Mixed Media Sketching Out and About: Letting the Background Lead
Drawing on Location in Winchester
Hello lovely creatives,
If Part One was all about preparing the ground, then Part Two is where those backgrounds really come alive.
By the time we head out on location, the most important work has already been done. The white page has been disrupted. It’s been softened, textured, and “messed up” in the best possible way. And that changes everything.
Those collaged and painted backgrounds become our quiet guides. They take away the fear of the blank page and gently nudge our marks in new directions. Instead of asking “What should I draw?” we start asking “What do I see here?” and “How can I respond?”
Urban Sketching in Winchester
Sketching Out and About in Winchester
With my merry band of ramblers – backpacks slung over shoulders, pencils at the ready and fold-out chairs in hand – we set off across Winchester to capture the world in our own inimitable styles. There was no chasing perfection, no pressure to get things “right”. Just showing up, looking closely and allowing the process to unfold.
We explored quieter corners slightly set back from the city centre, focusing on places that invited lingering and noticing. Around the Winchester Cathedral café we found a beautiful garden where flowers framed the cathedral spires – the perfect spot to sip coffee and sketch together. We also discovered the Dean Garnier’s Garden, a true hidden gem in the Cathedral Close, full of intimate views, window frames, walls and architectural snippets crying out to be interpreted rather than copied.
We weren’t aiming for architectural likeness. We were after atmosphere, texture and memory – drawings that bring us right back to that moment.
Materials & Techniques for Expressive Sketching
The Materials We Used
On my Sketching Out and About course, this is the core kit we used for this stage of the sketching mission. You can always adapt it, but we found this combination to be a brilliant starting point
A white marker or chalk pen
A black fineliner – water soluble
A black fineliner – permanent ink for fine detail
A black brush pen – permanent ink
Two Derwent Inktense watercolour pencils – iris blue and mustard
Graphite sketching pencil 4B water soluble
A Lyra graphite stick – water soluble (anything in-between 4B-9B - you choose!)
Acrylic marker pen – neon pink
A water spritzer
A paintbrush
The two Inktense pencils were a particularly happy pairing – iris blue and mustard mixed together beautifully to create a soft, unexpected green. I also snuck in a neon pink marker for a dash of fun and surprise. Because why not?
How We Approached Our Drawings
A mini step-by-step
Sketching with pre-prepared backgrounds
Let the background speak first
Before making any marks, we spent a moment looking at the collage and paint beneath. Where were the darker areas? The scratches? The shapes that might suggest a roofline, a wall or a shadow?Start loosely with line
Using a graphite stick, we began with light, exploratory marks. No outlining everything. Just hints, fragments and suggestions, letting the background do some of the heavy lifting.Vary your tools, vary your marks
Switching between fine line, brush pen and graphite helped us avoid tightening up. Each tool brings a different energy, and that variety keeps things lively.Introduce colour sparingly
The Inktense pencils were activated with water using a brush or spritzer, allowing colour to bloom and merge with the existing textures. We let colours run, overlap and surprise us.Play with contrast
A white marker or chalk pen was used at the end to pull out highlights and details – a window edge, a glint of light, a suggestion of structure.Stop before it feels finished
This was key. We resisted the urge to overwork. The goal wasn’t a polished piece, but a characterful drawing full of life, texture and memory.
Sketching on Prepared Mixed Media Backgrounds
Practice Over Perfection
What made this day so special was the willingness to experiment. Everyone embraced spontaneity, trusted the process and allowed their drawings to be exactly what they needed to be. I couldn’t have been prouder.
These sketches aren’t about flawlessness. They’re about showing up, responding to place and letting your materials lead you somewhere unexpected.
So take your prepared backgrounds out into the world. Sit in a garden, lean against a wall, perch on a café chair. Make marks, follow your curiosity and let the process surprise you.
That’s where the magic lives
