What best to use fir outlining subject

[Abbietaya]

Hi, i was told at school in the short term i was allowed to take art that you must use charcoal to draw/sketch your subject prior to watercolour. I always found it made a very muddy mark etc. I have been using very light pencil but the other day an artist told me to yes use the light pencil outline but then to use blue water colour to go over it  prior to water colour , she said it blends in and you don't have to worry about lines showing. Has anyone used this method? Or have any recommendations
Thanks

[MaryAnne Long]

Hmmm, Liz.  It sounds like something worth trying - on a scrap of paper first!  Thanks for sharing.


I can do that right now as I was just about to do a painting.

aloha

mea

[dennis]

Forget what others have told you about outlining. Just use an ordinary HB pencil. Charcoal is a no-no for watercolor painting and line and wash. Study my watercolor and line and wash videos and see how I work. I very seldom erase pencil lines.

[Abbietaya]

Hi, thank you , much appreciated will definitely take a look thanks

[Val]

I'm with Dennis 100% on the 'outlining'. When drawing/sketching in the subject a light pencil is best. Charcoal would  (and does) make a muckup of things. What's the point in painting over the lines when you'll be painting them over anyway?     What a lot of tosh.

Besides, the only reason I can see for 'outlining' your sketch is for line and wash when you want some/all of the lines to stand out. And that's my tuppence tossed in!        

[MaryAnne Long]

Ok, folks, I tried the light pencil/blue paint trick - no luck.  Even though my lines were light, they still showed through.  Yes, Val, the painting with blue was a waste of time.

I think that's why I like line and wash so much - the lines are supposed to show.

aloha

mea

[Val]

      

[Abbietaya]