Adding images to your meditation? It’s not cheating to find a photograph of your subject similar to the idea and sketch from that reference, in fact it’s what artists do all the time, and there are literally millions of pictures online to select from. While using someone’s image directly may be a copyright violation, sketching from that image and making your own is legal and usually makes for a more visually satisfying result.
I’ll give an example: (I use an image here that I do have permission to use because I’m posting it online, but will often find an image to sketch from that I don’t have permissions for)
First, I lightly sketch out my image and write out my verse on the watercolor paper. Then I go over the letters and correct the font embellishments and lettering slants that are off.
Next I use my permanent pen to go over the letters of my verse, embellishments, and other lines with a Micron 03 pen. I enhance the font, the one I’ve chosen is already a very ‘sketched’ looking one that has fun flourishes and has a similar base like my handwriting, which makes it easier to copy and really make it look nice in a shorter amount of time.
Now that I’ve finished my lettering and outlines, I will erase my light pencil guides. A white plastic eraser is the best kind of eraser for this!
I decide that the silhouette should be filled in to bring it into the background.
Next I’m adding color with my Derwent Inktense Blocks. Watercolor pencils will work too, but I find these really easy to lay down color thinly and in large areas to get a light wash of color and blending is easy when the colors overlap too, I can also get a very heavy concentration of color but don’t really want that on this image.
Then I take my watercolor brush and sweep the colors in the direction that I want them to flow. It doesn’t take much water at all. When I take my supplies with me I fill up a small vial of water and tuck it in my case, it usually lasts more than 1 picture.
This is my finished result. I’m really happy and worked on the scripture meditation for the majority of the time, going over each letter at least 6 times which helps cement the word in my mind.
Below you will find links to the items used in this tutorial. They are wonderful, professional medium. Some are expensive and some are not but I find it worth it to invest in materials that you are going to be using for a year or too. The links below are linked to an Amazon affiliate program which gives me credit towards materials for this blog at no additional cost to you. 🙂 I’ve tried to find things that you can bundle with your other amazon free shipping orders.