Sycamore

Yesterday was a meeting of the Pencil Portraits in the Park group, but drawing people held little appeal for me. So, I decided to try something I had briefly seen somewhere and thought interesting: during their travels in the 19th century, many people sketched in pencil (graphite) and then colored the drawings with watercolor. These days most people sketch with waterproof ink and then color things in, but I rather liked this idea. A sycamore tree in our park, dressed out in autumn finery made a nice portrait, methinks.

9×12, hot press 140# Arches. Graphite and watercolor.

Lamp Post vs. Teeth

Sometimes things lend themselves very well to black and white conversion. Sometimes they don’t. I had to work to even get the lamp’s post to show. At one point the light looked like teeth floating in the middle of nowhere. I can’t say I am thrilled with the results of the B&W conversion, but I was amused by those teeth for quite awhile.