Moore described in Square Forms and Lyre Birds Sketchbook (see HMF 1294) his experiments with various media on dampened paper. Here he began with various coloured chalks on dry paper, washed the sketches over with a brush dipped in water and then, for the central sketch of the lowest line, drew in pen and ink on the damp paper. In the other sketches he allowed the paper to dry before using pen and ink.