1 Sketch the shapes

I taped my watercolour paper to a drawing board and sketched the composition in pencil, marking the points of reference. It is important to simplify a busy scene into shapes, so I kept my initial drawing very simple and loose. I didn’t want to include all the details of the rich architecture, so I concentrated on achieving a rhythm of shapes. This is crucial – it is what gives your painting visual interest.

I no longer invest a lot of time drawing, as I rather like having less drawing support; this way I am free to explore, rather than follow a tight guide. I like the idea of making further improvements as I develop the actual painting.