![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNcRK8dbefKJmXXLbjZQ1RcRkLHvDwjcl_BeaLkWAD_X-48dfsbVCEdDY3s_rjMcw1zgT6a7TlPG-ATxEmN4TI-EPdHiFmlExSUz-fOM8VZyL2W6FKaZROLK4U7ZkwZzCiX-0HNpZoA/s280/12-25-17+ArtGraf+6B%252C+white+Derwent%252C+Nova%252C+tree+from+the+bathroom+window.jpg) |
12/25/17 Our neighbor's weeping cypress |
Gray and gloomy Christmases are common here; wet ones are
even more common. A white Christmas in Seattle, though, is rare. I can remember
only a few as a child, and even fewer as an adult. It started snowing late-afternoon
on Christmas Eve, but the flakes were so tiny that I skeptically assumed they
wouldn’t amount to much. You can imagine what a treat it was to wake this
morning to several inches of snow.
After exchanging a few gifts, Greg and I bundled up and
took a walk around our neighborhood – he with his camera; I with my sketchbook.
All the ordinary trees I see every day looked magical when covered with snow,
especially the graceful weeping cypresses.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrLj2I-76Kwm8guDfikvERwfNM1lo9zmil51IIPjMGg3weO_MHecDZSs7Rqogrx8yWL177BvRo6hSOf6KL-F6EZbzFPgHLtyAT-dg-XVvG7bJd7lLacaqP3hbMUVqc1cNNbogSxRYag/s400/12-25-17+BW%252C+white+Derwent%252C+Nova%252C+Maple+Leaf+neighborhood%252C+Seattle.jpg) |
12/25/17 The same tree as above from the opposite side. |
The temperature was about 33 F degrees (0.5 C) and
climbing, and clumps of snow were already falling off the trees and rooftops.
We went back home to warm up, but after lunch I was still in the mood to make
one more sketch before all the snow melted away. I was too lazy to put my boots
back on. I just walked into the bathroom and stood by the sink, where I had a
perfect view (top of page) of the tree I had sketched earlier from the opposite
side (at left). (I used this same lazy strategy to sketch this tree last February, too!)
Technical note: I’ve been enjoying using the tan Stillman & Birn Nova for drawing people
and indoor scenes, so I used it for a couple of these trees, but I think I
prefer the gray one for snow scenes – the white seems to show up better, and it
matches the flat gray of the sky.
I hope you’re enjoying a wonderful Christmas, whether it’s
white, gray, wet or sunny!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RKnRoOV9wx6H2kCvwKFOIdwR6Wd47JqUkUSozLb5hu94t3Ully4fxIvmAT3p93Ufj8-WqnXngo2B55m3USu4XQweB-Q4pFJaRI5AVh-oYR8Skpam6ZWa1vbyVHS2WPg0CpiAZiIOng/s400/12-25-17+ArtGraf+6B%252C+white+Derwent%252C+Nova%252C+Maple+Leaf+Park%252C+Seattle.jpg) |
12/25/17 Maple Leaf Park |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3JbpgErC6qgAQBnMdZgnkDxNI49cn1xfer_7wmz7bjK_AEwkL8Ugm8OmPUGG5oZWluUVfNCi3LzgkvkeC5Sd5M5PsbLH9sFtFWRG_F2R41p267xAlUH7KLEHH_tnLVSLq_AppfJwIeA/s280/crow+on+the+wire.jpg) |
12/25/17 Crow on a wire. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmQz68JZp3m7PPsvVZ3rL0_Ricxg6kI5FMy0YH98mH4swmZsnD2F0C5Jm2OBO9hxojqVbTRvOtScjzYk0AzUjgHR-abhZ6Wn_qpZdRQgl6gvY2Ua2KP7imlr-ywikZ-rnxGsidIiUkQ/s280/20171225+tree.jpg) |
Our 'hood |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5Ib9A-ihPK0jlJFVaBxM1ECOoLwOr0668V_KaOFN5gK8cZYutjpv0Hws9bVec1BzMiaq0osgAyJQZS8jVvHd-x6z4utbLc_rFgidmWr8WgrqhNu0KiDanLhZ2pr33lsbZtvN4VubRg/s320/20171225_Maple+Leaf+Park.jpg) |
Maple Leaf Park |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6hfioUuYHf7raP4o4q5PhAhJCibKxnwNcP-XKQRfKn6J4vscvmN2VDHzZsMFglAilSBSHYt4pfx1LECqz9fn27zCA8X3FT-AflKphG_DddKBExeluBTrfMwTMio2xiW1Tj9S9V-35Q/s320/12-25-17+Maple+Leaf+Park.jpg) |
Sketching at Maple Leaf Park |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-2szvgOG4hiVbdgH9kXEWNfOCfYA0pmo5GyJ8FoXebivQxmI-T6Hg5TfmJJaVxWO3Uleug-IBWI7RwijQszBffqjeF76pY_sH8sxIGcMeM3Zs2afKNimQbqIWDMtMkHF7mbQTzeWyA/s280/white+Christmas+2017.jpg) |
Merry Christmas! |
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