Transcripts
1. About the Class: Hello, everyone.
I'm Bianca eyela. I'm a watercolor artist, educator, and
Skillshare top teacher. Over the years, I've had the
joy of teaching thousands of students from all over the
world here on Skillshare. My classes are all about making watercolor approachable,
joyful and meaningful. I work with brands
like Schminka, Silver Bush Limited,
and Arkon Mounts. In this class, I want
to invite you to a creative practice that's
been so lifegiving for me, keeping a watercolor sketchbook. This is not about
perfect paintings or big finished pieces. It's about showing up
with your sketchbook, even just for a few minutes, painting something simple and letting that small
act move you forward. We'll explore four
different subjects, landscapes, seascapes,
sunsets and floals. Each one is a short
and approachable study that you can complete
in a single sitting. It's a low pressure way to
explore different themes, discover what you
naturally enjoy painting and reconnect
with your creativity, whether you're just start
feeling a bit stuck or simply craving time to slow
down and make something. I hope this class helps you build a rhythm of
creative practice, rediscover the joy of painting, and maybe even surprise
yourself along the way. So grab your sketchbook
and let's start painting.
2. Why Sketchbook: There was a season when I felt really stuck with painting. I had the materials,
I had ideas, but for some reason, I
just couldn't paint. One day while organizing myself, I found an old empty
watercolor sketchbook. I remember thinking, What if I just use this to practice
without pressure? That small decision
changed everything for me. I gave myself permission to paint just for the
sake of painting. No big final pieces, no perfect outcomes, just small studies that
felt light and doable. To get started, I browsed
interest and save photos that felt inspiring photos
like peaceful landscapes, cozy still life setups
or scenic city corners. And then I painted them not
perfectly, but playfully. I tried to paint them the way the inner child in me would
without fear of mistakes, just curiosity and joy. And that became a
rhythm for me, a quiet, creative habit that brought back my flow and reminded me how
much I truly love painting. Now I want to invite you
to experience that, too. In this class, I'll be painting four simple
studies with you, a landscape, a seascape, a sunset, and a florals. These are just starting
points, and after this, I encourage you to create your own pinterest board or save photos that
spark your interest, and then open your sketchbook and paint them,
not the right way, but the way you would paint it, the way the child in you
would paint it freely. Without pressure
and with wonder. Because your sketchbook
isn't just for practice. It's a place for
discovery, for play, for reconnecting with
a creative part of you that might just need a
little space to breathe. Before we jump into painting, let's quickly go
over the materials we'll be using in this class. I'll see you in the next video.
3. Materials: Welcome to the material section. Since this class is all about creative practice and giving yourself a safe
space to explore, I encourage you to use whatever
you already have on hand. You don't need perfect
supplies to get started. For the sketchbook, I'm using a regular watercolor
sketchbook. Nothing too fancy. One important thing
to look for, though, is that the paper should
be at least 200 GSM. This helps it hold up
better to the water in your washes and keeps the
page from buckling too much. For paints, feel free to use the watercolor
palette you already have. In fact, it's even
better to paint with colors you love or have
been enjoying lately. Because your color
choices say a lot about your style and
your personality. In this class, I'm using my go to Schminka
watercolor palette, which is the same one I
use in my other classes. Now for the brushes, I'm using round brushes which are
great for versatility. This is the Renaissance
Sabo brush in size eight and size ten. I'll use the size ten for
larger washes like skies, fields or big sea areas. The size eight is perfect for covering smaller
shapes and edges, and I also have a silver silk
88 size six synthetic brush for some finer details. And, of course, this
liner brush for fine lines or tiny details. Other things you'll want to have nearby are two cups of water, a tissue or a rag. Paper clips to hold down
your sketchbook pages and a pencil and eraser for light sketching before we paint. I've also provided a copy
of the reference photo and a photo of the
finished paintings in the resources section
of this class, so you can download those
anytime. That's it. Simple and flexible, just
like our sketchbook practice. Once you've gathered
your materials, let's start painting our
first subject together.
