exercise)
- Essential Drawing Skills (exercise and drawing thumbnail challenge)
- Essential Painting Skills (exercise and shadow shape thumbnail challenge)
- Materials (exercise)
- Putting together an Urban Sketching Kit (exercise)
Part 1: Selection and Design
2 weeks
-Theory 1: How to select a story of a complex scene
- Theory 2: How to refine your story, simplify and position it on the page
- Theory 3: How to strengthen your story and create interest through design
- On Location Demo: Select, refine and design in a busy local area
- Gallery: Reviewing the design of some examples from Liz’s sketchbooks
- Exercises: Select, refine and design
- Plus Questions, Feedback, Takeaways and Bonus Material
- Replay of livestreams from previous Live Versions
- Theory 2: How to refine your story, simplify and position it on the page
- Theory 3: How to strengthen your story and create interest through design
- On Location Demo: Select, refine and design in a busy local area
- Gallery: Reviewing the design of some examples from Liz’s sketchbooks
- Exercises: Select, refine and design
- Plus Questions, Feedback, Takeaways and Bonus Material
- Replay of livestreams from previous Live Versions
Part 2: Value and Colour
2 weeks
- Theory 1: How to see colour as value, create value studies and map light and dark
- Theory 2: How to convert value studies to watercolour and whether to work for light to dark, or start with the darks
- Theory 3: How to mix vibrant shadow colours, use colour temperature and colour dominance
- On Location Demo: Using values studies for a direct watercolour sketch of a light coloured building
- Gallery: Reviewing some examples which show how Liz modifies values to create lively sketches
- Exercises: Value studies exercises, shadow colour charts, capturing light, colour dominance and more
- Plus Questions, Feedback, Takeaways and Bonus Material
- Replay of livestreams from previous Live Versions
- Theory 2: How to convert value studies to watercolour and whether to work for light to dark, or start with the darks
- Theory 3: How to mix vibrant shadow colours, use colour temperature and colour dominance
- On Location Demo: Using values studies for a direct watercolour sketch of a light coloured building
- Gallery: Reviewing some examples which show how Liz modifies values to create lively sketches
- Exercises: Value studies exercises, shadow colour charts, capturing light, colour dominance and more
- Plus Questions, Feedback, Takeaways and Bonus Material
- Replay of livestreams from previous Live Versions
Part 3: Review Week 1
1 week
Review of selected work from the classroom showing further applications of the concepts from the first half of the course.
Part 4: Elements and Texture
2 weeks
- Theory 1: How to sketch anything – Liz’s research process
- Theory 2: An overview of Liz’s Elements books: Trees, skies, water, foreground, people, cars, boats
- Theory 3: How to incorporate elements into a sketch and how to control texture
- On Location Demo: Using values and elements for a harbour view
- Gallery: Reviewing some examples of - Liz’s approach to sky, trees and water, plus how to fix an unsuccessful sketch due to too much texture.
- Exercises: Creating a collective elements resource and combining a number of elements in an outdoor sketch
- Plus Questions, Feedback, Takeaways and Bonus Material
- Replay of livestreams from previous Live Versions
- Theory 2: An overview of Liz’s Elements books: Trees, skies, water, foreground, people, cars, boats
- Theory 3: How to incorporate elements into a sketch and how to control texture
- On Location Demo: Using values and elements for a harbour view
- Gallery: Reviewing some examples of - Liz’s approach to sky, trees and water, plus how to fix an unsuccessful sketch due to too much texture.
- Exercises: Creating a collective elements resource and combining a number of elements in an outdoor sketch
- Plus Questions, Feedback, Takeaways and Bonus Material
- Replay of livestreams from previous Live Versions
Part 5: Making Decisions
2 weeks
- Theory 1: How to start and decide what approach to use
- Theory 2: How to solve watercolour problems when sketching complex scenes
- Theory 3: How to make decisions on the fly about colour, values, composition, design etc
- On Location Demo: Two versions of a cityscape to explore how to sketch within a limited time frame and make decisions on the fly
- Gallery: Reviewing some examples of hard scenes and cityscapes
- Exercises: Sketching timeframes, analysis of hard scenes, planned vs spontaneous sketching and an outdoor sketch of a cityscape
- Plus Questions, Feedback, Takeaways and Bonus Material
- Replay of livestreams from previous Live Versions
- Theory 2: How to solve watercolour problems when sketching complex scenes
- Theory 3: How to make decisions on the fly about colour, values, composition, design etc
- On Location Demo: Two versions of a cityscape to explore how to sketch within a limited time frame and make decisions on the fly
- Gallery: Reviewing some examples of hard scenes and cityscapes
- Exercises: Sketching timeframes, analysis of hard scenes, planned vs spontaneous sketching and an outdoor sketch of a cityscape
- Plus Questions, Feedback, Takeaways and Bonus Material
- Replay of livestreams from previous Live Versions
Part 6: Putting it all together
2 weeks
- Follow Liz around for a day of non-stop sketching
- 8 different demos including morning coffee, complex buildings, shops, harbour view and more
- Lots of tips for sketching on location
- Tips for finishing off sketchbook pages
- Plus Questions, Feedback, Takeaways and Bonus Material
- Replay of livestreams from previous Live Versions
- 8 different demos including morning coffee, complex buildings, shops, harbour view and more
- Lots of tips for sketching on location
- Tips for finishing off sketchbook pages
- Plus Questions, Feedback, Takeaways and Bonus Material
- Replay of livestreams from previous Live Versions
Part 7: Review Week 2
1 week
Review of selected work from the classroom showing further applications of the concepts from the second half of the course.
