My sketchbook diary process

Went out walking without a raincoat and I think it's due to get up to 15 ºC for the second day in a row! The Calder Wetlands are buzzing with bugs which make standing still a bit of a challenge. The paths are okay, drying out enough to walk but there are still patches that are an utter quagmire. Here's a quick run down of how I make these diary pages.

A5 Seawhite of Brighton Sketchbook. Panels roughly drawn in. Template rotated/flipped for the second page for a bit of variety.

As you can see things are drawn in very loose and freehand. Decided to combine the first three panels into one. The tree demanded it!

The graphite in the Faber-Castell grip pencil is grade B as is the 0.9 lead in the propelling pencil. I am drawing as I go. The guide lines underneath the writing were drawn in when I got back home.

I am trying to create something that flows. Brief moments that add up to an experience. Not a precise record but one that has what I may of been thinking or feeling. (The thought of "am I in range of that catapult" didn't make it into the final cut.)

The reason I walk is to get me out of the house for exercise and my mental well being. I don't enjoy walking for the sake of walking so making notes, taking photos and sketching gives my brain the pretense that it is doing something constructive and helps me to engage. I have only recently started taking audio notes and like the 'talking to yourself' but in a way I can understand when playing the recording back aspect to do this.

The walk around the Calder Wetlands takes just over an hour. When I get home I have a cup of black redbush tea, a packet of biscuits and then a lay down for five minutes.

Inking probably takes two hours. I use Winsor & Newton black indian ink and a Perry & Co No. 227 Nib. I made a right mess of panel six erasing the pencil, smudging the writing and had to use a Tippex pen to correct it.

The next stage is colouring, but I'll save that until next time.