My Bush Sketching Kit

When I'm out sketching in the African bush it is like attending a fantastic life-drawing class! It is completely different to painting back home in my studio, and my materials are very different too. In the bush I often have to sketch from a vehicle (because I'm in national parks or I'm sketching large wildlife species) so space is extremely limited. Often the roads are not the best either, so messy painting materials are not advisable. I use pencils, pens, watercolor pencils and any other 'dry' sketching materials I have available. My field watercolor set (Windsor & Newton - I've used this for years and love it) comes in handy when I know we are going to stay in one spot for a while. I carry water in a very small plastic bottle and for my paint brushes I have a wonderful fold-up brush holder (standing up in the photo but it folds flat for travel). I've used several types of sketching journal and most recently used a watercolor sketchbook by Holbein (not shown in the photo). Binoculars are an essential for any wildlife artist and I pack all my sketching kit in a handy bag with a strap so I'm ready to go at a moment's notice.

Over time I have excluded all the elements I didn't really use and now, several years later, I have my 'kit' down to a fine art! (please excuse that terrible pun).

Until next time...
Alison

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Wildebeest Watercolor Sketch

For some reason I really enjoy sketching and painting Blue Wildebeest. Maybe because they have such a distinct profile. Whatever the reason, I seem to have plenty of sketches of them in my journals. And of course there was my latest wildebeest painting (see October 13 posting).

This is a page from my South African sketchbook and the wildebeest were in Kruger National Park. I usually try to keep my sketchbook open and pencil in hand. This means I can sketch quickly, even if I think the animal won't stand still for long. If I wait for what seems like the 'right' opportunity to sketch, and then take out my materials I inevitably find that my chosen subject has wandered away! Usually I start with a light pencil sketch and add the watercolor later. Sometimes, if I'm sketching from a vehicle, I add the watercolor when I get back to camp. And often, as with this sketch, I like to emphasize the animal's profile by painting the negative spaces around it.

Until next time...
Alison

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Spotted Hyenas

Spotted Hyenas have a pretty awful reputation. And, in my view, totally undeserved. I have always found hyenas to be one of the most interesting animals in the African bush. They are not cowardly scavengers, they are highly competant hunters. And yes, sometimes they can even look quite cute, like this youngster.


We found these 2 lying by the side of the road in Kruger National Park, South Africa. It was early morning and they were probably awaiting the return of the adults. They looked decidedly bored and got up on occasion to sniff around. One of them tried eating a stone but soon decided that even with a hyena's heavyweight jaws maybe rocks were not the ideal diet! Lets hope the adults returned before they got into too much mischief.

Until next time...
Alison

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Talking to Myself

Sometimes (fairly often, if the truth be told) I end up talking to myself. But in this case, as you can see, it was for good reason. At various points in my trip I decide to record some video clips. This was Red Rocks, near Bataleur Bushcamp in Kruger National Park, South Africa. I'm editing the video at the moment and hope to have some clips for you soon. Then you'll be able to judge for yourself whether or not I should continue talking to myself!

Until next time...
Alison

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Sabi Sand Leopard

During our time in South Africa we spent 3 nights at Arathusa in Sabi Sands and here we were lucky enough to have 2 great leopard sightings. This was the 2nd leopard - an older male. In both cases we found them in the early morning as the light was getting brighter. Both were hunting and walked purposefully through the thick bush, stopping frequently, but briefly, to listen, look and smell.

The sightings inspired a 16x20" watercolor painting which I am just finishing. I'll post it once it's done.

Until next time...
Alison

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"Cautious George"

This watercolor is a sketch on Yupo paper, completed in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Before I left for South Africa I offered my newsletter readers the chance to commission a watercolor sketch, which I would complete in the bush. They could give me a list of their preferred animals and I would send them the sketch on my return. I had not tried this before and didn't want to overload myself with commissions so I decided to only offer 2.

This was my first commission - a bull elephant coming down to drink at the waterhole at Bataleur Bushcamp. My husband Nigel nicknamed him "Cautious George" because he took a very long time to get to the water. He appeared at the tree line and waited for a few minutes before venturing out into the open. He would take one step and then stop for a few seconds before he took another. This made him an excellent sketching subject because his progress to the water was so slow! I don't think I have ever seen a big bull elephant behaving quite so cautiously. Normally, in national parks like this where they are not hunted, they fearlessly stroll down to the water and often stay there for lengthy periods of time.

A couple of minutes after "George" reached the water, 2 other big bulls appeared. Perhaps this explained his behaviour as I'm sure he must have been aware of their presence nearby.

Until next time...
Alison

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"Blue Wildebeest" Watercolor

Here is the first painting I've completed since my return from Namibia and South Africa in September. The salt pans of Etosha inspired this painting. The space and light I find there immediately conjure up images like this in my head. Below you'll see the 3 steps I took in completing the painting. For me, watercolor is all about planning, and each painting is almost like a puzzle to be solved - how to capture the idea with minimal detail.

Of course the very first step is not shown here because that was the pencil sketch - creating the composition and making sure each animal was drawn correctly. I also did several test watercolors, on scrap paper, of the first 2 wildebeest, to make sure the colors would work. But once I started the watercolor, the first step was the wash of blue for the sky and the use of the same blue (slightly paler) on parts of the wildebeest.

Step 2 was the addition of a pale brown over parts of the wildebeest, highlighting shadows and the 'stripes' in their coats.

Step 3 was the use of a dark blue for the wildebeests' manes and tails. A hot September wind is blowing, which you can see by looking at their long tails and their tall manes, leaning in the wind. And that was it. Its very pleasing for me to finish a painting in 3 such simple steps. I hope you enjoy this piece as much as I do.

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Until next time...
Alison

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