SketchingNow courses have been designed to build on each other so you will see the most progress in your own sketching by working through them in a logical order.
Buy Watercolour On Location as a standalone course or buy the Urban Sketching bundle and save!
Watercolour On Location Course
In Watercolour On Location
- Learn to simplify and interpret complex scenes when sketching on location
- Create lively watercolour sketches with strong colours and values
- Develop a habit of assesing the values of a scene before starting
- Explore different approaches to sketch and discover what works best for you
- Sketch a range of different types of scene out on location
$
249 USD
Urban Sketching Bundle
In Watercolour On Location
- Learn to simplify and interpret complex scenes when sketching on location
- Create lively watercolour sketches with strong colours and values
- Develop a habit of assessing the values of a scene before starting
- Explore different approaches to sketch and discover what works best for you
- Sketch a range of different types of scene out on location
PLUS
In Edges - Improve your ink and wash sketches and say more with less
- Create sketches with more depth by varying the edges of your drawing and painting
- Learn to see buildings in terms of volumes, that will make them much easier to sketch
- Use a value-based way of applying colour to make your building sketches lively
Money back guarantee
We offer a money back guarantee for SketchingNow courses. If you are unhappy with the course for any reason, let us know and we will refund your payment within the first 30 days of the course.
Frequently Asked Questions
What materials do I need for Watercolour On Location?
There is no set materials list for this course but these are the minimum requirements:
- your normal watercolour kit
- your normal brush
- your normal sketchbook
- a pen with permanent ink - a fineliner or fountain pen.
Grey Markers
The only special recommendation for this course is to have some markers to create a 5 step-value scale.
Recommended markers:
- Pitt Pens: Warm Grey 272, 273, 274 and Black 199.
-Tombow: N75, N65, N45, N15
Download PDF Materials List
- your normal watercolour kit
- your normal brush
- your normal sketchbook
- a pen with permanent ink - a fineliner or fountain pen.
Grey Markers
The only special recommendation for this course is to have some markers to create a 5 step-value scale.
Recommended markers:
- Pitt Pens: Warm Grey 272, 273, 274 and Black 199.
-Tombow: N75, N65, N45, N15
Download PDF Materials List
Is the course live or pre-recorded?
The course contains over 20 hours of pre-recorded videos which can be watched at any time.
During a Live Version (which only happens every 12-24 months) there are some bonus livestreams. Replays of previous livestreams are available in the classoom.
During a Live Version (which only happens every 12-24 months) there are some bonus livestreams. Replays of previous livestreams are available in the classoom.
Can I work through the course at my own pace?
Yes! All SketchingNow courses are available as self-paced courses at all times. All you have to do is signup and you can start working through the lessons straight away!
- You have full access to all lessons on enrollment within the custom-built SketchingNow classroom.
- You can interact with fellow students inside the classroom, comment on each other’s work in the homework galleries and discuss all kinds of art topics within the forum.
- You can ask Liz questions related to the course in the dedicated question section for each lesson.
- If you want some accountability in working through the lessons, you can sign up to receive weekly lesson reminder emails. Each week you will receive a new email to prompt you to move on to the next part of the course.
- You have full access to all lessons at the time of enrollment and free access to all future Group Self-paced and Live Versions for that course.
- You have full access to all lessons on enrollment within the custom-built SketchingNow classroom.
- You can interact with fellow students inside the classroom, comment on each other’s work in the homework galleries and discuss all kinds of art topics within the forum.
- You can ask Liz questions related to the course in the dedicated question section for each lesson.
- If you want some accountability in working through the lessons, you can sign up to receive weekly lesson reminder emails. Each week you will receive a new email to prompt you to move on to the next part of the course.
- You have full access to all lessons at the time of enrollment and free access to all future Group Self-paced and Live Versions for that course.
What is a Group Self-paced version of Watercolour On Location?
Group Self-Paced Versions occur within specific courses each year. There is no extra charge to participate.
- From time to time Liz will suggest a specific course to work through in preparation for an upcoming Live Version.
- She will suggest a start date and a schedule for going through the course. You'll get the benefit of working through the exercises together and getting lots of helpful and supportive comments from the group.
- You can ask Liz questions related to the course in the dedicated question section for each lesson.
- If you have enrolled for the specific course previously, you can join a Group Self-paced version of that course for free.
- From time to time Liz will suggest a specific course to work through in preparation for an upcoming Live Version.