4. Project 1: Daisy Wildflowers: Welcome to our first
painting prompt. And this lesson
we'll be painting a loose and joyful study of daisy flowers in our sketchbook. You can download the reference photo from the resource section, but for our sketch, we won't
copy the entire picture. We'll just capture
the main flowers and use the composition
as an inspiration. I start with a
light pencil sketch beginning with a bunch of
daisies on the lower left side. As I draw, I try to
capture the softness of the petals and the direction of the flowers are facing. I draw the first three flowers
here on the lower left, then add a few more going
toward the upper part. Some of them are upward facing
instead of front facing. We want to suggest a light and graceful movement
of the flowers. Next, I draw tiny buds to
complement the composition and then a main flower near the center forming a
triangular shape overall. Finally, I sketch two more
flowers on the right side, along with a bud and
light strokes for the stems showing the natural
movement of the flowers. Keep your strokes light
and gentle and remember, the goal here isn't to create a perfect frameworthy piece, but to explore, experiment, and enjoy the process. This is all about building
brush confidence and familiarity that will help
you grow as a painter. Now we can begin painting by misting the page
with a spray bottle. Next, I prepare a background
wash using cobalturquois, cobalt blue, and olive
green with lots of water. We'll paint around the
flowers to leave them white and create a
playful, soft background. I lay down the teal
color mix lightly, then spray water on the edges
to let it soften and flow. I also til the sketchbook to allow the paints
to move naturally. Then I dab more paint
around the flowers, keeping things loose
and expressive. I even splatter some
paint here and there. It adds fun and a sense of
spontaneity to the mposition. As I go, I vary the color mix, adding more torquois
or more water to keep the tones
fresh and interesting. Oh. Now, we can do the layering of
the background. Now I carefully continue
painting around the flowers, softening edges with
water as needed. I keep the background very
light on the left side, almost like a te wash, so the eye naturally focuses
on the flowers there. O Next, I introduce a
grayish purple shade in the upper part of the
paper by mixing cobalt blue and quinacridal
magenta with leftover teal and
adding lots of water. This creates a nice
cool to warm contrast, and I keep the transition
smooth and seamless. I also splatter some of this purplish paint for added
movement and looseness. Then I mix yellow ochre with orange and splatter that
in the background as well. And it gives a soft impression of distant flowers or
warm light in the scene. Now, let's paint the
leaves and the buds. I take a creamy mix of
green using olive green and a touch of blue and begin painting the leaves on
the lower left side. If you look at the reference, this portion has the highest
contras and darkest tones. This is the focal point
we want to emphasize. I use simple loose brush
strokes for the leaves, making sure my
paint is thicker in consistency so it pops
against the background. I also paint the
greens on the buds and in between some of the petals to create contrast
and definition. Then I switch to a liner brush
and paint the thin stems, letting the lines
flow naturally. Try to keep them light and graceful like they're
dancing on the page. The key to this kind of movement is to paint
with joy and freedom. When we enjoy the
rhythm of painting, the looseness and flow
will come naturally. Now it's time to paint
the flower centers. I mix yellow ochre,
a bit of orange and olive green to a thick,
creamy consistency. I paint the centers
in a way that leaves a lighter portion to
suggest form and light. Make the outer part darker
to create more dimension. And I repeat this for
the other flowers painting carefully but loosely. I also go back to touch up
some greens I may have missed, buds stems or leaves, and use negative
painting to define a few petals by painting
the spaces around them. This stage, I also deepen the contrast in the
lower left background, so the white flowers
pop even more. Just be sure to
pause and look at your page from a distance
to avoid overworking it. To finish, I create
a lavender mix. You can use a premixed color or make your own by
combining cobalt violet, cobalt blue and
white or ice blue. Using this, I paint
soft shadows on the white petals with
gentle suggestive strokes. Not every petal needs one. A little goes a long way. Then I splatter some
lavender around the painting for
atmosphere and balance. Finally, I add small
touches of contras around the flowers on the
right side to help them stand out just a bit more. And that's it for our
first class project. This Daisy painting is a great way to start
simple shapes, soft brush work and lots
of freedom to explore. Don't forget to share work in
the class project section. I'd love to see how
you interpreted this subject and hear how
you felt during the process. Up next, we'll paint a
peaceful landscape together, so I'll see you in
the next lesson.
