How to Make Your Skies POP!! - Painting & Drawing Techniques

                                             Does your Sky really have to be BLUE? 

Skies are such an important part of a landscape.  They can add colour, excitement and movement to your painting.  Using colours in your sky creates cohesion in your work and makes it flow.  And yes, the sky can be the star of the show or simply a supporting character.  It's all up to you.  

Let's go on an Adventure.  .  .

Imagine you are in a world that does not have a blue sky.  Now let your imagination go wild.  What are some of your favourite colours?  They can be your new 'sky'.  
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Further examples and discussion on my YouTube Video: How to Make Your Skies POP! 
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Sample Size for testing 

1. Cut some sample watercolour papers 4.5 x 5.5 inches (make sure they are the 'good' paper that you would use for your paintings. You want to know how your colours are going to work on a finished project. This is a sketchbook type exercise but has real implications for a major project)

2.  Tape your papers down so they are ready to go

3. Mix puddles of colours you would like to try.  Make sure they are wet and creamy.  You need intense colour 

4. Wet your paper with clean water.

Dropping in the Dark next to the Red, leaving some white spaces

5.  Use a large wash brush to lay down your colours.  For the sample size, it should be at least an 8 round.  Large enough to carry lots of paint but still controllable in this small space. 

6.  Work quickly.  

7. Let your papers dry on their own.  No blow dryer.  

Sounds easy.  But . . . you will find you learn a ton of things as you work. 

 Some of the things I noticed were:

- I liked leaving some white areas

- I didn't like some colour combinations until I added a setting (ie. trees, bushes, mountains)  It is hard to evaluate a square of colour by itself.  

When I first looked at the sampe on the right, I didn't like it.  Now I do.  🙄

- I loved some of the ways the colours blended into each other.  Others were not so nice.

The purple really looks nice in the lover have of the picture

- I tried wetting some areas and leaving some dry.  I found I was not in love with the sharp edges.  I tried to soften them with paper towel but that didn't alway work.

I didn't really like those sharp edges.  

- It was very easy to 'fuss' with things.  But it is really important to let things dry and not fuss.

- I like using mixed darks as they variegated nicely as they dried.  

- Some of the backwashes were my favourite spots.  

Same examples - note the nice backwash in blues of the top left sample. 

See what I mean.  You learn lots of STUFF.  

Keep your study samples.  I put my samples into my sketchbook and then made notes about them.  

I am sure you noticed I didn' t list the pigments I used.  Rather than copy my colours, chose your own colours and try them.  This is how you learn what your 'palette' can do.  I have a basic palette that I use for Outdoor Sketching and a larger palette for my studio work.  If you are looking for palette suggestions check my Dec 25, 2023 post "Major Change, Adding a New Colour to my Palette".  

Paints are expensive so don't rush things.  Buy a few and test them out.  This is one activity that will help you learn more about your paints and save you some money in the long run. 

REGISTRATION OPEN!!

 Magic happens when Pen meets Watercolour! 

Online Drawing Lessons with Wendy Mould, AFCA, CDM.

Enhance Your Drawing Skills – Make your Pen Dance with Watercolour

Thursdays, October  15, 22 & 29, 2026  6:30-8:30pm   

 Early Bird $75 after Oct 12, $90.

2 Hr Classes, access to recordings for limited time, individual discussion on weekly projects and limited class size.

 Medium: pencil, pen & watercolour.  

Beginners to Advanced Welcome.

Register: wendy@artbywendy.com.

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Further examples and discussion on my YouTube Video: How to Make Your Skies POP! 
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Always  Available at Art by Wendy's Studio

Original work, Commissions, Private Drawing Lessons, Prints and Cards of her Work, 

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy

 

Summer Sketching - Painting & Drawing Tips

Have you been out Sketching this summer?
Nature is inspiring, it makes you want to slow down.  Tune in.  Just BE.

Wendy Sketching on the Rocks - Pender Island

Painting and drawing with your best friend, your sketchbook is a safe place to play. You can Experiment. Play. Relax.  Let your ideas flow. 

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YouTube video to accompany this blog: Summer Sketching on Pender Island with Wendy Mould 
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I was out lots this summer sketching.  I took out several small groups (1 or 2 artists) for Mini-Adventures in parks in North Langley.  The feeling of camaraderie as we painted, is a truly wonderful feeling. 

I like a wild nature setting for sketching, Williams Park

Image set up right at the water’s edge along the Fraser River on a sunny day.

We were nestled in the shade under a tree branches painting and chatting.  There was a cool breeze coming off the water.  As we worked on painting the island shore opposite us, we chatted about ways to create warm and cool greens, finding patterns in the tree foliage and how to breakout of the ‘green only’ landscape. 

