August 5, 2024

Sketching in the San Juans

Maria dives straight in with splashy and saturated colors thanks to the versatile “blank canvas” of an accordion-style sketchbook.

By Maria Coryell-Martin

A watercolor illustration of Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse on San Juan Island. The lighthouse features a red roof and green lantern, surrounded by grassy shoreline and blue waters under a clear sky. The date "5.10.24" is noted in the bottom corner.

This week, I’m happy to share some memories from a trip I took to the San Juan Islands in the Salish Sea between Canada and Washington with my family this spring.

A person wearing a wide-brimmed hat sits on the beach beside a tree, holding a painted landscape. They are surrounded by greenery and sandy ground, smiling at the camera.
Sketching a view of the mountains at the beach.

For my trip to the San Juan Islands, I packed an A6 ZigZag Book and used an approach inspired by Mike Daikubara’s book (and spring workshop with us), Color First, Ink Later. It was satisfying to use a similar style across my sketchbook, capturing different scenes from our days.

Three watercolor landscape paintings showcase diverse scenes: on the left, a majestic snow-capped mountain reflected in a serene lake; the center features a vibrant green park with trees and people enjoying the outdoors; on the right, a bustling marina filled with boats against a backdrop of hills.
Three page spreads from Maria’s ZigZag Book.

I went straight in with splashy and saturated colors for my first layer of paint. Inspired by Mike, I banged my sketchbook vertically on the ground to cause drips. I loved seeing what emerged on the page; it helped me loosen up!

A hand holding an open sketchbook displaying a watercolor painting of a pier with wooden supports and a green structure, set against a backdrop of water and a clear blue sky. In the distance, a partially visible pier structure stands.
First layer with drips!
A hand holding an open sketchbook featuring a watercolor drawing of a pier, with a blue sky and calm water in the background. The actual pier, resembling the sketch, is visible behind it, showcasing a similar structure with a clear blue sky above.
Subsequent layers including ballpoint pen.

After the first layer of paint dried, I went in with a ballpoint pen, which is outside my usual comfort zone. Mike advised it as a tool that won’t bleed on top of any potentially damp watercolor. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the ink’s subtle shine.

A hand holding a watercolor painting depicting a serene lakeside scene with sailboats, lush greenery, and distant hills under a bright blue sky.
First layer of paint.
A watercolor painting of a marina with several boats docked, surrounded by green hills and trees under a clear sky.
Ballpoint over watercolor.
A person holds a white gel pen above an open sketchbook showcasing a watercolor painting of boats docked by a serene lake, surrounded by trees under a blue sky.
Final layers of paint and pen added!

Then, I went in with more watercolor, a brush pen, and finally, a white gel pen for highlights. I loved building up the darks for more dimension in repeated layers. This sketchbook reminded me how much fun it can be to push our comfort zones and try something new! It’s another tool I can keep in my back pocket to play with when the mood hits.

Featured Products

ZigZag Books by Hahnemühle
I love capturing the passage of time with a ZigZag Book. Their accordion-style layout is such a flexible format! Panels can be used individually or stretched out to create long landscapes. They also display beautifully on a bookshelf or windowsill! While you can easily make your own accordion-style book at home by folding a long sheet of paper, we love the Hahnemühle versions with their elegant dark covers and stylish red closures.

A spread of watercolor paintings featuring leaves and landscapes. A portable watercolor palette with various colors sits above the artworks, along with a water brush.
All three sizes of ZigZag Book (6" x 4") fit in the main pocket of an A5 Art Toolkit, and the mini fits in a Pocket Art Toolkit.

Pentel Brush Pens

The Pentel Pocket Brush Pen features a flexible bristle tip that comes to a beautiful fine point. If you love combining bold lines with watercolor, we recommend giving this one a try! From elegant calligraphic to dry-brush marks, this rich black waterproof ink is a showstopper among pens!

A watercolor painting depicting a green and white ferry docked at a pier, surrounded by calm waters and mountains in the background under a blue sky.
Two black ink cartridges and a black fountain pen are arranged together. The pen has a sleek design and a fine pointed nib.

Gelly Roll Pens
The Sakura Gelly Roll Pen is a wonderful way to lay down white ink on top of watercolor. The ink is archival, chemically stable, waterproof, and fade-resistant. In addition to white gouache, Gelly Roll Pens are perfect for adding a bright white highlight to near-finished paintings, like on the rim of a glass or the surface of a lake.

A person’s hands hold waterbrushes over an open sketchbook featuring a watercolor painting of a coastal scene with boats and trees.
Three Gelly Roll pens in varying sizes, labeled 05, 10, and 08, each with a clear barrel and white cap against a white background.

My Folio Palette

Choose between the Folio Palette with Assorted Pans, or build your own Empty Folio Palette by choosing pan packs that suit your style and needs. I love to fill my Folio Palettes with Standard and Double Pans. They can hold a lot of paint (~2ml) and are big enough for using larger brushes.

A watercolor palette with various vibrant colors beside a sketchbook showing a mountain landscape. A paintbrush and two gel pens are also included in the scene, placed on a sandy surface.

Top Row: Titanium White (gouache), Buff Titanium, Hansa Yellow Light, Hansa Yellow Medium, Cadmium Red Medium (top), Perylene Red (bottom), Quinacridone Rose, Deep Scarlet, Lavender.

Second Row: Cobalt Teal Blue, Cerulean Blue Chromium, Cobalt, Ultramarine, Phthalo Blue (RS), Phthalo Green, Indanthrone Blue.

Third Row: Nickel Azo Yellow, Raw Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Quinacridone Gold, Quinacridone Burnt Orange, Burnt Umber, Moonglow, Graphite Gray, Lunar Earth.

Bonus Photos

Here are a few sketches in the same style from the Sketcher Fest Sketch Walks I led in Edmonds last month! Thanks to Mike for this fun inspiration: I can’t stop! I hope you enjoy exploring this style of combining bold, drippy paints with shiny black and white pen on top.

A colorful watercolor painting depicting a ferry at a dock. The ferry has a green upper deck and is surrounded by calm water under a bright blue sky. Mountains and trees are visible in the background.
A watercolor painting depicting a ferry boat docked at a terminal, with a blue sky and calm water in the background. The ferry features distinctive green and white colors, while the terminal has a patterned design and a flag.
An artist sites on a rock, dipping a paintbrush in a Pocket Palette.

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