pencil and watercolour art

Renown animal illustrator Katy Lipscomb reveals how to bring a wolf to life, using watercolour washes and pencils to create a stylised scene from nature

Get ready to learn how I colour a howling wolf using unconventional methods and materials! Here, I’ll teach you my approach for creating my drawings using a range of media: watercolours, colour pencils and more.

I’ll start proceedings with a light watercolour wash and move towards darker heavier marks with colour pencils. This workshop is focused on how to colour using a variety of materials rather that how to draw. To begin, you should first select some heavy-duty paper. I prefer to use Strathmore Smooth Bristol board; however, illustration board, a hot press watercolour paper or a cold press watercolour paper with a smaller tooth will also work.

You should also be ready with a watercolour brush. I enjoy using a range of brushes, from flat brushes to round brushes to detail brushes; however, much of this is personal preference. If you’re unsure about what to start with, I recommend a size four Round brush and a thin detail brush with a fine point.

As for media, I’ll be working primarily back and forth between watercolours and colour pencils. In this workshop I’ll specifically be using PH Martin’s concentrated watercolours, but other watercolours and inks will do just fine. My colour pencil of choice is Prismacolor premier soft core, but as with the watercolour or ink, this is also very flexible. Last but not least, I’ll be using a white gel pen and white liquid acrylic for finishing touches.

Other materials that will be important are an artist’s watercolour palette. I find disposable palette sheets very useful, but you can also invest in a longer-lasting solution. You’ll also want a cup of water for cleaning your brushes between colours, a pencil for a primary sketch, an eraser and paper towels.

If you’ve gathered all of your materials, clean up your workspace and let’s continue to the workshop!

Katy is famous for her fantastical scenes and representations of the beauty found in feral creatures. She’s has gained attention from Time Magazine, National Public Radio and more. See her work at http://katylipscomb.com.