Line and Wash. Tales from around the fire: Winter Village
In this session we created a cosy little village in line and wash. I guided you through the process from the very first ink lines to the final touches of snow and glow. We worked from a simple seasonal display photo, and I showed you how you can turn an ordinary scene into a magical winter moment.
I walked you through the waterproof pens I love to use and how you can get lovely results without needing anything fancy. We talked about choosing the right paper, how to keep your ink safe once you add water, and how to build your picture in simple steps. You started with gentle shapes, then added more depth, texture, bricks, cracks and little surprises. I shared some inspiration from the German illustrator Gabrielle Carasusan and we had a look at her charming villages and her circular backgrounds. https://www.carasusan.art/pages/watercolor-illustration
You then added colour with watercolours. You learned how to make the windows glow with soft yellows and how to bring in the night sky with blues and purples. We worked from light to dark and we let the paint flow a little. I reminded you that watercolour does what it wants, and that this is part of the joy. At the end we added white gouache to bring in the snow.
I loved seeing your different styles. You each created something unique. Some of you added all the colour. Some showed only the ink. Some kept the houses close together. Others left more space. Every piece had its own story. It was lovely to see the line and wash technique give you the freedom to pause when you needed to.
Next week, on the twentieth of November, we will work with coloured pencils. We will draw a hare and we will build it up in layers. Any coloured pencils are fine to bring along.
Please share your finished village in the community when you have a moment. And if you would like, you can take a photo or scan your artwork and turn it into your own Christmas card.
Materials we used
Waterproof fineliner pens (I used Pen sizes 1 and 0.6)
Watercolour paint
Watercolour paper or drawing paper
Mixing palette
Water pot
Small and medium brushes
White gouache or a white pen
Pencil and eraser