It's been a while...

October 18, 2023 | 11 Comments

…since I’ve done a watercolour teacup sketch! After such a teacup intensive few months during April – June I had a bit of a break. This is mainly due to a busy month with family and then 2 months of dry media.

So here are two recent teacup sketches – Winsor by Royal Stuart (Vintage) above and Hertford by Noritake below.


After a two two-month break my brush control and timing were a little off.  Watercolour is just an intuitive medium – you really need to use it regularly in order to keep it flowing. Especially when using it in a loose and risk-taking way which is my normal way of painting! So doing these teacup sketches was a good way to get back into the flow.

Final thought: if you are someone who has not been using watercolour a lot lately don’t beat yourself up if you find it hard when you start up again!

11 Comments

  • Sandie Ingram says:

    Nice to see your lovely teacup! I miss your painting, though love everything you do with dry media, too. Wonderful live-stream last night.

  • Carrie Williams says:

    Oh my that cast shadow on the Hereford cup is just luscious. It looks reflective of the gold rim! What a triumphant return to the medium of choice! I’m inspired.

  • Karen Isenhower says:

    Because you mentioned in Buildings that sketching buildings and teacups is similar, I sketched my coffee cup this morning. I haven’t done that in a while, and decided that’s an easy way to keep practicing the basics. Now I think I’ll get out a teacup, too!

    Gorgeous effects in your shadows!

  • Jamie C says:

    I’ll bet it felt like hugging an old friend and a happy reunion when you sketched these teacups after a break!

  • Patricia Wafer says:

    Just lovely! Really love the colors in the shadows. It takes a lot of experience to make them end up looking like that! Are the paints Schmincke Fr. Ulthramarine and Daniel Smith Red Iron Oxide? I promise to paint a teacup this weekend. Loved your teacups class and it really helped improve my ellipses. But you do need to practice them very often to make them believable.

    • Liz Steel says:

      Thanks Patricia – I’m not exactly sure what I used as I’ve got both my normal palette and an Aquarius on on my table at the moment – most likely its mostly Steels Grey

      • Patricia A Wafer says:

        I will look up your old posts on Steels grey ( I assume that is one of your combos). I still love your mix of DeAtramentis Document yellow and brown for a raw sienna like color. One of my favorites for sketching in nature and the one people ask me about most.

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