- She will suggest a start date and a schedule for going through the course. You'll get the benefit of working through the exercises together and getting lots of helpful and supportive comments from the group.
- You can ask Liz questions related to the course in the dedicated question section for each lesson.
- If you have enrolled for the specific course previously, you can join a Group Self-paced version of that course for free.
What is a Live Version?
Live Versions are special events that occur within specific courses each year. There is no extra charge to participate.
- Every year Liz chooses a few SketchingNow courses to go through with a group. Together we work through the lessons and keep each other motivated and inspired!
- You will get the benefit of working through the exercises together and getting lots of helpful and supportive comments from the group.
- Each week you'll be prompted to move on to the next section of the course and participate in bonus live streams where you can ask questions, see reviews of selected work from the classroom and hang out with the group.
- Every livestream will have unique discussions and demonstrations related to the current lesson and there will be lots of opportunities to ask Liz questions in real-time.
- Livestreams will be held at alternating time slots to accommodate people in all time zones and replays will be available in the classroom after the event.
- Liz will be in the classroom regularly looking at the work uploaded and answering questions.
- If you have enrolled for the specific course previously, you can join any Live Version of that course for free
- If you get behind during the Live version, you can finish off the lessons at any time.
- Every year Liz chooses a few SketchingNow courses to go through with a group. Together we work through the lessons and keep each other motivated and inspired!
- You will get the benefit of working through the exercises together and getting lots of helpful and supportive comments from the group.
- Each week you'll be prompted to move on to the next section of the course and participate in bonus live streams where you can ask questions, see reviews of selected work from the classroom and hang out with the group.
- Every livestream will have unique discussions and demonstrations related to the current lesson and there will be lots of opportunities to ask Liz questions in real-time.
- Livestreams will be held at alternating time slots to accommodate people in all time zones and replays will be available in the classroom after the event.
- Liz will be in the classroom regularly looking at the work uploaded and answering questions.
- If you have enrolled for the specific course previously, you can join any Live Version of that course for free
- If you get behind during the Live version, you can finish off the lessons at any time.
Do I need to have any special social media accounts?
Everything you need to access the lessons, post homework and interact with others is contained within the SketchingNow classroom.
The only exception are the Livestreams (during Live Versions) which will occur on Youtube. A YouTube account is needed to interact with the live chat but without it you can still watch the livestream and send your questions via email. Replays will be available.
The only exception are the Livestreams (during Live Versions) which will occur on Youtube. A YouTube account is needed to interact with the live chat but without it you can still watch the livestream and send your questions via email. Replays will be available.
Will Watercolour On Location help me develop my own style?
In a typical 'copy-me' demo-based art course, the selection of the scene and the interpretation of it has already been done by the artist. You might be able to successfully copy their steps but this often means that you still struggle when you go out sketching on your own.
In Watercolour On Location we focus on how to decide what to sketch (based on what you find interesting about a certain scene) and how to work out how to sketch it in your own style!
In Watercolour On Location we focus on how to decide what to sketch (based on what you find interesting about a certain scene) and how to work out how to sketch it in your own style!
I'm a beginner... can I do Watercolour On Location or do I need to start with Foundations?
SketchingNow courses have been designed to be a comprehensive sketching programme starting with Foundations and Watercolour as the beginner courses.So to get the most out of Watercolour On Location it is recommended that you have done Foundations and Watercolour beforehand.
If there is a Group Event scheduled and you'll like to join...
The community aspect of a SketchingNow Live Version is so special and the group is so supportive that numerous beginners have successfully gone through the course in the past. If you are someone who is inspired by hanging out with more experienced sketches and can cope with doing what you can in an intermediate course, then please join this Live Version! :-)
If there is a Group Event scheduled and you'll like to join...
The community aspect of a SketchingNow Live Version is so special and the group is so supportive that numerous beginners have successfully gone through the course in the past. If you are someone who is inspired by hanging out with more experienced sketches and can cope with doing what you can in an intermediate course, then please join this Live Version! :-)
It's hard to get outside to sketch... can I sketch from photos?
The focus of the Watercolour On Location course is sketching out on location but I understand that it can be hard at times to go out sketching.
So each lesson contains a number of theory exercises that are done from photos before going outside. If you can't go outside each week it's okay to do the main outdoor exercise from photos.
If you are afraid of sketching in public or worried about the weather, the SketchingNow community will be full of ideas and inspiration to push through these barriers. BTW sketching from the comfort of a cafe is always an option :-)
So each lesson contains a number of theory exercises that are done from photos before going outside. If you can't go outside each week it's okay to do the main outdoor exercise from photos.
If you are afraid of sketching in public or worried about the weather, the SketchingNow community will be full of ideas and inspiration to push through these barriers. BTW sketching from the comfort of a cafe is always an option :-)
Watercolour On Location is an intermediate course focusing on
sketching on location with watercolour
Please check out:
Foundations for general drawing instruction
Watercolour for essential painting skills
Edges for improving your ink and wash sketches