Of course everything was GREEN but we infused some other colours into the scene.  Does it read all GREEN to you? Glen Valley Park

We started at 9:30 and suddenly it was noon.  As we headed up the bank to have lunch at the picnic tables we stopped in shock.  It was smoking hot under the trees by the tables.  (Yes, it was one of those 32 degree July days.) We didn’t realize how protected we were by water!!

But teaching was not my only Outdoor Sketching outings.

Little stream exiting the Beaver Pond 

I like to go camping up at Hicks Lake, in the mountains north east of Harrison Hot Springs.  I love the nature beauty of the land and I always find lots to sketch there.  I load up my kayak with lunch and paint kit and head off with Max.  We find a little spot along the shore to stop.  I sketch, swim and read.  Max snags snacks from me, wonders a bit and relaxes.  It's a truely lazy summer experience.

Mount Hicks towering over the Lake 

My trips to Hicks are always filled with great art experiences.  Hiking the trees gives me great reference material for my wildlife. The quiet days (no wifi there) give me a chance to recharge and forget about the world.  I find I am full of inspiration and project ideas when I return. 

The ocean has its own Voice for Sketchers

Rising Islands created by the incoming tide - Just had to sketch them

As part of my summer sketching, I booked 4 days on Pender Island.  I find I enjoy sketching by water and the ocean really calls to me.  There is something really thrilling to hike along the shore and find a ‘spot’ to settle.  The rugged logs on the shoreline, the weathered trees and the rocky bluffs fill your mind with inspiration. 

Sketching along the ocean teaches so many lessons.  How to paint a wave, the changing colours of the water as your eye moves from foreground to background, and all the different greys you need to paint the weathered rocks and logs. 

Not everyone finds sketching on the beach entertaining! 

But the biggest lessons is the Tides!!

When Sketching Outdoors you need to work quickly as the sun and shadows are constantly changing.  Also, your paint is drying quickly because of the heat and breeze.  But nothing gets you moving faster than the ‘incoming tide’! 

Our great spot to sketch along the Shore

When Max and I walked along the shore I had asked a few locals if the banks would be covered  by incoming waters.  I was assured that there would be room along the shore to get back to the stairs to the parking lot.  I wondered along the shore,  around the point and found  a great spot to paint. 

We were comfortable, settled on the rocks. 

Things were going really well and I decided I had done enough and would relax and read in the sunshine.  

I was really pleased with 'Safe Harbour" 

That’s when I noticed the waves were lapping the shore much closer than I realized. 

I quickly decided to head back, closer to where the stairs were.  As I rounded the point I could see the water less than a foot from the bottom of the stairs!!  The locals were right, the banks were not getting covered but the bottom of the steps were. 
We hustled over to the steps.  Believe it or not, I had to carry Max to the steps because he really is not a fan of walking in the water!! 

Safe Harbour - I was experimenting with the warm greys I talked about in my July blog 

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YouTube video to accompany this blog: Summer Sketching on Pender Island with Wendy Mould 
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I hope you got a chance to get out and sketch.  If not, think about contacting me and we can set something up in the future.  I work in pen and watercolour.  I also will be offering a 3 Session Package of Online Classes in October ‘Make your Pen Dance with Watercolour’ which  would really make drawing and painting so much easier. And get you ready for sketching next spring.  

REGISTRATION OPEN!!

Online Drawing Lessons with Wendy Mould, AFCA, CDM.

Enhance Your Drawing Skills – Make your Pen Dance with Watercolour

Thursdays, October  15, 22 & 29, 2026 10-12:30 or  6:30-8:30pm   

 Early Bird $75 after Oct 12, $90.

2 Hr Classes, access to recordings for limited time, individual discussion on weekly projects and limited class size.

 Medium: pencil, pen & watercolour.  

Beginners to Advanced Welcome.

Register: wendy@artbywendy.com.

Always  Available at Art by Wendy's Studio

Original work, Commissions, Private Drawing Lessons, Prints and Cards of her Work, 

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy

 

The Magic of Greys in your Watercolour- Drawing & Painting Tips

Some days the Stars are not lined up.  And your plans fall apart!!

I was up at Hicks Lake camping.  And of course planning to hike, kayak, read, swim and paint.  Not always in that order.   

Quiet Cove on a Windy Day - Hicks Lake, 2026

On Day 1, things fell apart.  

I woke up to a chilly, cloudy windy day.  No swimming. No boating, Can't relax by the lake reading.  And one can only hike for so long.  So painting it was.  (You probably wonder why I hesitated.  While with the cloudy skies, there were really no shadows which makes a nature painting not very exciting.)  

