The whole of October celebrates “The Big Draw” with artistic events for people of all ages and abilities and the events are brilliant.  Unfortunately as I’m not attending any as in previous years, I decided that I would give all you budding artists out there some tips which I hope you find useful.

When I was a little boy the very first thing I drew were crocodiles.  I was fascinated by them – I thought they were aggressive creatures who had the ability to eat people and I loved drawing them with people in their mouths.  Those first drawings were always closer to an illustrative style rather than fine art, but as I grew up I always experimented with different artistic styles until I realised that my passion was illustration.

My tips are:

• Draw in a sketchbook rather than on separate pieces of paper as you will be able to fill each page with drawings, your drawings will be freer than on an imposing white sheet of paper and you will be able to turn the pages and see an improvement in your work
• Always carry a small sketchbook and pens or pencils around with you so that you can get your ideas down and practice anywhere e.g. while you’re waiting for a bus
• Experiment with all mediums of art
• Draw things that are moving as it helps you to understand what is important about that object and how to get them across with the least fuss e.g. people moving, boats sailing etc.
• Buy the best watercolour paper you can afford, but don’t be afraid to use the paper
• Using good quality paper is important and it will mean that you don’t have to fight against a poor quality surface with your watercolours.  This will give you better results and this in turn will give you more confidence in your art
• Observe your subjects – think about what things look like from every angle
• At the end of the day, if you are dissatisfied with a piece of work don’t throw it away!  Take another look at it the following day as you may see something in it that you can improve on
• Practice is the key – once you start drawing and painting, do it for life and practice as much as you can
• The big thing is not to worry about trying to create a masterpiece.  This is where a sketchbook comes in handy as in a sketchbook it’s easier to believe that it’s just a sketch! 
• Work up the sketches in your sketchbook but again don’t worry about the end results as it’s the journey that counts
• Always be prepared to draw at the drop of a hat – for planned trips take a big sketchbook and spend time using your chosen medium e.g. watercolours
• Draw big – be freer with your drawings and fill the page
• When drawing or painting on a large scale, use as big a pencil or brush as you can for the job.  Don’t fiddle around with a large brush in a small area
• Think about the world we live in – draw your cat, your dog and your friends – put life in your pictures.  If drawing a scene and you see people in it, draw them too
• If using watercolours with an expanse of colour, mix up your paint in a yoghurt pot rather than a small palette so you don’t run out of mixed paint during your picture and have to waste time mixing some more
• And most importantly, always enjoy your art.

Here's a page from one of my many sketchbooks