Sketching Outside in St Neots: Sunshine and Loose Lines

Today’s workshop in St. Neots, my hometown, was one of those days that reminds me why I love doing this. The weather was ridiculously lovely—about 30 degrees, a little warm, slightly windy to keep us cool, and plenty of shade in our leafy parks.

We started, as always, with coffee at the market square. Our group had overlapping goals: loosening up, working faster, avoiding getting stuck in details, and gaining confidence. Three of the six had never sketched outside before—incredible bravery, and such a joy to see how much can change in just a day.

First up, we headed out to warm up. I demonstrated a single-line sketch using a water-soluble pencil, and everyone jumped in. There was a little hesitation at first, but once the water hit the page, things came to life. That initial scene turned out to be perfect, so we stayed put for a couple of hours, glazing a light wash of yellow over everything. It sounds like madness, but by the end, the sketches were vivid and fascinating. The sketchbook throw down at the end said it all.

After a quick bite to eat (and another coffee), we moved to our second location. Here, we focused on thumbnails—how they help you scale a scene, from zoomed in to zoomed out to just right. We talked about composition, then jumped into our final sketch of the day. By this point, the confidence and flow was palpable.

My own sketch was, honestly, a little overworked. I got excited showing off ideas and forgot my own advice about simplicity. That’s outdoor sketching though: it never quite goes to plan, and never quite sits easily. And yet it's so much fun.

By the end, everyone had learned something. Another sketchbook throwdown, and another reminder of why these days are so wonderful. What a day.