5. Project 2: Countryside Landscape: Welcome to our next
sketchbook painting prompt. In this lesson, we'll be
painting a beautiful, peaceful landscape with luscious mountains
in the background, a cozy cottage and trees
in the middle ground, and a flowing river
in the foreground. Let's begin with
a pencil sketch. First, we'll set
the horizon line slightly above the
center of the page. Then I sketch the mountain
ranges and slope of the hill. On the right side, I
draw the cottage using basic shapes just enough
to suggest the structure. I also sketch a few
trees beside it. To guide the flow
of the composition, I draw a river line
that starts from the left and gently
stands toward the right along with some markings for
plants near the water. Let's also add some fence lines and light sketch
marks for shadows. That's our base sketch. Now we're ready to paint. Let's miss the paper lightly. And then for the sky,
I mix cobalt blue, Prussian blue, and a touch of turquoise diluted
with lots of water. Using swift horizontal strokes, I lay down a soft sky wash. I spray the edges for
a diffuse soft effect and add a few brush strokes near the top to give a glowing touch. Next, I add yellow ochert to the leftover blue mix to
begin painting the mountains. Since the initial
strokes look too light, I create a creamier mix to help the mountain stand
out against the sky. On the left part of the mountain, I add more yellow to
warm up the tone. I paint with directional
strokes to suggest texture and movement along
the mountain surface. I also vary the greens slightly to keep it
natural and not too flat. As I approach the middle ground, I begin dabbing darker
green tones along the mountain base to suggest trees and depth from a distance. Now I shift the color
slightly toward a warmer yellow green mix to separate the mountain
from the lower field. And I load my brush with more paint than water, creating broad strokes with a nice dry brush effect
toward the edges. This creates unique textures and a sense of sunlight
across the field. I paint the other
land fragments. And splatter some paint across the lower areas for a loose
and spontaneous effect. Then I continue with
the foreground greens, letting the strokes
get more textured and layered as they
move closer to us. And Now, let's paint the river. I mix Surqois and cobalt blue, and then apply it in a
soft horizontal stroke to give the feeling
of a calm water. While the river is still moist, I start painting the plants
along the riverside. Remember to observe perspective, the plants in the foreground should appear larger
and more detailed, and those near the horizons should be smaller and lighter. Using my synthetic brush, I paint quick grass
blade strokes, still mindful of perspective. To separate the plants
from the river, I add dark strokes along the water's edge giving
definition and contrast. Now for the cottage roof, I use Brncena applied
with a flat brush stroke. To deepen the tone, I
mix in a bit of violet and perlin maroon and use
that for the shaded areas. I then paint the side
of the house using a lavender mix to indicate
the shadowed wall. Next, I move to the
trees around the house, and I start with a
yellowish green, then gradually add darker tones to create dimension in depth. On the right, I paint
a tall tree with flat vertical strokes and a cluster more trees in a
loose impression beside it. The higher the contras
around the house, the more it glows
as the focal point. Now, I'll paint the shadows on the mountains and the
fields behind the house. I use a slightly diluted mix to keep the shadows
transparent and soft. And I also deepen the
shadows around the tree in the middle ground to help
anchor it in the scene. Then I mix Burnhena and violet to paint small
details on the house, just a few dots for accents. Using the same paint, I add fence lines in
the far distance. Then darken the roof texture
with a deeper brown color. A For the foreground fences, I make a mix of that
same dark brown with ice blue for
an opaque feel. I paint broken,
irregular strokes. Remember, we don't want them to look too
aligned or stiff. And don't forget to
add shadows beneath the fence post to ground
them in the scene. Let's add reflections
in the water. I mix indigo into our blue mix. Then use a liner brush to create horizontal strokes that mimic plant reflections in the water. I do this once this river
fragment is already dry. Do this in one clean stroke to keep the effect crisp
and avoid muddiness. Add some finer lines
for natural variation. But don't cover the whole river. We want to preserve some
light and glow in the water, especially in the foreground. To finish, I mix
naples yellow with water to add highlights
on the grassy area, especially in the foreground. This gives the field
more fullness and unity. Then I take ice blue and
cobalt violet to create a lavender mix which I used to splatter and dot
impressions of wildflowers, focusing on the foreground and letting it fade toward the back. Add a few more tiny
dark strokes for contrast and detail here
and there and we're done. I hope you enjoyed painting
this landscape with me, and it's a great way
to explore light, movement, and perspective in
a relaxed sketchbook format. Remember, this doesn't
have to be perfect. Let it be a study, a creative moment, a small piece of practice that brings joy. Feel free to share
your version in the class project section,
and when you're ready, I'll see you in the next
lesson where we'll continue our sketchbook explorations
with a peaceful seascape.
6. Project 3: Ocean View from a Cliff: Welcome to our third
sketchbook painting prompt. And this lesson will
paint a scenic view of the ocean from a cliff with mountains in the background and a rocky shoreline and some grasses and wildflowers
in the foreground. This subject is
all about texture, contrast, and letting the brush capture the energy of the coast. Let's begin with
our pencil sketch. First, I draw the horizon line in the upper third
part of the paper. Then I sketch the mountains on the right and a
smaller one on the left. On the right again, I add another rocky
mountain closer to the middle ground and a
cliff in the foreground. I'll add some grasses and
plants on this area later on. Lastly, I draw a big rock on the lower left to
frame the foreground, and that's our layout,
simple shapes with strong visual layers.
Now, let's paint. I start with a bluish
purple mix for the sky light and watery,
so it dries soft. I use swift horizontal strokes, and it's totally okay to leave small white gaps.
