Chilly and Sunny in Crown Hill

 

2/23/22 Crown Hill neighborhood

Our harsh cold snap last week was accompanied by sunshine and glorious clear skies. I drove over to the Crown Hill neighborhood, fully intending to stay in my cozy car as I sketched. Shortly after I began, however, a car parked right in front of me (the nerve of someone wanting to park in front of his own home!), blocking much of my view. Fortunately, I had marked the main elements, so I didn’t have to worry too much about the change in my perspective when I stood behind my car to finish. Although it was chilly, the sunshine felt wonderful. I sucked in as much vitamin D as I could.

Don't you hate it when this happens?

Meanwhile, I was also trying to see whether Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer watercolor markers play well with watercolor pencils. For this sketch, I decided to use markers for all the human-made elements and use colored pencils for the hedge and trees. My concept was that markers make harsh, unequivocal lines, which suit the hard edges of buildings and poles, while soft pencils can be modulated in an organic way to evoke the texture of natural subjects. The contrast may be a bit severe. I’m having fun experimenting, though.

Incidentally, this sketch was an excellent test of my Sendak Mini Artist Roll’s agility and versatility. While I was still in the car, I had the Sendak leaning against the steering wheel, keeping my materials at easy reach. When I had to get out of the car, I simply put the opened Sendak back into my bag, slung the bag across my shoulder as usual, and everything was just as easily accessible.