Category Archives: pencil

Compare and contrast…

Posted on August 2, 2017 by Ed Mostly

I love the way urban sketching explicitly celebrates the different ways we respond to a location. Here’s an example from Monday when I had the opportunity to sketch in Bath with Gary Yeung (a member of the USK Hong Kong … Continue reading →

Posted in bamboo dip pen, Bath, comparisons, pencil, technique, urban, urban sketching | Tagged Bath sketching, Gary Yeung, sketching in Bath Abbey, sketchtesting.co.uk, The Suzan, urban sketching, urban sketching techniques | 3 Comments

Sketching while walking

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Ed Mostly

I recommend drawing while walking as one way to encourage looser, simpler ‘right side of the brain’ sketching. You’re so busy not falling over/wandering into people, while balancing sketchbook/pencil etc, and trying not to be too conspicuous/creepy that the drawing becomes almost … Continue reading →

Posted in Bath, Feet, figures, pencil, people watching, street scene, urban, urban sketching | Tagged double ended pencil, Simon and Garfunkel, sketching pedestrians, urban sketching, walking and sketching | 10 Comments

Old friends

Posted on February 5, 2017 by Ed Mostly

I’m very fortunate to have three friends that I’ve known since early childhood; it’s wonderful to be able to share such a long perspective on our intertwined lives. We met this weekend to celebrate Si’s 50th birthday with a walk through the Cotswolds, and a … Continue reading →

Posted in bamboo dip pen, body, coloured ink, journeys, pencil | Tagged bamboo dip pen sketches, pub sketch, sketching in the Cotswolds, sketching walkers, sketching while walking, Tiny Tim | 4 Comments

Tim, Phil and Jim

Posted on November 26, 2016 by Ed Mostly

Two brothers-in-law and a friend, variously watching TV, fiddling with phones or just snoozing! In bamboo dip-pen, coloured pencil, and one in coloured brush pens (remember them? My previous favourite…).

Posted in bamboo dip pen, body, brush pen, coloured ink, family, figures, pencil, people, watching | Tagged bamboo dip pen, figure sketches, sketch portraits, sketches of people watching TV, Them | 2 Comments

Peoples and persons

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Ed Mostly

Indulging in my favourite hobby, drawing people out and about in Bath. From the top there’s a crowd of boozy boules match spectators, tourists near the Abbey, and fellow customers sat outside a cafe. I’ve found pencils wonderfully sensitive for … Continue reading →

Posted in Bath, figures, line drawing, pencil, people watching, street scene, urban, urban sketching | Tagged pencil sketches of people, people watching, sketching street scenes, Spooky, urban sketching | Leave a comment

Hospital visit

Posted on July 17, 2016 by Ed Mostly

Apologies for the lack of recent posts, all was put on hold due to an unplanned trip to hospital. I’m out now, thoroughly resting and with enough time and energy to post the sketches I made during all the empty hours in hospital… … Continue reading →

Posted in Bath, body, hospital, Manchester Symposium, pencil, urban sketching, watercolour sketch | Tagged hospital sketches, Paul Heaston, pencil and watercolour sketching, self-portrait in hospital, sketch of IV drip, sketching in hospital, Spiritualized, urban sketching, wide-angle sketching | 9 Comments

American artefacts

Posted on June 29, 2016 by Ed Mostly

A couple of speedy sketches from the highly recommended American Museum in Bath, “The only museum of American decorative and folk art outside the United States”. First a small bronze version of the famous 1909 statue ‘Appeal to the Great Spirit’. Then … Continue reading →

Posted in Bath, body, exhibitions, figures, museum, pencil, sculpture, statues, white pen | Tagged American Museum in Bath, Appeal to the Great Spirit, coloured pencil sketches, Mohawk figurehead, sketch of Appeal to the Great Spirit, sketch of figurehead, sketching in museums, Stereolab | Leave a comment

Apples and beets

Posted on June 26, 2016 by Ed Mostly

More domestic than urban, some quick pencil and watercolour sketches from the late night kitchen, trying to break my over-reliance on dilute Lexington grey for tone/shadow! Although the grey ink wash is very fast and effective for quick shadows, it can make … Continue reading →

Posted in coloured paper, domestic, food, fruit, kit, kitchen, Lexington grey, pencil, technique, watercolour sketch | Tagged 5B Grafwood pencil, observational drawing, pencil sketches of fruit, sketches of apples, sketching fruit, The Shadows, watercolour sketches of fruit | Leave a comment

Testing, testing…

Posted on June 15, 2016 by Ed Mostly

All my sketchbooks have back pages like this, messing around with inks, pens, pencil and paints, seeing how new resources mix with each other on paper; great fun! In amongst the chaos there are occasional serendipitous combinations and miniature abstract … Continue reading →

Posted in collections, coloured ink, inks, kit, pencil, technique | Tagged ink and paint combinations, serendipitous combinations and miniature abstract delights, sketchbooks, testing sketch materials, The Ramones | 2 Comments

Madeirans

Posted on April 17, 2016 by Ed Mostly

People watching in Madeira, where the fine weather encourages lots of public loafing; very helpful for sketchers! The first three were done using Derwent Inktense pencils. They’re very smooth to draw with, quick to capture an expressive line, non-smudging (the key … Continue reading →