Last week, I taught a Sketching with Shapes workshop on Cockatoo Island and absolutely loved it!

We had a beautiful day, great locations and a wonderful group of sketchers. And I was super happy to be teaching an in-person workshop focusing on shapes – my favourite way to sketch!

We spent the morning doing a series of exercises drawing cranes, simplifying the complex scenes in front of us into big areas of similar colour, negative spaces, and shadow shapes. Then, in the afternoon session, we headed to the top of the island and used these shape techniques to create a more finished sketch using watercolour – combining shapes with lines.

Here are a few more photos from the day…

There is something very special about crossing the harbour on a morning like this to get to the workshop venue!

Negative shapes exercise…

and then only recording the shadow shapes.

The afternoon sketching session was held on the top of the island, with lots of different options to sketch from one location.

This workshop also gave me a chance to use the new Lintner palette and easel setup. I was sent a prototype to test (thanks Phil!), and I’m very impressed by all the design features of the palette and attachments. Find out more about this palette and mounting system here.

Thanks to this wonderful group for such a great day!!!

I loved sharing my obsession with shapes with you – you all did amazing work!

Interested in doing an in-person  Sketching with Shapes workshop with me?

I’m planning to repeat this workshop later in the year, so if you want to be notified about it, please sign up for my monthly newsletter.