Winter Sketching
Materials and warm clothes I use to keep working outdoors in the colder season
Hello, and happy nearly-new-year! I hope you’ve had a lovely break with friends or family. Right now, I’m in a very wild part of north east Scotland visiting family, and listening to the roaring wind and rain of the most recent storm.
The wild weather has got me thinking about working outside in the winter months, so this post is all about my go-to materials and clothes for sketching and working outside. As a chilly human with raynauds, I get cold FAST in my fingers and toes, and need extra layers - and creative drawing tricks - up my sleeve - to keep drawing outside in the winter time.
My drawing kit is very low-fi - However, what it lacks in beauty, it makes up for in practicality! Maybe one day I’ll come up with a prettier system, however this works great for me, and I hope it shows how accessible it can be to get started sketching outside.
Approach to drawing outside:
I love to draw and work fast. If you’ve seen my work on YouTube or instagram, you’ll know of my love for speed. In the winter time, this is taken to new heights, as it’s pinned both on the weather and my tolerance for the cold. Also, the thought of getting my hands wet with paint water, in low/minus celsius temperatures is not an appealing one when I’m miles from home! I think there’s something to be said for lowering expectations of sketchbook results too. Now more than ever, it’s really about the process of being outside drawing, over final results.
I’ve launched a winter drawing challenge here on Substack, so feel free to check that out! It’s a drawing challenge with a focus on keeping speed and looseness in our work, made up of seven easy exercises to bring along with you on a daily walk, and designed with the colder season in mind.
Materials:
Everything I work with outside in the winter fits in large pockets and a small backpack - meaning I can take it up hills or on a local walk with ease. I’ve compiled it into a list with links below.
I take a selection of colours in both soft pastels and oil pastels. These two are the work horses of my winter kit! 🐎 I’ll also bring along willow charcoal, maybe a few colouring pencils, and a black posca acrylic marker pen.
All of that packs down into an old glasses case - you could use a plastic tub or pencil case too.
Next up is the paper! I usually love to work loose leaf, and then stick the work back into a sketchbook. For this, I’ll prepare sheets of A4/A5 in advance, by pre-painting the backgrounds, and draw on top, on site. This is a great way to use up abandoned paintings - I often cut mine in half and work into these on top. If it fits in my bag and I don’t mind the extra weight, I might pack a board and clips, or sketchbook to use as a surface to draw on.
Having a plastic bag or zipper wallet the size of your paper is a great way to keep your art together inside your bag, and help keep your backpack clean.
I’ve recently really taken to A6 sketchbooks which fit into my pocket. I’ve been using this one, which has a great paper weight for mixed medias.
If I want to splash out and get a painterly effect working outside, I use my oil pastels which are water based. I pack a small plastic water bottle, and simply keep my dirty paint brush inside the bottle to take it home, and clean it properly back at the house. Make sure your paint brush is shorter than the bottle for this to work!
That and my phone camera make up my very simple outdoor art kit! I’d love to hear if you have tips, tricks and materials you use for drawing outside - let me know in the comments below.
Case - an old fully closing sunglasses case, pencil case or tub
Keeping Toasty
Warm clothes! One of my favourite subjects. What I wear will vary depending if I’m walking up a hill (in which case, I’ll wear less layers on the way up, and put on more at the summit/when stopping to draw). I love hillwalking/mountaineering, and use my outdoor kit for my art adventures too, no matter if its a wee local dander or something more adventurous. This is the kit I use for both situations. If outdoor kit is not in your wheelhouse, I’d say layers of clothes, and focus on keeping the hands, feet and head warm.
I’ve found the trick is in the bases - I wear thermal leggings and a long sleeved thermal top to keep my core warm. I bought one from a Scottish company called Findra, which has lasted years.
After that, I’ll usually wear leggings or trousers, and make sure to pack my waterproof over-trousers if I’m drawing in the countryside / remotely.
I’ll probably add another top/t-shirt, and then a jumper. I like either sheep-wool or a quick drying fleece for a mid layer.
Depending on the weather, I’ll most likely wear a waterproof shell coat with a good hood, and pack a lightweight down jacket in my bag, which can be worn underneath the waterproof. If it’s super super cold, I’ll be in a ski jacket, down jacket, or my trusty buffalo.
The most important bit is in the hands, head and feet! Hiking boots or shoes with thick soles help keep the ground chill out, and often allow for a double layer of socks - the best!
Hands: Last year I started using merino glove liners, and they were a game changer. I really hate drawing with gloves on, as I love the tactility of drawing and feel inhibited with anything on my hands. The liners are pretty thin, affordable, and the best solution I’ve found. I’ll probably wear a lightweight glove on top too. Lastly, I’ll pack my winter heavy duty gloves in the bag for wet weather, to shove my hands into in between drawings for a quick re-heat. Hat wise, anything wooly (hopefully bobbly too!) does the job :) The last thing, is a trusty buff / thin scarf underneath a jumper.
And that’s it, from head to toe!
Extra cosy things I like to bring along is a flask of something hot (or even better, plan a walk with a cafe!) and those hand popper warming things to put in my gloves. I got a refillable zippo hand warmer from my partner one Christmas, and it’s great!
Waterproof coat - and / or Down jacket
If you’re interested in getting some outdoor kit, I recommend starting second hand, or borrowing from a friend. I get 99% of my kit second hand for a fraction of the RRP prices, and it’s amazing how much out there has never been used. I’ve linked to products I use, or as close to the model of what I own as possible - not everything is available as I’ve bought it all second hand and may be several years old now. I buy my outdoor kit from eBay, Facebook groups like ‘The outdoor gear exchange’ and ‘women’s outdoor gear exchange UK’, Vinted, Depop - and charity shops too. I’ve made this outdoor kit list for chilly folks, people interested in hiking, or perhaps those that live in very cold climates. None of this is essential for your local short park walk, so please use what you already have.
P.s - everything mentioned is from my personal collection, which I use, wear (and have worn out) and is not sponsored.
Thank you for sharing this.
I confess I do not comprehend what you mean by pre painting your paper? That is beyond me.
As someone who lives in a cold climate, I tend to prefer the studio in winter. That said, I so admire those of you who draw and paint outside in winter!