Pen and wash

For the watercolour artist, pen and wash has perhaps only been regarded as a quick and handy method of capturing an image. Sketchbooks are often used on location to capture a pen and wash of the subject, to be used as a reference for a studio painting later on, or as a memento of where the painter has been. They are great to have handy if the weather turns inclement when you are out painting en plein air. You can duck into a café and have a latte, do a quick sketch of the parfait with the glacé cherries then add some washes with your brushes and voilà - a mini masterpiece!

I don’t personally use sketchbooks but I’ve often looked through other painters’ sketchbooks. I’ve usually been amazed at the completeness of the