In this post, we will be focusing on what to bring along with you for field sketching and some techniques for applying those tools to your art.
Basic supplies- First we’ll take a look at the basic equipment you’ll need to start sketching. Everyone has their preferred art supplies, but I’m going to recommend some of my favorite tools for field sketching.
Prismacolor Non-Photo Blue pencil– This is one of the most important tools in your tool kit. I use this little guy for blocking in the basic posture, proportions, and angles on my subject before breaking out my regular graphite pencil. The reason for this is because our brains cannot think about how big to make a bird’s head and what the feathers around its eye look like at the same time. If you leave the posture and proportions until the end, you can’t do much about it if you notice that you made the head too big or the wings too small. By getting the basic form down on paper first, you can focus on putting in detail later.
You may be wondering, “Why a blue pencil?” The marks that this particular brand of pencil makes are so light that you can barely see them on your paper—it’s essentially a terrible colored pencil! But it’s that very characteristic that makes it so great for blocking in your subject. Once you put down darker lines with your graphite pencil, your brain ignores those faint non-photo blue lines. In this way you save loads of time by not having to erase your guidelines.
To see the non-photo blue pencil approach in action, check out master wildlife artist John Muir Laws’ How to Draw Birds page. If you decide you want to try this pencil out, make sure you get the Prismacolor 20028 Col-Erase copy not Non-Photo Blue pencil with an eraser on the end.
Mechanical graphite pencil or ballpoint pen– This is the tool that I reach for after my non-photo blue guidelines are blocked in. I like the refillable Pentel Twist-erase pencils, but you may have your own favorite kind. For most sketching, I recommend 0.5mm or smaller 2B lead. You can also use a ballpoint pen for sketching in the place of a pencil; these are great at making lots of line variation and different markings. If you like your linework, you will like drawing with a ballpoint pen. The ink will not smudge away like graphite when watercolor is applied. You don’t need a fancy pen for sketching; there are probably excellent pens for sketching around the house. Make squiggles and experiment with different types of shading to find a pen that works for you.
Pentel Water Brush, Large Tip– If, like me, you work with watercolors (which we will be discussing very shortly), you may be wondering how I paint in the field—all those tubes of paint, different size brushes, and a jar of clean water to clean those brushes off. But I’ve got a secret weapon: the Pentel Large fine-tip Water Brush. This is an amazing brush for field work, and it’s also the brush I use for all of my studio paintings. The tip keeps a sharp point for thin lines, but is capable of doing washes as well. As its name says, you don’t have to carry a bottle of water around with you, because the water is held in the handle of the water brush. All you have to do is squeeze it, wipe it on a rag, and you’re ready for a new color. These brushes are not expensive (about $9.00) and once you try one, you will not want to use anything else.
Journal or Sketchbook– Of course, you need a journal to sketch in. Ideally, you want something that is big enough to give you lots of room to express your thoughts on the page, but isn’t so big that you can’t hold it. You can use any kind you want, but spiralbound books do tend to rub their pages together and smear your pencil work (although this problem can be solved if you use ballpoint pens for sketching). Right now I use the Laws Sketchbook for Nature Journaling, by master naturalist and artist John Muir Laws. This sketchbook is a nice size and the paper holds up to watercolor washes better than other books. Also, there are a few sheets of tan-colored paper in the back of the book for you to experiment with as well as journaling tips and techniques if you get stuck. I also recommend the Komtrak Inspiral Journal, available on Komtrak’s website. The removable spiral binding means that you can choose any style of paper you want and use the sketchbook over and over again. If you like, you can also try sketching on toned paper. This has the added fun of punching in bright whites on top of the colored paper. Light brown or gray paper shades allow you to push and pull lights and darks in your sketches. Canson makes individual sheets of toned paper if you want to experiment. If you want whole sketchbooks full of toned paper, try Strathmore’s hard-bound toned sketchbooks.
Adding color
At some point, you may find you want to add color to your journal pages. Unfortunately, it does take a little more work to learn the techniques and tricks for using color media, but the results pay off. Let’s go over two kinds of media for adding in color: colored pencils and watercolors.
Colored pencils– This is the easier and less expensive way to add color. You do have to get used to the motions of shading and filling in large areas, but you can also put on super fine details on top of that shading. You will notice that your pencils only color the surface of the paper, leaving tiny white flecks where the pits in the paper weren’t filled in. This gives your artwork that classic “colored pencil” look. As a final touch-up, if you prefer a smoother finish, you can go over your work with a colorless blender—a pencil that just has wax and no pigment. This will fill in all those tiny indentations in the paper and give your drawing a smooth look. I use the Prismacolor Premier brand of colored pencils (either the 36-color or 24-color sets will provide plenty of colors to choose from), but you may find you like other brands better. For super fine details, I like Prismacolor’s line of Verithin pencils. These have a stronger lead that can be sharpened to a thinner point than normal. For more information on how to use colored pencils, you may want to watch John Muir Laws’ video on Colored Pencil Technique.
Watercolor– This media takes more time to master, but gives you very pleasing effects once you get the hang of it. I will not go into detail about the different ways to use watercolor, but I do recommend you find resources and videos to learn how to use this medium. One of my favorite things about watercolors is the brilliance of the pigment in the paint. I do not carry all the paint tubes into the field with me, but use a foldable palette with lots of room to mix colors. As mentioned before, my go-to brush for doing watercolor in the field is the Pentel Large Water Brush. I wipe my brush on a sock with the toe cut off, worn on my wrist. Warning: buying paints can get expensive. You may want to start with a small variety of colors and see how you like them. The Windsor and Newton Cotman Sketcher’s Pocket Box is a good palette to start out with if you are interested in trying watercolors.
A journaling bag
Lastly, you want to have a designated bag just for your sketching supplies. Searching around the house for art supplies every time you want to sketch is a pain, as is carrying around your journal in your hand for the duration of your hike. Also, if you keep your supplies in your backpack, every time you see a bird, you have to move the poncho, grab your sketchbook, move the granola bars, sort out your pencils, and by the time you look up, the bird has flown away.
Having a “quick-draw” system helps to avoid this problem; my suggestion is to get an over-the-shoulder bag that fits all your gear and is big enough to hold your sketchbook. I keep the supplies I use most in the front pocket where I can easily grab them (this includes my non-photo blue pencil, my graphite pencil, and my waterbrush). There should be a big pocket that is easily opened and fits your journal, as well as other smaller pockets for your art supplies, field guides, and naturalist tools. Keep your bag by the front door or in your car so you will be sure to take it with you when you go exploring. A fantastic option for a durable, sturdy journaling bag can be found here.
I encourage you to not go out and buy everything mentioned in this post. You can probably get by just fine with things you have around the house. And remember, don’t be worried about making pretty pictures—this skill will come with practice.
Lastly, find what works for you. If you discover that you are more comfortable using a spiral-bound sketchbook or art markers instead of the media I mentioned here, then go for it. The most important thing is to get outside, journal regularly, discover mysteries, and have fun enjoying our Creator. See you in the field, and happy sketching!
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