Watch these introductory videos on what to expect from 'Sketching Made Simple' & what materials you will need.

What is a Soluble Pencil & Brush Pen & why use Them?

Remedies to the common feeling of being afraid of a blank page.

Plein Air sketching and how to troubleshoot a sketch that hasn't turned out quite how you'd hoped. Follow me as I sketch on a windy afternoon along the Severn Estuary in Bristol:

1. on a page that already has collage, looking for simple colour combinations.

2. on a blank page with complicated architectural details as I seek to simplify the composition.

3. on a third sketch that isn't quite working, so I take it home and decide to explore the scene using acrylic paints.

Touching on colour. Whether you are new to colour mixing, or in need of a refresher, I explain in simple terms: How to colour mix, using as few colours as possible. How to look at composition. How to create a small colour study from start to finish, and how to observe and paint the same scene by using just 25 brush marks!

Have a go at painting this scene in just 25 brush marks. Remember to look carefully at what matters and what doesn't it. It can be a really fun exercise and one to do before embarking on a more detailed painting, as it can remind you that you don't have to put everything in.

1. Flick through my sketchbooks with me as I show you the different sizes that I use on a daily basis, including a 'concertina' sketchbook made by Seawhite of Brighton. Try to pay attention to the size of sketchbook you really enjoy and refer to the 'Materials' section in 'Getting Started' to get links to the brand I use.

2. The final video is a brief glimpse of a sketching outing along a Devon river. Armed with all my gear, I decide on a place to stop, prepare some sketchbook pages and capture the sun rise over the river Exe.

I hope you find these helpful and happy sketching! x