In this lesson, Catherine will guide you through her landscape sketching process, from thumbnails to full-color sketches. You’ll start with thumbnail studies from photos, breaking each scene into visual planes. Then, Catherine will create variations using the rule of thirds, proportion analysis, and cropping to refine the compositions. Finally, you’ll create full-color watercolor paintings, incorporating techniques like dry brushing, gradations, and layering to design compelling and dynamic landscapes.

This lesson belongs to the course Sketchbooking From Life. In this 6-week course, artist Catherine Bobkoski guides you through the essential practice of sketchbooking from life, using watercolor, pencil, and pen. Each week, you’ll engage in practical sketching exercises and techniques, exploring line work, value scales, color mixing, and composition through still-lifes, flowers, landscapes, and portraits. Catherine’s lessons emphasize observation, experimentation, and simplification, helping you refine fundamental drawing and painting skills while confidently capturing the essence of your subject. The course also includes an archive of student assignment critiques, offering valuable insights into applied sketchbooking. By the end of the course, you’ll have the tools and confidence to transform your sketchbook into a space for artistic growth and personal expression.

Throughout this course, you’ll have access to the NMA community for feedback and critiques to improve your work as you progress.