1 SKETCHING AND FIRST WASHES

As I am going to be using a full and delicate wash over the background of my painting, I need to choose a good quality watercolour paper. I need something substantial and capable of drying out well. An Arches or Fabriano paper at a good weight will help sketch out my image with an HB pencil but before I paint, I dust over the graphite with a putty rubber to remove some of the lead (it can stain the paint if left). Adding a very minimal touch of colourless masking fluid to highlights and whiskers, I then mix up a delicate wash of Manganese Blue with a touch of Cobalt Blue and, using a large round head brush (5 or 7), I wash in the complete sky area. While this wash is wet, I add in a little French Ultramarine and blend it in where I feel it is needed. ▸