Saturday, April 6, 2013

A Double Nemesis Kind of Day


4/6/13 Diamine Eclipse ink, Zig markers, Stilman & Birn Alpha sketchbook
An obligation that had filled my whole calendar today got cancelled – a delightful gift of time – so I decided it was a good day to take on a couple of sketching nemeses.
 
As happened on at least one previous occasion, I got frustrated looking for something to sketch inside Northgate Mall and ended up out in the parking lot. I drive a very small car that rides so low to the ground that I’m usually eye level to most vehicles’ license plates. About to turn on the ignition, I found myself face to face with a truck that I probably could have driven underneath – a nemesis if I’ve ever seen one. The young couple who belonged to it came back and drove away before I was done, but I’ve learned from previous car-sketching experiences to mark things like shadows and reflections right away so that I can still finish the sketch. With that notch on my belt, I went looking for the next one.
 
4/6/13 Platinum Carbon ink, watercolor, Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbook
Driving home on Fifth Avenue Northeast, I decided to turn west on Northeast Elk Place, a block-long street that is more like an alley. The thick clouds looked like they could crack open with rain at any moment, so I stayed in the car. Despite all the trees that have already fully blossomed and lost their petals, plenty of totally bare trees still stand everywhere, including this one. Like me, they’re still waiting for the real spring (last weekend’s flirtation turned out to be just that). The sky changed colors at least five times while I sat there, and as I finished up, it started to pour.

1 comment:

  1. That's one big truck...and you sketched it well. I smiled at your saying that you sit so low to the ground that you face the license plates. I think it is that they are so high up! Glad you captured your sketch before the rain came down. You had an ambitious day!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...