Easy Watercolour Landscape Sketching

Hi, I’m Darren from Watercolor Mentor, and welcome to “Easy Watercolour Landscape Sketching”. Sketching is a fun and easy way to learn how to paint and involves very little preparation. In this class, I will show you how to sketch and paint a number of landscapes in as little as 20 minutes. I’ll talk you through in real-time, the techniques I’m using such as wet-in-wet and wet-in-dry. I’ll also show you how to simplify and sketch a scene in pencil.

This class is aimed towards beginners with 15 full landscape demonstrations which I’ll help guide you through step-by-step. There are scans, drawing, and tracing templates included for each demonstration to help you transfer your drawing over quickly and easily.

In this class, I narrate my demonstrations in real-time. I explain every technique I use in the context of the painting, such as layering into wet areas to paint shadows of a tree. I’ll be going over the basics of wet-in-wet watercolour painting. I’ll talk about what materials you’ll need, your options, and which ones I use and recommend. If you have some brushes, watercolor paints, and paper, then you’re set to go.

So join me in this class – let’s create some beautiful watercolour paintings that you can be proud of!

In this class, I will cover basics such as:

• How to Draw and compose your painting – these lessons are placed at the beginning of each demonstration to show you how I sketch in basic details. I will show you how to place the horizon line, and how to quickly and accurately sketch in the reference photo. I will also talk about how I use my sketch to plan out the steps of my watercolor painting afterward.

• How to use complementary colours to create vibrancy and interest in your watercolour paintings.

• How to paint skies, mountains,  water, trees, buildings, and figures in a soft and loose manner, using a combination of wet-in-wet and wet-in-dry techniques. I’ll talk about how and when to wet your watercolor paper to obtain particular results such as the appearance of soft clouds, and when to paint in more rigid and accurate shapes once the paper has dried.

The importance of timing in watercolors and when to use different brushes.

Class Resources (original painting scans, templates, and photographs) are available under the ‘Materials Required’ lecture.

Course Project:

Your course project is to sketch and paint a watercolour landscape! This can be a scene featured in one of the course demonstration videos or based on one of your own photographs or scenes you’ve observed outside.

You can also refer to the scanned drawing/painting templates attached below which will allow you to trace the drawings if you choose to do so. I recommend drawing each scene free hand. Drawing is an important step in improving your painting skills. This provides you with an opportunity to compose and plan your painting. Complete your drawing lightly and loosely in pencil so that it won’t show through in the final painting. This is especially important for background details such as mountains. Once you’ve finished the drawing, use the watercolor steps and processes included in the course demonstrations to complete your painting.

Materials:

Use any normal or mechanical pencil, watercolour paper, and brushes you have available. I recommend:

• Mechanical pencil (0.5mm)

• 100% cotton watercolour paper or sketchbook

• Watercolour Brushes – mop brush and a variety of round and flat brushes.

Getting Started:

Review the course demonstrations first. There are 15 different demonstration landscapes that you can draw and paint from. You can also download the tracing templates to transfer over your drawing. Remember to watch the video on ‘Materials Required’ to help you obtain similar results and effects. Always use the best materials you can afford.

As an additional challenge, research some free reference photo websites and find a reference photo you would like to paint. Using the steps and processes included in this course, create your own unique watercolour sketch.

Sharing Your Work:

Once you’ve finished, share your final painting and progress shots with the course by uploading them to the ‘assignment’ or ‘Q&A’ section. I’ll provide you with constructive feedback on your painting if you ask. If you have any questions or need more tips, please let me know. I’m happy to help.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have access to the course materials?

You can view and review the lecture materials indefinitely, like an on-demand channel.

Can I take my courses with me wherever I go?

Definitely! If you have an internet connection, courses on Udemy are available on any device at any time. If you don’t have an internet connection, some instructors also let their students download course lectures. That’s up to the instructor though, so make sure you get on their good side!