Sorry for the lack of posts since June (!). I accidentally fell out of the social media habit, which I guess is a good thing? Anyway, here are some recent experiments with sketching on pre-inked pages (A4).
I’ve always enjoyed using toned paper, but haven’t found one that can take the amount of ink and wash I’m using these days. So… I’ve been pre-staining pages of watercolour paper (Saunders Waterford High White 90lbs) with diluted waterproof ink washes. It’s given me a much better surface to sketch on, complete control over the background colour and some new techniques to work on (very limited palette, adding white, spots of colour etc). All sketched in Bath using the wonderful Duke Confucius fude pen; from the top there’s Kingsmead Square, then a busy cafe, a keyboard busker by the Abbey, and finally the Roman Baths.
Mostly drawing 
I love all of them, including the palette and your perspective/simplification! May I ask how you apply the background wash (broad paintbrush?) and what ink/brush you use for the white?
Thanks, I used a broad brush onto a pre misted page to do the wash. The white is either gouache, or correction pen or white crayon.
I see. Thank you, Ed! Those look really effective on your works. I never tried a wash but I’d like to try at some point.
What brand of waterproof ink are you using ?
Hi Paula, it’s De Atramentis Document ink; waterproof and bendable so great for mixing colours. Remember to dilute inks with distilled water only as tap water has chlorine that makes the ink break up/granulate!
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