This sketch is one of my favorites from this trip. Still in Dresden, my family and I stopped for a snack on a bench and after we had finished our snack, I turned 90 degrees and saw this spectacular view. It’s a beautiful cathedral decorated with many statues and in the middle of that walkway is the back of another statue overlooking a plaza.
By now I had been sketching for a few days so my children prepared for my daily sketching sessions. My daughter brought along a book to read and my son put his Gameboy in his backpack. My husband, the smartest one in the bunch, went off to find some shade, read the guidebook and apparently take some photos! Here we are:
Sketching is a new discovery for me! I love the fact that it’s very low pressure. I look up, see something interesting and sketch it. Twenty minutes later we move on to the next activity. When I paint it is always such a labored effort. First I have to figure out what I want to paint, then I set up the still life or model, get the lighting right, squeeze out paints, sketch in the subject, then start painting. I need a decent block of time to do all that too. And it seems the planets have to be aligned before I’ll paint a portrait, they take so much preparation and time. I suppose I could try the same approach to painting as I do to sketching, I’m just not there yet. But, back to sketching, quick and fun!I thought I would try sketching something different from all the architecture I had been sketching, so I spotted a couple of likely victims, I mean subjects, at dinner one day. This first woman was sitting by herself at a table, looking like she was waiting for someone, either that or she had some bad food from the look of my sketch. heh.
I could look across the table, between my two children, and see this woman eating her meal.
I love sketching people but . . . . they’re challenging. I’m used to painting a model who poses and stays perfectly still! Painting people in their own environments is exciting and I do like the challenge, it’ll just take a lot of practice.
Tomorrow, on to Prague.
Kudos to your husband for capturing that moment!! Reading about your travels and seeing the sketches and pictures is SUCH a delight, Joan.
These sketches are SO special, Joan. Have you thought of framing them or do you plan on keeping them intact in the sketchbook?
Hi Diane, thank you for your comment, I’m glad you like the sketches.
Hi Janelle, thank you for your comment! I’m not sure what I’m going to do with them. It’s nice to have them together in a book, but I might take out my favorite three and frame them. They are the best souviniers!