Our Little Cove on the shore of Hicks Lake 

But off Max and I went to find a spot to paint.  

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There is a YouTube video with further discussion on colour mixing  to accompany this blog post: Sketching Hicks Lake, 2026

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We found a great, little spot by the water's edge. (Painting by water is one of my requirements when up at the lake) It was tucked out of the way from the winds and a sandy spot for Max and I to set up on.  

There was an interesting mixture of plants and mossy rocks in our little cove.  I figured I was good to go.  

Setting up the background and foreground of the Sketch

I set up and started drawing.  I found I was able to make an interesting sketch.  I definitely perked up when I finished that part.  

It was when I started to paint that the trouble started.  

My usual mixture for grey was burnt sienna and ultramarine blue.  This gives me a nice grey which leans towards blue and looks really nice as a light gray when thinned with water.  The trouble is it is a very cold mix and I did not have many warm colours in the setting to balance the painting.  The skys were very cloudy.  Everything had the same kind of gray look.  

I needed a NEW grey.  

I started to play around with my colours a bit and remembered that I had read an article about making different greys.  (It's funny how you can get caught up in your same colours and forget there are other things that can be done. That definely was me that day.)  

Trying out my Warm Greys on the Rocks

In actual fact you can make greys out of many of the colours by adding their compliment.  Sounds easy, eh?!  But as with everything in watercolour painting there are a few tricks.  

It is tricky to mix 3 colours and get them to move in the direction you want.  I started with my cool yellow, ultramarine blue and permenant rose.  Of course when I first mixed the yellow and blue I got green.  The compliment of green is red and so I added the permanent rose.  No problem, right?!  

The problem is in the mixing.  It is fiddly to get the right proportions of each colour.  You will find it is too green, so add more red.  Then it is too purple, so add more yellow.  It is too brown so add more blue.  You get the idea.  But at the same time you are mixing, you are also seeing some of the other possiblities with this mixture.  You will get a gray that is warm and yellowish, or cool with a pink tone or really cool with blue tones.  Thinned with water the greys will become lighter and with a thick mixture of pigment, they become quite dark.  

 I glazed over the grey to change the values

Even though the mixing takes time, the results are well worth it. 

You can mix other greys working the same way.  Take a yellow, blue and red and mix away. It is best to use basic colours rather than premixed colour and their complement as you may end up with mud.  But having said that, go ahead and try it.  Use your paints from your regular palette and see what it\\they will do.  I use mostly transparent colours as I want to use the gra\eys for glazing.  (I am a glazer when it comes to using watercolours.  Not everyone is.) 

Note the variety of values and tones of the warm greys

In the end, my painting time was great. I found I learned a few things.  I enjoyed the process. And best of all,  the sun was out by late afternoon and I got to go out in the water too!! Even went for a swim.  ☺️

SAVE THE DATE!!

Online Drawing Lessons with Wendy Mould, AFCA, CDM.

Enhance Your Drawing Skills – Make your Pen Dance with Watercolour

Thursdays, October  15, 22 & 29, 2026 10-12:30 or  6:30-8:30pm   

 Early Bird $75 after Oct 12, $90.

2 Hr Classes, access to recordings for limited time, individual discussion on weekly projects and limited class size.

 Medium: pencil, pen & watercolour.  

Beginners to Advanced Welcome.

Register: wendy@artbywendy.com.

Always  Available at Art by Wendy's Studio

Original work, Commissions, Private Drawing Lessons, Prints and Cards of her Work, 

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy

How to Keep that Pen Dancing - Painting & Drawing Tips

How is it possible to really keep your pen dancing?

Many would say that only practice.  And then more practice will do it.  

Sketchbook Practice: Frames 

And yes this is true, practice helps. A lot.  But it is important that it is 'productive' practise. And practice you will enjoy.  In my last post I suggested a great activity to really have fun with your line work and add the splash of watercolour to produce a great painting.  I think you will find this activity just as enjoyable.  

More discussion and examples on my YouTube Video: More Ways to Keep Your Pen DANCING 

Before I get started I want to explain my interpretation of "Making your Pen Dance".  I am trying to encourage you to draw with your pen with confidence.  Making marks freely without feeling the need to draw everything first with a pencil.  When you trace a pencil line with a pen, your line looks contrived.  It lacks that life that a loose and lively line, has when drawn freely.  

Supplies: 

sketchbook, pencil, eraser and pens - I used only 2 - Black Permenant ink micron 03 & 05.  If you like coloured pens by all means use them.  I discovered long ago that I was really a black ink artist.  Although I did a number of drawings with coloured pen, I prefer the beauty of the black line.  

