The line between fine art and craft has long been a fuzzy one which continues to be blurred. The addition of salt and granulating mediums to watercolour paintings has been a borderline tactic which personally I mostly resist, preferring to get my effects through more traditional methods. The same can be said in my view for the use of Brusho, although I haven’t tried it myself. But a technique that I enjoy using is the watercolour pencil, black, powerful and linear, it can lift a painting out of the doldrums.

Here’s a tutorial for a beautiful dragonfly, made dramatic by touches of Staedtler Karat Aquarell black watercolour pencil.