This is my version of Albert’s Restaurant and Bar, in Standish, Wigan. Alberts is quite a long building so I decided to distort the perspective and create a deliberately unique angle.

I sketched the building in my sketchbook first, then scanned the sketch so that I could finesse the drawing into fine line art . Then I digitally coloured. I intend to colour my original sketch with marker pens, so that I have a complete record of both processes.

You can check out all my digital artwork here

I thought I would try something different for my latest artwork project, so rather than architecture I chose a water scene. I knew I would have to research how to digitally paint sea water in Photoshop, so I selected a photo that I took of Marina Grande in Sorrento on our last vacation there.

I took the photo early morning as the sun was just coming up. You may notice that it was rising from the right of the picture, and just started illuminating the first shed as well as the large boat anchored in the marina.

So here is the process I use for most of my drawings……..

1. Create a new layer and name it rough sketch. Choose a suitable brush for sketching and lower the opacity to around 50%. Create the rough sketch.
   

2. Create a new layer and name it Fine Line Sketch. Select a sharp round brush and reduce the size to 9px. Select the colour black. Reduce the opacity of the rough sketch layer until the sketch lines are just visible. Make sure you have the Fine Line Sketch layer selected and begin to draw over the rough sketch with a single fine line. (Tip. Try to ensure that all objects are fully enclosed by the fine line. This will enable you to use the paint bucket tool to block fill the shape later.)

3. Continue the Fine Line Drawing until you are happy with the result, then turn off the Rough Sketch layer. Create a new layer and name it Colour. You can then start adding the colour. The picture below shows the Fine Line Drawing with a couple of places block filled using the paint bucket tool in Photoshop.

4. Complete the colouring using a combination of the paint bucket tool to fill large areas and various brushes for the detail. Add any highlights and shading. Frame the picture.

5. A note about the water effect…….I followed a tutorial by Aaron Blaise which I recommend you to watch here…..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkkWIbd5O_s I used a couple of the brushes he uses in the tutorial.

You can check out all my digital artwork here