It adds sparkle. And then I till the paper
a bit so that the pain flows gently down as I
transition to the ocean. O. For the water by the horizon, I switch to a darker blue mix, slightly thicker in
consistency than the sky. I leave the mountains unpainted and start filling in the water. And As I move down, I transition to a teal blue by mixing turquoise
and olive green. While the previous
layer is still moist, this creates a smooth
blend between color zones. I soften the edges near the mountain base and
keep the shoreline a light bagetone to suggest
sand or shallow water. Next, I take indigo and
paint horizontal strokes in the middle part of the ocean, thicker near the
foreground and thinner toward the distance to show
depth and perspective. Let's mix the colors
for the rocks. I combine ice blue, yellow ochre, Bncena
and a touch of violet. If you've taken my guash
class on seascapes, we use the same principle here. Start light, add midtones, then finish with
darks to build form. I paint the first mountain on the right with a
flat light layer, then add a hint of green
to the mix for variety. At the base, I add violet and paints gray for the
darker shadows, painting upward to follow
the shape of the rock. These directional strokes help show form and surface structure. I add some dark lines and soft texture just enough to
suggest rugged rock faces, but still keeping it
loose and painterly. I paint the next Rocky
Mountain using leftover mixes, adjusting tone by adding violet, Bncena or paints grape. For the small rock in the center, I keep one side lighter to
suggest light hitting it. I also add a few white
strokes at the base of the cliffs to suggest
waves hitting the rocks. Now let's continue with the
rock on the right foreground. I use a darker tone here to
bring it forward visually, then I transition to a lighter mix on the upper
part to create dimension. Using ice blue, which is more opaque helps capture the hard
textured surface of rocks. I blend in a few dark
strokes and soft edges, and then a tip that I could share is focus on the
overall shape first, then use tonal values
to bring out the form. Now for the left mountains, I follow the same technique, light washes first, then dark accents for
shape and contrast. I squint at my
reference as I paint to better see light and
shadow relationships. I also paint the
smaller mountain in front of it with a soft tone, then add a darker stroke behind it to separate the two visually. For the left side rocks
in the foreground, I use a light beige mix and drop in some burncena
while it's still wet. I also add touches of purple
for the shaded areas. Then I use my leftover
paints with some paints gray to paint the darker rocky
fragment on the lower side. For the main foreground rock, I mix burncena and yellow
ochre for a warm tone. I leave the edges loose and irregular and add splattered strokes going in that
direction for energy. Then I add violet
splatters for texture. If paint collects in the center
of your sketchbook seam, just blot it out so it doesn't
transfer to other pages. I increase contrast on
the surrounding rock, so the foreground
stands out even more. Now that the base is dry, I mix a blue tone for the
reflections under the cliffs. Using thin horizontal strokes, I gently paint around the
base of the mountains. Then I take ice blue
and splatter it lightly in the foreground for
splashes and wave texture. Let's add four ground
grasses and plants. I use olive green with bold
strokes from my round brush. Be expressive and
confident we want to show motion and life
in the textures. Next, I add darker greens in certain spots for
depth and variation. With a smaller brush, I add some fine grass blades and extra texture in one
area to lead the eye. For the finishing touch, I prepare a creamy
pink paint and.in wallflowers varying their size and placement for a
more natural look. To complete the piece, I splatter more paint
in the same pink tone, then add darker pink accents
for contrast and pop. If needed, add more
dots and spots of dark colors here and there to define the shape or
add few details. And that's her painting. Don't forget to upload
your painting in the project section and share which part of the process
you enjoy the most. In the next class we'll be
keeping the exploration going with the sunset
landscape painting. I'll see you there.
