This past winter was miserably cold, snowy and seemed never ending. In fact I'd swear we had so little spring we went almost directly from winter into 85 degree summer! Now with some reasonable weather I've been getting out to do some leisurely drawing - mostly trees. Back when I first started this blog I posted a few tree drawings that were relatively quick sketches in ink. Here on the left is one of those posted in 2011.
On the right, this recent drawing is a bit larger than can be accommodated by my scanner so it s cropped some on the right side. I wish you could see it all. If it were visible, another tree on the right leaning left helps to balance the composition very nicely.
Today's drawing is quite a bit looser and much more atmospheric using my old favorite Prismacolor pencils, simple black and white on Strathmore 400 series paper, the subject a line of conifers at the back of our property. Same type of tree, but different materials, different weather, different view and here, a few years older, in many ways a different artist. We change, see things with older eyes and hopefully, if really alive, newer ideas.
The hand in the eye is the ultimate tool. (Randy Sandres)
One doesn't age while one is drawing. (Natalie Barrett Cook)*
*She actually said "painting" but hey, the arts are all good!
