Colour Sketchbook :: 1

You may recall that last summer, I set SPECTRUM, the group that I mentor a summer sketchbook project called "Close to Home" and I posted ideas and suggestions for them to follow on this blog. Well, this summer they have been set another challenge and this time it is to produce a new sketchbook following the same theme but limiting themselves to one colour. They have been asked to choose either a primary colour (red, yellow or blue) or a secondary colour (purple, orange or green) and to work primarily in this colour only. Once again I will be posting some of my ideas on the blog so please feel free to join us... and let me know so I can share your progress too.

As ever, starting a new sketchbook can be a daunting prospect and those blank white pages can be quite offputting. So I shall start with a really simple idea for colouring pages. You will need some water based media. One of my favourites are these water based dyes by koh-i-nor which I get from Art Van Go. They give brilliant colour plus they are very portable. But any water colours will work.

Your sketchbook can be any size you like but unless you are really confident I wouldn't go too big... but not too small either! One of the things I'm going to stress is filling the pages right up to the edges. No tiny little drawings in the middle of the page. We're going to be big, bold and colourful!

First of all, dampen the page you are working on with a sponge brush and clear water. This just slows down the drying process.

Then flood the page with your chosen colour using a big soft brush. As you can see my colour is going to be red. When the page is totally covered you will need to turn quickly to your kitchen and pick up a packet of cling film. 

You then need to cover the entire page with a sheet of crumpled up cling film and leave it aside to dry completely (no peeping to see how it is getting on!)

When dry, simply lift off the cling film and you are left with a lovely textured surface.

These pages can then be drawn into later or used as the basis of collage but that will be another post!

Meanwhile think of all the things you can associate with your chosen colour. Colour can be very emotive. It effects our moods and can alter the way we perceive the world. When I think of red for example, I think danger or excitement. It can signify warmth and passion... think red roses, hearts etc. Yet it can also suggest blood, torture and anger. What can you associate with your chosen colour?