Many times I have displayed work from On Location trips. To me this is a bit different than actual plein air painting. The On Location sketches capture the spontaneity of the moment...your are right there trying to relate the flavor of everything occurring then and there - the people and their moods, activities; the environment and it's colors, moods, time of day and weather. The great film director, David Lean referred to location as character - well, that is an element On Location sketches try to capture. Obviously the sketches can also serve for further exploration back in the studio with other types of mediums.
I have to give Glenn Vilppu full credit for opening my eyes to the tools I now use. As with his sketches, I do not use any kind of pencil under sketch, I begin either with watercolors and lay in light values, leaving plenty of while areas and add pen later.
Or, I draw with pen first and add the watercolors afterwards. Either method is good and they lend different looks to your sketch/paintings.
My main tools are the sketch pen, the brush pen and my small Cottman watercolor set
This is a close up of my brush pen (bottom right) and my sketch pen- EF nib (extra fine). This is a Waterman pen I picked up in Apt , Provence.
And...I add Velcro to everything! I attached it underneath my watercolor set and onto my sketch books, watercolor paper books...almost everywhere! It has become a bit of a joke to my current students at the Jepson Center.
AND don't forget WATER- it's hot out there!
On Location sketching/painting is invigorating, rewarding and just plain FUN.
