Learn how to sketch like a pro with this beginner-friendly crash course offering 5 step-by-step projects and essential technical guidance.
Covers a variety of media, including sketching with pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, and more!
Starting with a clear, simple method to bring all the senses into play, successful author and guest judge on Channel 5's Watercolour Challenge, Peter Cronin RSMA shows you how to bring artistry and economy to your sketching. Work your way toward more complex, rewarding artworks by following his simple, step-by-step demonstrations and completing 5 projects.
Whether sketching as the basis for painting, or simply for pleasure, this is the ultimate course in sketching for beginners! You’ll find guidance on:
- Getting started and understanding materials
- Working with the eye, hand, and heart
- Types of sketching and essential techniques
- Mastering composition
- Handling complex subject matter
- And more!
Most of the artworks are created using graphite pencil, but Peter also demonstrates how to use charcoal and pen and ink to broaden the possibilities; and encourages you to experiment with other media. By the end of the book, you’ll know how to take your sketching skills further and become an accomplished artist in your own right!
Table of Contents
Introduction 6
Materials 8
The eye, the hand and the heart 18
Making a start 22
Farm in Sunlight step-by-step 28
Seeing the world 30
Harbour Scene step-by-step 46
S.E.T. in action 48
Churchyard Scene step-by-step 56
Types of sketch 60
Beyond the pencil 64
Composition 84
Fixing the Farm step-by-step 92
Handling complex subject matter 98
Boat Sheds step-by-step 138
Afterword 142
Index 144
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About Peter Cronin
Peter Cronin loves the natural world. The pull of the outdoors and the fall of sunlight across the landscape inspire his work, and he can be found exploring the world around him in all seasons and weathers. Through his teaching, workshops and demonstrations he seeks to encourage, equip and help all who love art.
A Member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA), the Royal Watercolour Society of Wales and the Pure Watercolour Society, Peter has been a professional artist for over 30 years. Completely self-taught, he has gained an enviable reputation for his watercolour and oils; both of which rely on Peter's clarity of sight and the economy of line in his underlying drawings.
Peter lives in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, UK. To learn more about Peter and his work visit his website www.petercronin.org.
