12/26/23 Early morning
As I’ve mentioned before, this time of year, as dark and
dreary as it can be, is a sweet spot for sketching sky color: I can easily
catch both sunrise and sunset times. Most of these were done with my usual skyscapito
media: watercolor pencils and a white Uglybook (I hardly ever use a
white one otherwise). Based on where I can see the sky colors most easily, I usually use Caran d’Ache Bicolors for sunrises and Museum Aquarelles for sunsets. In a couple cases I tried dark-colored pages – a
convenient shorthand for capturing the predominant sky hues.
And as dark and dreary as it can be, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much color the sky offers even during the worst of winter. All I have to do is remember to look for it.
Recently I grumbled about how little nature sketching I did last year, but I'm fairly consistent about sketching skyscapitos year-round. I guess that counts as nature sketching, doesn’t it?
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| On Jan. 15, I was lucky enough to catch both sunrise and sunset. |
The first, almost-monochrome, sketch captured my attention (and admiration) instantly. Although I live in a different place and climate —the northern Canadian prairies— the light, the sky, the overhead wires and the transformer box on the power pole are all intimately familiar to me. Hence the sketch also feels like a place I know. I'm beginning to think that a goal in making art of any sort is to 'find the universal in the personal', and this sketch does that.
ReplyDelete~ David Miller
Wow, that's really cool, David! I'm happy to hear that you found a connection to the Pacific west through my sketches! Thank you!
DeleteYou really caught a few of them. I can just barely see the tones in the sky in the morning when I'm going my stretches in bed before I get up, but I don't have a clear view...mostly branches. Glad someone gets to see the colors and record them too.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm really lucky to be able to see full sunsets and some color from sunrises! When it's not overcast, of course. ;-)
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