Adding Watercolor to Your Sketchbook Drawings

Mattias Adolfsson shows you how a hint of color will take your sketches to the next level and add depth

Mattias Adolfsson (@mattiasadolfsson) is an illustrator living in a small town in Sweden, called Sigtuna, just outside of Stockholm. As a young adult, Mattias studied engineering and architecture before switching to graphic design, all the while continuing to draw in his spare time and develop his own unique style. During his degree, he became interested in 3D modeling, using it to build his own universes and tell fantastical stories. For his thesis project, he used 3D design and animation to create a visual piece about three cosmonauts traveling to Mars–a story he had developed over many years in his sketchbook.

After graduating from university with a master’s in graphic design, Mattias worked for a decade in the computer games industry. In 2007, he left Electronic Arts to become a freelance illustrator. Since then, he has been commissioned by the likes of WIRED, Google, The New Yorker, Nickelodeon, Hollywood Reporter, Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, Dreamworks, Disney, Amnesty International, and many more.

Here Mattias explains how adding color to your sketchbook drawings will take them to the next level.

Choosing your color source and materials

While you could also use pastels, color pencils, or acrylics to add color to your drawings, Mattias likes the fact that watercolor has its own life, which adds extra charm to his drawings.

When it comes to working with watercolor, while you might want to choose more affordable materials in the beginning, you will benefit from better quality products over time.

A good brush will hold more water before it dries up, and the more expensive pigment will behave better on the paper. Mattias suggests experimenting with different types of paper grain to find what you prefer. The paper grain refers to the direction in which the fibers in the paper line up. Typically, a paper is said to be either long or short grain. In long grain paper, the fibers in the paper run parallel to the long side of the sheet of paper. In short grain paper, the fibers in the paper run parallel to the short side of the paper.

A hint of color

It is the combination of both colors and lines that gives drawings personality. You don’t have to put loads of time into it, even a hint color will take your drawings to the next level and give them more depth. Use color not only as a filler but also to shade areas. Mattias even suggests experimenting by applying color to the page before adding your lines. This will push you to create your sketch starting with the color smudges on the page, and this randomness can push your creations in a whole new direction.

Experiment with palettes

Matters says that his color choice is usually quite random, although he is particularly fond of using yellow, which he describes as a color that makes him happy. “If you have a color that makes you happy, feel free to use it as much as you want,” he says. However, while he doesn’t limit himself to a specific palette, he recognizes that when starting out, limiting yourself in your color choices can serve as a useful exercise. Perhaps you could create a page in which every drawing is colored with different shades of blue, another in greens… Limiting yourself can sometimes push you creatively.

Use color to make a single object stand out

Mattias also suggests choosing just one object from your drawing to add color to, while leaving the rest in black and white. This creates an interesting effect and is a great way to highlight a particular item, communicating that it is the most important part of the drawing. Being limited to just certain aspects of the page can be more adventurous. “Sometimes, when I do character drawings, I just use a little red on the cheeks and nothing else. It helps you get the feeling that there is blood in this character,” says Mattias.

Sketch challenges

Online drawing challenges are a great way to take part in the creative community and feel inspired to create. Inktober, started by Jake Parker, is one of the most popular. To partake, you tackle one theme every day and then post your drawing online, adding the relevant hashtags. These types of challenges push you to think outside of the box and connect with others. These community challenges don’t have to be limited to online, there are lots of meet-ups going on around the world. Investigate any that are taking place in your community or start your own! Receiving and giving feedback is a great way to make progress and feel inspired.

Here Mattias explains more about drawing prompts to fuel your creativity.

If you are interested in learning more about The Art of Sketching, sign up to Mattias’ course.

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–Free Download: Stages to Complete a Painting with Ink and Watercolor
–5 Essential Courses to Start Your Sketchbook Habit
–Illustration Tutorial: Ink Strokes And The Sumi-e Technique