EDM Challenge #15: Draw a Tree

A quick pencil sketch view of a nice shady spot under a beautiful tree from a porch/deck I was working on at a friend/client's home. Stopping for a break, I drew this...which is unusual for me because I don't tend to sketch during working hours.
Maybe this fine spring day heralds a refreshing change of habit.

VP Challenge: Mexico City

Finally...a Virtual Paintout entry finished before the last day of the month. Having more time because of the Christmas holiday, I was able to work on this longer than usual; and I also was able to 'borrow' my wife's set of pastel, water-soluble pencils-which I really like-to compliment my watercolor pencils. They allow for a certain opacity that is hard to get from pencils alone.
Finding this hillside neighborhood makes me want to visit it in person.
Reference link here.
Happy Holidays and thanks to Bill Guffey for the interesting and challenging idea of The Virtual Paintout.

EDM #167: Draw Something That Needs Fixing

...the building and zoning permit office, yes! And I know I'm not alone in this one: ask these two people depicted. I'm sure they have been here a lot longer than I have. Perfect subjects for a quick sketch in that-like me-they ain't movin'! Why do I know they aren't going to move? Because if their name is called and they aren't around, the plan reviewer will immediately skip to the next person. When they come back and realize that they missed their turn, they have to sign the call list again.
The potential for this happening is multiplied by the 5 different departments they are required to clear: plan intake, zoning, site development, arborist, and structural. But it doesn't end there, the permit typist and the cashier lines await. God forbid if you have to change something...or it's lunchtime.

EDM #165: The Front of My House

This is the front of my house from the one-lane street I live on. As you might be able to tell, it sits slightly down from the street. My wife and I designed and built it back in 2000, a life experience and result for which I am grateful on a daily basis.

I used Tombow markers, graphite pencils, and some watercolor pencils. I tried to use my trusty Pitt pens, but they wouldn't work because of the nature of the paper (architectural tissue paper) and the color pencil build-up. I think the disconcerting lack of dimension in the foliage is due to this. In hindsight, I would have done all the ink work and shadowing first, but I was experimenting with laying down colors first (after a pencil sketch). Two interesting things I learned tho' were 1) the Tombow 'blender' pen also blends the watercolor pencil marks, and 2) by using drawing tissue paper I was able to color some things (like the roof) on the backside of the paper. By doing this, the lines on the front side remained unclouded.

So...anyway, I am thinking that I might back off on the more concentrated pieces and try to just 'draw' a few of the EDM challenges without alot of complexity...and possibly more frequently. There are plenty of people whose work I admire doing exactly that...with great personal success.