CAROLE’S TOP TIPS FOR SKETCHING

● Once you have found your ‘spot’ – your point of interest – set yourself up, perched on a rock or leaning on a wall or work from an easel, whatever you’re comfortable with.

● One of the most difficult things about sketching outdoors is deciding what to put in and what to leave out. My advice is to decide what your focal point is. It might be a building, a clump of trees or the way the light is hitting a spot. If you want to set the focal point in the scene, ensure you don’t start too big!

● Think about composition – make sure the focal point is off-centre and then work out from there, simplifying lines. We don’t need every minute detail, just a suggestion.

● Keep the drawing to a minimum – use a permanent pen or, if it’s raining, a charcoal pencil or stick. Once watercolour is applied on top, it seals the charcoal and prevents smudging.

● Give yourself no more than 15 minutes to complete a sketch – drawing and watercolour. The longer you spend, the more you will fiddle and try to include every detail. Remember, this is a sketch – it’s a reminder for you for your finished work.

● I always take a photograph as a back-up to my sketches.