Dancing with Your Pen

1.Draw picture frames of varies sizes and shapes on your page. No ruler or pencil, just your 05 pen.  Yes, they will be a bit woobly and certainly not square but enjoy the wonkiness.  I like to go back and put a second line around them to make it look like a frame.  

A pile of Rocks - practise crosshatching shadows

2. Draw a pile of rocks from your imagination. Just pile the rocks up 2 or 3 on top of each other as you fill up one of your drawing boxes. Decide on a source of light and add some shadows. (I use my 03 for this)  Then add a few grasses around them.  

Drawing from your imaginations helps to move away from the idea of 'exactness'.  It allows you to draw lines confidently, not worrying about getting it right.  At the same time, begin to notice your lines.  When drawing the grasses you can see the power of a dot or squiggle.  They can suggest flowers or buds on your grasses.  Adding those shadows helps in practicing your crosshatching. 

 

Tree, stump & bushes - Don't forget a few shadows

3.  Trees and stumps can be fun. Draw bare trees, enjoy the mark making of the grain on the trunks.  It can be any design and still create lots of interest.  Pay attention as your pen tells you what interesting things it can suggest.  Don't forget to add a few shadows. 

Plants, leaves and mountains - Try different line work for shadows

4.  Plants, leaves and mountains puts you in the free flowing mode.  There a many things from nature you can draw from your imagination.  You do not need to outline first with a pencil.  Just start drawing.  

Don't forget a few flowers - make sure your petals are NOT perfect

5.  Graphic Flowers always bring a smile.  Simple clusters of flowers or even 1 big one can get your pen dancing.  By keeping the movement free and loose you end up with very lively petals.  It helps you embrace the wobbliness.  

 

I have suggested a few things that you can draw form your imagination.  I am sure it will inspire you to draw other things as well.  Be sure and make your frames different sizes and shapes.  This will inspire different compositions.  A collection of rock piles would look very different when you vary the sizes, shading and frame shape.

  

Of course you can draw other things, buildings, houses, food, and more.  My only caution is you may find you want to layout in pencil first.  That is a great stepping stone in mixing free hand drawing with layout lines.  But don't underestimate the value of freehand drawing.  It really builds confidence in your mark making.  

More discussion and examples on my YouTube Video: More Ways to Keep Your Pen DANCING 

Upcoming Events: 

4-Day Outdoor Sketching Art Retreat in the Shuswap with Wendy Mould, hosted by Joanne Dennis, June 12-15, 2026.   All inclusive: food, instruction, accommodations and drive from Lower Mainland.  $400-$750 depending on room choices.   https://www.joannedennis.ca/events-list/aventurasretreats/

Outdoor Sketching Mini-Adventure: 

Join Wendy for 2.5 hr in local North Langley parks.  Practical instructions in gettin your sketch on paper and bringing your memories to life.  Mediums: pencil, pen & watercolour. 
Dates: Wednesday or Thursday, June 24/25, July 22/23, or Wednesday, August 5 or Aug 12. It is best to go 10-12:30am as the light is good for shadows. 6-8:30pm also works for evening sketching.  Bring a lunch or small dinner to add to the adventure. 

Individual $85  Small group 2 or 3, $65 ea.  Payment is due once your dates have been confirmed.

Always  Available at Art by Wendy's Studio

Original work, Commissions, Private Drawing Lessons, Prints and Cards of her Work, 

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Teach Your Pen to Dance - Painting & Drawing Tips

Is your Pen your Friend?  

I love drawing with my pens and they definitely are my friends. Especially, the BLACK ones!! 

Sketchbook Activity: A Quiet Spot on the Trail 

The feel of the smooth flow of ink on paper is very satisfying.  It exciting to watch the crisp black lines move and dance across the page as my picture comes alive. It draws me in and makes me want to draw more.  

I know for many, the idea of drawing freely with a black permanent pen is terrifying.  I can certainly understand the feeling as I wasn't always a big fan of pens. Somehow that has changed for me and I hope with a few different activities (which I will post in my upcoming blogs),  I can convince you to become better friends with your pen.

One way to get comfortable with your pen is to draw wonky lines.  This reduces the feeling that everything needs to be precise. It changes your grip on your pen which also brings that sense of freedom to your mark.  Adding to that we will be drawing things from your imagination.  Again, the feeling of 'percisement' is not there.  You will quickly get that feeling of the freedom in your mark.  

Let me show you. . . 

