Come and paint a little forest with me in the coziest way possible. In this session I’m in the middle of hosting Calmtober, so I wanted something super gentle: tea on the desk, watercolours out, and a calm sketchbook illustration that we can build up slowly. I’m testing the new Derwent Drawing pencil colours I picked up, and I chat through how I personally like to use coloured pencils alongside watercolour—more for mood, depth and those soft, velvety shadows than for anything overly bright or sharp. I share the exact new pencil shades I’m using (my current favourite is “Forest”, which feels like it was made for woodland scenes), and I pair them with my Calmtober watercolour palette—earthy ochres, umbers, smoky greys and gentle greens. You’ll see how I layer pencil over dry washes to add texture to trees, deepen values, and keep the whole piece feeling quiet and storybook-like. If you’re looking for a relaxing paint-with-me that also gives you practical ideas for mixing watercolour + pencil in a cozy art journal style, this one is for you.