drawing or not?

[rapolina]

Are you used to draw with pencil befor painting?
I never do that, but i work in a loose way and often I do abstract paintings.
I'm curious about the percentage of us that draw before (as i see in several WIP).

thank you, rapolina.

[CharM]

I don't have the confidence to paint directly on my paper. I need to plan my composition... Drawing the macro helps in placement. I don't necessarily sketch in the details...

[mpopinz]

I need to draw the basic composition of the work, sometimes using an hb pencil, some in colored pencil, and now I'm working on drawing in paint, directly to the paper. I think it depends on my mood at the time, and of course, my subject.

[mchew]

Yes, I always draw using either 2B or B onto the watercolour paper itself... mostly free-hand unless the composition requires a lot of striaght lines, then I use a ruler. The details of the initial sketch or drawing depends on the complexity of the subject.

If it's a landscape, I only draw the basic shapes and line to indicate the horizon, the tree trunks, main branches, rocks and the overall shapes of the composition.

If it's sometime more complicated like buildings, architectural stuff, figures and animal... I try to draw more details.

When I just joined my art class, I was amazed that my teacher does draw before he paints, but he draws his design and composition using a very fine brush with watercolour paints, no matter what subject he's painting. That skill requires years and years of practice, experience and observation... if you look at all his paintings, they're done in very realistic style while maintaining the clear and transparent look of watercolour.

[magnuscanis]

I tend not to do much initial drawing on the paper I'm about to paint on. Often I'll lightly sketch in a few marks to help me get the composition right, and occasionally I'll sketch in a bit more detail but most of the time I prefer to do most of the work with my brush. It largely depends on what subject I'm painting and what effect I'm after - if it's more abstract I usually go straight for the painting, for example.

On the other hand, I often do some preliminary sketches, with or without watercolour washes, when I'm planning a new painting.

[nailbender]

I most always draw first, mainly because I do a lot of buildings and I need to get the perspective correct. I have done some rather loose buildings without drawing. Most of the vegitation I do free hand unless it requires masking. Bob

[artmom]

In landscapes, I draw very little but on anything else, I find that I have to draw quite detailed subject. I hope to learn to draw with watercolor brush, as I did in oils, but I don't have the skill yet.

Lyn

[pampe]

depends on the subject..the less drawing the better for me...but with archetecture and a lot of perspective, I have to draw

[Loki]

It depends on the subject, but given a choice, I prefer to avoid drawing.

[al22]

Like most........depends on subject........ few lines here and there to keep me on track........
........al

[Yorky]

I tend to do a fairly detailed sketch using an HB pencil, and for architectural subjects I use a parallel ruler and perspective lines.

I have heard of people who use a grey watercolour pencil which disappears when they apply the washes - seems like a good idea to me.

Doug

[Gia]

well, use the pencil both before....and after I`ve painted something, lol...

[wayfarer]

yes, I always draw a very rough sketch in my sketchbook then draw onto my watercolor paper using an HB pencil, but I do occasionally use a watercolor pencil in an appropriate color. I like to use it when I want a nice straight line, like a horizon line on a body of water. Have to admit I erase and change my mind too much to paint first.

wayfarer

[gealflings]

I have found that drawing first with watercolor pencil helps me out a lot, and, when painting, the pencil fades into the rest of the drawing. It works really well as long as you use a light color ..

[lyn lynch]

Since I generally work figures in watercolor I either trace guides for basical outline and finish up with an office No. 2 pencil. Or, I draw the entire figure on tracing paper using the No. 2 pencil.

For practice of face, I use just the brush.
For architecture I use a ruler for places like windows.
For acrylics on furniture or walls I generally just paint, unless detailed subject like a face.