The Magic of the Midway Stage
The moment the brush touches the page, something shifts.
What was once a careful line drawing begins to breathe. Colour spreads. Shapes soften. And slowly, a scene starts to emerge – not finished, not polished, but very much alive.
This is the heart of urban sketching. Not just drawing buildings, but bringing them to life with colour and character.
And here’s something not everyone tells you: when you add that colour matters just as much as how.
Why We Paint Before the Sketch is Finished
If you’ve joined one of our workshops, you’ll know this well: We don’t wait until the end to paint.
We bring in watercolour midway – just after the initial outlines are down, before the sketch is “done.”
Why?
Because when you add colour at the end, it can become too careful. Too controlled. Like you’re just filling in boxes.
You end up colouring between the lines, not dancing with them.
And that’s not the energy we’re looking for.
Watercolour in the Middle: What Changes?
Painting early gives the colour room to move.
It lets the page stay alive — not boxed in.
You’re not painting “inside the lines.” You’re painting around and beyond them. Laying down a mood. A tone. A rhythm.
As Ian Fennelly teaches, this stage is not about finishing — it’s about setting the foundation.
Imagine this:
- A wash of Prussian Blue meets a swirl of Green Gold.
- You tilt the paper slightly.
- The colours bleed together.
Something begins to happen — not planned, not perfect, but full of feeling.
You’re no longer painting shapes. You’re painting atmosphere.
And the sketch isn’t behaving. It’s responding.
Looseness First, Detail Later
This is why Ian works in layers.
- First comes the linework – a gentle suggestion of structure.
- Then the watercolour – loose, wet, expressive.
- Then tone, texture, and brush pens – to anchor and sharpen what came before.
Each stage doesn’t carry the full weight. They support one another.
So if your colour stage feels chaotic? That’s okay.
That looseness isn’t a mistake — it’s momentum.
Letting the Materials Work Together
The tools matter too.
Big flat brushes.
Plenty of water.
Letting the paint pool and run.
You’re not just adding colour — you’re activating the paper. Leaving space for what comes next.
Later, the brush pens arrive not to cover the colour — but to shape it. Calm it down. Add punch where it’s needed. Define without suffocating.
And this only works when the paint was laid down with space, freedom, and intent.
What to Remember Next Time You Sketch
So when you find yourself at that familiar stage — lines complete, brush in hand — pause.
Remind yourself:
- You’re not “finishing” the sketch.
- You’re starting a conversation between colour and line.
- You’re creating a surface the next layers can respond to.
And if the paint feels wild?
Good.
That’s where the joy lives.
That’s where the sketch starts to hum.
Want to Try This Yourself?
If this way of sketching feels new or a little outside your comfort zone, you’re not alone. Most of us were taught to finish the drawing first… then add colour.
But when you sketch the Ian Fennelly way, you start to see the difference.
Our free introductory course is the perfect place to experience this in action. You’ll follow a relaxed, beginner-friendly process that builds your sketch step-by-step — showing exactly why painting midway matters.
Embrace the Messy Middle
The middle of a sketch isn’t the waiting room before the final detail.
It’s the heartbeat.
It’s where you let go of perfection.
Where you allow the unexpected.
Where your sketch becomes more than just a picture — it becomes an experience.
So let the colour run.
Let it pool and surprise you.
Trust that the next layer will know exactly what to do.
Because in the world of urban sketching, the most beautiful things often happen between the lines.