************** You can see a YouTube version of this blog which has more discussion on this topic.  
How to Teach Your Pen to Dance
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My everyday Mixed Media Sketchbooks 

To Start you will need:  

-    a Permanent Ink Pen.  I like to use the Micron Pigma Pens 05 or 08,  the Staedtler brand is also good
-    A sketchbook - Strathmore 8.5 x 5.5 Mixed Media or Canson 7 x 10 Mixed Media are my favourite.  I use Mixed Media books because I like to mix watercolour with my pen work.  Watercolour is your Pen's best friend and they are both happier when they work together. 
-    Some watercolours and a brush - a gray, blue and 1 other colour

 Let’s get started.  Part 1 - Drawing

Lay out trees in pencil 

-   Loosely place 2 trees shapes on your paper in pencil.  With light lines indicate the trunk and branches. Focus on general shapes and not on the details.  Now pick up your pen.  Your are ready to rock and roll.  Literally.  With your pen draw a few rocks on the ground.  Don't hesitate to pile a few up.  

Ink in rocks and outline of trees

-  Leave room for a few bushes to go near the trees.  Now draw your trees, filling out those loose lines from Step 1 to make a trunk and branches.  Interlock the trees by having the branches of one tree go behind the other.    

-    Now its time for a few bushes around the trees.  Bushes are just shapes and so use a few swirly lines to make bushes.  You can have a few stems sticking out the top for single leaves or ferns.  Have some of the leaves overlap the edge of the tree trunks.  

Add some bushes around the trees

-Now redraw the trees.  Starting at the bottom, draw rows of wobbly lines up through the trees and branches.  They can even overlap a bit.  It your tree needs to be tidied up a bit, now is the time to do it.  You can even make it fatter by drawing some of those lines 'outside' the tree.  

Draw wobbly lines up through the center of the trees. 

 - Add another layer of bushes behind the trees. Notice this new layer echos the shape of the small layers but is looser, larger and few details.  

- I added a few cloud shapes behind my trees. Like the trees I repeated the lines 2 more times.

NB:  The whole drawing is now done 'free hand'.  Pretty neat, eh?!

Part 2 - Add Some colour
Like our lines, think a bit wobbly.  The idea is to not paint everything, leave white spaces.  

Add gray on the shadow side of the trees.

- Use a soft gray to add some shadows.  Pick a direction for your light to come and keep that in mind as you add some shadows.  I have my light coming from the left side of my painting.  Don’t paint all the shadows, leave a bit of white.  Also make some darker than others.  This is a random thing but at the same time, look at your painting and see what 'looks treelike'. 

Add your sky loosely painting around some cloud shapes

-    Pick a blue for your sky and start painting.  LEAVE WHITE SPACES.  Paint loosely leaving white space and water some of it down so there are lights and darks. 

Add a bit of colour to the underbrush

-    Pick a colour to do some painting in the underbrush.  I choose an orangy-red, I made with my yellow and red.  I did some washes, leaving lots of white spaces in my rocks and bushes.  (Don't feel you need to colour in the lines.)  Then added a bit of yellow at the edges of the orange.  When it was dry, I went back and put a few darker marks with the red. Notice I did it at the base of the trees to really draw attention to that area and to ground the trees.  

When you are finished, stand your painting up and step back.  What are 3 things happening in the painting that you really like. Why do you like them?  These are the things you want to remember and try in another painting.  

************** You can see a YouTube version of this blog which has more discussion on this topic.  
How to Teach Your Pen to Dance

I hope you have a happy feeling when you review your painting.  When I look at mine, it brings a smile to my face.  It feels good. 

Try drawing a few more of these imaginary places.  It really helps in getting to know your pen.  I have a few more things you can try. See you in my next post.

Upcoming Events: 

4-Day Outdoor Sketching Art Retreat in the Shuswap with Wendy Mould, hosted by Joanne Dennis, June 12-15, 2026.   All inclusive: food, instruction, accommodations and drive from Lower Mainland.  $100-$750 depending on room choices.   https://www.joannedennis.ca/events-list/aventurasretreats/

Outdoor Sketching Mini-Adventure: 

Join Wendy for 2.5 hr in local North Langley parks.  Practical instructions in gettin your sketch on paper and bringing your memories to life.  Mediums: pencil, pen & watercolour. 
Dates: Wednesday or Thursday, June 24/25, July 22/23, or Wednesday, August 5 or Aug 12. It is best to go 10-12:30am as the light is good for shadows. 6-8:30pm also works for evening sketching.  Bring a lunch or small dinner to add to the adventure. 

Individual $85  Small group 2 or 3, $65 ea.  Payment is due once your dates have been confirmed.

Always  Available at Art by Wendy's Studio

Original work, Commissions, Private Drawing Lessons, Prints and Cards of her Work, 

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,