Expressive Urban Sketching Technique with Watercolor & Colored Pencils

Learn to create bold and expressive urban sketches using watercolor, fineliner, and colored pencils!

In this class, I’ll guide you step by step through my favorite sketching technique - combining loose watercolor washes, dynamic inking, and colorful pencil textures to bring a charming Dutch building to life. This technique is one of my go-to methods for capturing the spirit of a place with energy and personality.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced sketcher looking to loosen up your style, this class is designed to boost your confidence and encourage playful experimentation.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to plan a balanced and vibrant composition using thumbnails

• How to work in layers with watercolor to build up depth and light

• When and how to use ink lines for structure and style

• How to add final shadows and detail using brush pens and colored pencils

• Why color contrast and texture can turn a simple sketch into something expressive

What You’ll Need:

• Watercolor paints in your favorite colors

• Colored pencils (soft brands like Luminance or Lightfast work best)

• Watercolor brushes (including a large flat brush and a round brush size 12)

• A5 watercolor paper (100% cotton recommended)

• Fineliner (0.3–0.5) and a black brush pen

• 2B graphite pencil, kneaded eraser, paper towels, masking tape, jar of water

• Draft paper for thumbnails

* Colors I use in this class are listed in the materials PDF and include my favorite Luminance and Lightfast shades.

Helpful Resources:

For more tips on colored pencils, watercolor supplies, and sketching techniques, check out:

• My Blog

• My YouTube Channel

This class is perfect for anyone who wants to learn a dynamic approach to urban sketching and start creating expressive, joyful artwork.

I’ll help you take the pressure off and just enjoy the process, and by the end, you’ll have a finished sketch full of color, texture, and life.