7. Project 4: Glowing Sunset Landscape: Welcome to our final
painting prompt in this sketchbook series. In this lesson, we'll paint
a glowing sunset over a quiet field with
a wooden gate in the foreground and
soft distant trees. I hope these sketchbook
prompts have helped you feel more
comfortable with your brush, built your painting confidence, and reminded you that art can be both an exploration
and a form of rest. Let's begin with
a pencil sketch. First, I draw the horizon line on the upper part of the paper. Then I sketch the
wooden post and gate lightly outlining the shape and adding a few lines
for structure. Keeping it minimal so the lines won't show
through the painting. And then I sketch the
second pose on the right. Draw some wavy lines for the tree shapes and lightly sketch the distant
mountains in the background. I erase part of the
center area so that the sunset glow won't have
any pencil lines beneath it, and we want that spot
to really shine. So let's start painting. I
miss the page with water, then take yellow ochre for the
center glow of the sunset. I leave a small unpainted
circle for the sun, so it will appear extra bright. Next, I take a bit of orange
mixed with yellow and paint around the sun to form
the warm radiant glow. While everything is still moist, I blend the edges, tilt my sketchbook gently and soften transitions with
a touch of clean water. Now I add cobalt
blue to the top of the sky using gentle
controlled strokes. The upper sky should be slightly darker to create
atmospheric perspective. I use a clean damp brush to gently soften the
shape of the sun, brushing out any excess pain that might flow into
the white area. This step also helps
the sun appear smaller and deeper
in the horizon. Next, I mix orange
and burn Shenna, then add a touch of
cobalt blue to paint the distant mountains with
a muted shadowed tone. I soften the edges
once more with a clean brush and blot any
excess water using tissue. Now, I continue the sunset
glow toward the horizon line, fading the orange into
the upcoming field. I make sure to avoid
painting the wooden gate. Now, let's mix olive
green and a bit of yellow ochre to start
painting the field. I let this green
gently connect with a still moist orange to
create a seamless transition. As I paint toward
the foreground, I gradually darken the green
tones by adjusting the mix. I splatter a few strokes here to add texture
and movement. For the foreground greens, I use thicker, darker mix, and start applying loose dabbing strokes to suggest grasses
and energy in the seed. On the right, I use upward brush strokes
for grass blades. The strokes are playful
and expressive, remember, the key to achieving
this look is confidence and letting
go of hesitation. Vary your pressure and
direction to keep it lively. I now mix a dark brown color using cobalt violet
and burncena. Using a flat brush, I paint the gate
posts and slats, drying my brush slightly so that the stroke stay
controlled and won't bleed. I observe the light
and shadow areas in the reference photo and
adjust my tone accordingly. I deepen the values with paints gray or deep sea
violet for more contrast. I begin with the outer frame, then paint the inner wood slats. Well, still damp. I add fine
lines for green texture. To make the gate pop from both the background and
the grassy foreground, it's important to get
the right tonal shift, so take it slow and squint
at your reference as you go. M Now, back to the background. I use dark green and
begin dabbing strokes behind the gate for
the treed impressions. I tap the tip of my brush and press lightly to form
organic foliage shapes. I paint the tree
on the right with a brush held flat to
create bushy textures. Then add a few darker
touches for death. I then paint a smaller tree on the left using the
same technique, and this helps frame
the composition and adds visual balance. I notice a small unpainted
patch on the post, so I connect that
to the grass below. In the middle ground,
I paint smaller, more subtle grass impressions keeping in my
aerial perspective. Grasses farther away
should be smaller and finer while those in the foreground are taller
and more expressive. I add larger strokes of grass
on both the left and right, overlapping the gates slightly so everything feels connected. To highlight the foreground, I paint a few strokes of opaque yellow, but
keep it minimal. These are just highlight
accents and not full coverage. Now, I go back to
the middle ground to add more texture and depth with strokes that are
soft and fine detailing. For the last touches, I use creamy ice blue
to dot some flowers in the foreground followed by some splattered strokes
in the same toy. Then I dab in a few
pops of orange on the right and balance it by
adding a little on the left. Oh. Try to avoid symmetry. We want flowers to feel spontaneous yet
thoughtfully placed. To finish, I add a few subtle dots
of color on the gate to help it stand out against both the background
and the foreground. And this completes
our final sketchbook painting a peaceful, glowing sunset to end our
watercolor journey together. I hope this sketchbook
practice series gave you the space to slow down, play with paint, and reconnect
with your creativity. Whether you paint for
growth, rest or rediscovery, remember, your
sketchbook is always there ready for your
next exploration. Don't forget to upload your
final project and check out the next watercolor class for more ideas and painting
inspiration and see it there.
8. Final Thoughts: Thank you for joining me today
for this watercolor class. I hope this sketchbook session
helped you reconnect with your creativity and
reminded you that painting can be simple,
freeing and fun. I'd love to see your creations and hear about your experience. Share your sketchbook pages
with me on Instagram or in the class project
section here on Skillshare. Let me know which subject
you enjoy the most or how this practice helps
spark your creative flow. If you enjoy the class, please consider
leaving a review. Your feedback means a lot to me. It helps me improve
my future classes and truly encourages me to keep
making more content for you. If you want to keep going
with your sketchbook journey, I invite you to check out my other watercolor
sketchbook classes or try my watercolor
travel class, where we paint scenes inspired by real places and memories. They are a great way to stay inspired and keep that
creative momentum going. Until then, keep
painting with freedom, follow your curiosity, and I'll see you in the next class. To
Bianca Rayala, Top Teacher | Watercolor Artist
