Rita Sketching

I was tempted to do a contour drawing while Rita was focused on her nature journal at the top of the trail from Buster Brown Field.

I tucked this sketch into the fold over part of my handmade accordion sketchbook, ready to add watercolor washes later.

June 28, 2018 = 7:30pm Back in the studio on Thursday night, I did a live broadcast of some additions and corrections to my North Cascades nature journal. See the replay on periscope.tv/michelecoopart

Some souvenirs of our weekend in the North Cascades

My 19 minute demo on Periscope includes tips on making corrections and using watercolor, watercolor pencil and pen.

Rita sketching on a windy hilltop in the North Cascades.

Nature Trek to a Mountain Meadow

Handmade Nature Journals by my Watercolor Students

On the second day of my Summer Watercolor Workshop at the North Cascades Learning Center, we finished up our journals and took a sack lunch to Buster Brown field for some nature journaling and sketching.

Our naturalist guides Evan and Hannah, gathered our group together at noon and led us up the trail.

We all pretty much stopped in our tracks as the scene opened up and the overwhelming beauty of our outdoor studio revealed itself to us.  After I gave everyone a moment to explore I started my watercolor nature sketching demonstration.

I used my DIY Altoids mini watercolor palette, Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. CP watercolor paper and my Pentel Aquash waterbrush. As you can see this portable set up is easy to use while standing and slips into a pocket or day pack when not in use.

Here are my students working on their watercolor sketches at Buster Brown field. That's Pyramid Peak in the distance. More photos and stories here in my Flickr album.