‘Some recent Sketches’

by | Dec 1, 2025 | Pen & Wash Sketching, Pen Drawing/Sketching, Pencil Drawing, Watercolour paintings & sketches

Watercolour, pen and brushpen sketch of a wild sea running into the cliffs near Porthleven.

Some recent sketches

Here’s a look at some of my recent sketches, in various media and in different sketch books.

Featured painting above:

‘Cormorants and a wild sea’

Fineliner Pen, black brushpen and watercolour sketch sitting on the south west coast path, just north of Porthleven.

Materials Used

For these sketches I was using in a Daler Rowney, Red & Yellow cartridge pad and Clairefontaine Watercolour Paper. I sketch quickly, first with a 6B pencil, before adding watercolour or pen. I use my trusty Winsor & Newton, watercolour field paint box, with two round brushes, sable no.1 & no.6. The pen used is a waterproof fineliner and a black brush pen.

The Sketches

Watercolour and pen sketch of a person standing looking out to sea, near Perranuthnoe.

‘Towards Peranuthnoe’

Fineliner Pen, black brushpen and watercolour sketch sitting on the rocks on Marazion beach.
Watercolour and pen sketch of the tiny Cockwood harbour entrance and the boats at low tide.

‘Cockwood Harbour’

The smallest harbour entrance? Cockwood, on the Exe Estuary. Pen & watercolour sketch.
Watercolour sketch of people standing at the end of the flooded causeway looking at St Michaels Mount

‘Flooded causeway’

Hazy, windy day at Mount’s Bay, such a beautiful and serene place for sketching. The Cornish name, ‘Karrek Loos yn Koos’, means ‘Grey rock in the woods.’ This could be a memory of when the Mount was still part of the mainland before this part of Mount’s Bay was flooded. Watercolour painting, A4, Pink Pigs sketchbook.
Watercolour sketch of snow of a track in Woodbury woods.

‘Snow in the woods’

Walking up into the woods on Woodbury Common, in the sudden snow. Watercolour, A6, ‘I love art’ mixed media pad, travelling round brush (no.6’ish).
Watercolour and brushpen sketch of a sunset over Woodbury Common

‘Dusk on the Common’

Walking into the dusk on Woodbury Common. Heading for the hillfort, with the sunset reflecting in the water flowing down the path. Watercolour and black brushpen. A6, ‘I love art’ mixed media pad.
Watercolour sketch looking out of Lympstone Harbour, with a boat and crane.

Lympstone’s Harbour

Early morning cycle, in the sun, taking in part of the Exe Estuary trail. Stopped at Lympstone’s little harbour. 6B Pencil, watercolour & A4, Pink Pigs Sketchbook
Pencil sketch of a Emu's head.

Emu

Pencil and watercolour in a cartridge paper sketchbook. Sitting quietly at Tropiquaria Zoo, in Somerset.
watercolour pencil sketch showing a Dartmoor stream flowing under trees and a stone clapper bridge.

Dartmoor Clapper Bridge

Watercolour pencil on watercolour paper. This was sketched quickly for a demonstration..
Watercolour sketch showing Steep Holm island in the Bristol Channel and a beach at low tide.

Steep Holm Island and the Bristol Channel

Loose watercolour sitting on Doniford beach, near Watchet. Steep Holm Island is on the horizon of the Bristol Channel.
Artist sat on beach sketching.

Here I am sat on Doniford beach sketching away.

Pen sketch of a Dartmoor stream flowing over boulders.

Flowing water on a Dartmoor Stream

Waterproof Fineliner Pen, with a brushpen ~ A5, Sold “Becka Stream below Hound Tor on Dartmoor. The water drops and flows beautifully over the boulders in the stream.”
Pencil sketch of a Fallow Deer under a tree.
Pencil sketch of a Fallow Deer head looking out of grass.

Fallow Deer

Pencil ~ A5 “Sketching the Fallow Deer at Sketching the Powderham Castle. We were just sitting on the footpath that runs beside the castle grounds. Looking through the fence at the deer.”
Two people standing on a path in woods with sunshine coming through the trees.

Sunshine on Woodbury Common

June 8th – watercolour, A5 ~ Sold. “This sketch is of the transition between the woodland and heathland on Woodbury Common, with sunshine coming through the leaves. I added my wife and myself to the picture later. For the darkest areas, I used gouache rather than watercolour.” Sold
Pencil sketch of Trevose Head with the Lighthouse on it.

Trevose Head Lighthouse

Pencil, A4 “We were staying at Mother Ivy’s campsite and walking around Trevose Head and I am sitting here sketching the Lighthouse.”
Pencil sketch of a Cassowary

Sketching at the RAMM

” My son and I came to Exeter’s RAMM to sketch some of the many exhibits. This first one is of one of the stuffed birds, a Cassowary.”
Pen sketch of a Tiger Skull
Pen ~ A4 “This second one is of a Tiger Skull.”
Ink sketch of trees and bushes on a heathland.

On Woodbury Common

” My son and I off sketching together. This time on Woodbury Common. This sketch is sitting looking south across the common. I am just using a brushpen and A5 cartridge pad + a green Sennelier ‘Ink Brush’. That I was sent to try out. Which works fine, though I find the colour a little harsh.”
Sketch of a backpacker on the Ross of Mull with the sea behind.

Backpacking

Pen, ink and watercolour, A5 “This A5 sketch is from memory of when Paul and I were backpacking over the Isle of Mull, with the paps of Jura on the horizon.”

Lastly

Well I think that’s about it from my sketchbook for the moment. Keep sketching!

Painting and Drawing around the Exe Estuary

Oil Painting – ‘Bill’ or ‘Jigging for Mackerel’

Sketching tips.

Watercolour Painting – Avocets

Sketching on the Exeter Ship Canal

Sketching across the Exe Estuary

Back to the Sketching Blog

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