My husband and I went camping last week near Gettysburg, PA, and spent a day visiting the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and driving around the battlefield. We followed the auto tour through beautiful Pennsylvania farmland with fields of corn, split rail fences, and beautifully restored Civil War-era farmhouses.
We drove the meandering roads at a leisurely pace, stopping once in awhile to get out and read the plaques at the various memorials. There are more than 1300 of them in the Gettysburg National Military Park.
I had grand plans to do a tiny sketch at each of the 16 stops on the tour, but it took all afternoon to get through just half of them. While we were driving to where the route began, I roughed-in the overall layout for the page in pencil. When we pulled off at stop #1 to listen to the audio narration from the US Park Service app, I dashed off sketch #1. My process was to block in the sketch in pencil (30-60 seconds), then do the final drawing in ink with a Noodler’s Nib Creaper Flex Pen. I had to be quick about it – each little sketch probably took less than five minutes to draw.
If you’ll notice on the sketch, I started with consecutive numbers, then had to start skipping stops as time flew by.
I ended up with six little sketches before we decided to head back to the camper and make some dinner.
We only managed to fit in 8 of the 16 stops on the battlefield tour, but that just gives us an excuse to return some day.
Back at the trailer, I set up an open air studio on a folding table under the awning and started painting the little sketches that evening.
I used a fairly large brush, to keep from getting too fussy and detailed.
For the flags, I did some research on my phone to see which flags were flown during the battle of Gettysburg, and these two came up…
I should have kept scrolling, however, because what I didn’t realize until later was that the Confederate flag I drew was actually the original flag of the Confederacy, not the one that was flown at the battle of Gettysburg, late in the war. I thought about trying to correct my error, but decided it just wasn’t that important. Besides, I like the way the two flags have a similar look, with the red and white stripes and the blue field with stars.
I had roughed in the arched lettering at the start but waited until I was back home to finalize it. I looked up vintage fonts on fontspace.com and found one that wasn’t too complex for me to draw freehand. I drew it all out in pencil first, then inked it, then painted it with Fine-Tec gold paint. It looks really cool in person!
If you ever get a chance to visit Gettysburg, I highly recommend it. The town is very historical, with most of the buildings dating to the 1800s, and I can’t say enough about how well everything has been handled at the national park. There’s an air of solemnity and sadness about the place that’s fitting, but there are also stories of incredible bravery and heroism. It’s a place that every American should see.
27 Comments
Thank you Leslie. I have always wanted to visit Gettysburg .Now you have given me a glimpse.
I wondered how you remembered the colors if you did a tiny pencil sketch but you probably took a picture. Beautiful job.
Yes, I took a picture with my phone. I find it’s much easier to paint from life than from a photo, but, in this case, I barely had time to draw so the painting, by necessity, had to wait till later. I think it’s harder to stay loose when I’m drawing or painting from a reference photo.
Thanks for the great sketchbook memories. Gettysburg was my fathers favorite place to visit when my parents lived in Lititz, PA. Yes solemn for sure. But beautiful in its peace. Lititz is also a great little town to visit. Especially if you like old farmhouses and chocolate. (Wilbur chocolate factory). Love seeing all your work and your new home looks perfect.
I’ll have to visit Lititz the next time we’re in that area. My relatives all live in Harrisburg, so we used to visit several times a year, but since the pandemic, we haven’t been able to go back. My two aunts, my mom, and I would make the rounds of the quilt shops in the Lancaster area. So much fun!
What a beautiful set of sketches!
Thanks, Angela!
I really appreciate hearing the “process” and what you’re thinking as you’re “out in the field” experiencing the trip. That helps me to develop different ways of thinking so I can more easily capture what I need when outside and then finish off later when in an easier setting. Do you use your phone to take pictures for reference to use later or rely only on your initial sketches?
Yes, I do. I’m usually so excited about getting started on my sketch that it’s hard to remember to get out the phone and snap a pic, but it sure helps to have it.
What a wonderful memory you have created. Steve and I have always wanted to visit Gettysburg. After reading this I want to even more! ❤️
If you’re going to be in Pennsylvania, you have to promise to stop by for a visit! You can see the new house. 🙂
I find it hard to let go enough to sketch quickly, the perfectionist in me I suppose. I’m following your example and working on quicker sketching and focusing on the main things. Thanks for your inspiration!
You’re welcome, Rebecca. Maybe you could set a timer and practice doing little vignettes in five minutes or so. No pressure, just for fun. Or make a gridded page and fill the little boxes with snippets of things. It’s a good practice exercise.
I was trying to make these Gettysburg sketches really simple, along the lines of Diana Gessler’s style in her “Very Charleston” book, but I think I don’t have it in me to simplify to that extent. This is simple for me, but the whole page still ended up looking pretty complex. And the drawings were done quickly, but it probably took me a couple of hours to finish all the lettering and painting. That’s okay though – there’s nothing wrong with taking your time to get the results you want.
Leslie, Your sketches are wonderful and brought back memories. I took my young son there and he insisted we hit several of the battlegrounds and it was soooooo hot. My favorite story from there was of Jennie Wade, the first civilian killed at Gettysburg while she was baking bread. A bullet went thru the door and struck her in the back. Her fiance was also hurt and died a few weeks later, never learning that Jennie had died. I did a page in my journal re: her story. I must get back to journaling, I miss it.
Betty
I’d love to see that sketch, Betty. I love your drawn storytelling.
Miss you!
Gettysburg is only 25 minutes from my house, but I probably go there only twice a year. It’s a lovely area with important history, one that everyone should visit at least once. Your sketches have inspired me to look more closely at the area; however, I find my “ingrained” attention to detail makes journal sketching difficult. I do need to loosen up. Thanks so much, Leslie, for another lovely set of sketches and hints to make the process easier
Cynthia
I think having a time limit helps. I was forced to draw quickly or make Fred wait longer than he should have to. And we had a lot to see in just one afternoon, so the time pressure helped me to feel that I could just go for it and not worry too much about the details. Also, the size of the grid made it easy to get a drawing done in a flash.
You should go to Gettysburg and give it a try. Draw a grid and drive around, filling the boxes when something catches your eye. And try to keep your drawings simple – it saves time!
I am amazed at the detail you achieve with such quick sketches! Love the gold you added to the ‘Gettysburg’ lettering! What a great travel keepsake.
I love the fine-Tec paints. They are so easy to use, and they cover really well. And that shine! It almost looks like gold leaf.
Reminds of my trip w/my husband To Gettysburg on the motorcycle. We stayed in motel that was close enough that I was able to walk to various sites sketch and paint, soak in the enormity of the events that took place at Gettysburg. we did do the ride around the battlefield, no time for sketching. Great presentation.
That would be a great place to tour on a bike. Must have been fun. The countryside is so beautiful and peaceful now – hard to believe what it was like then. Your sketching experience sounds like it was much more meaningful than mine. Wish I had had more time there to really take it all in.
Oh Leslie I love these sketches. I miss our trips in our RV going around the US. We did miss Gettysburg but my Granddaughter is starting Bryn Mawr College in PA and I’m going to visit and explore the area in the East so perhaps I’ll get there.
Sounds like a good opportunity for you, Bonnie. Let me know if you’re in the Pittsburgh area.
I just love the gold lettering,you are so inspiring!.
I love it, too! I’m so glad I thought to pull out the Fine-Tec paints.
What a wonderful page of memories, Leslie. You are so right about the air of sadness there. We went to Gettysburg years ago, and I found myself tearing up several times. It was a deeply touching experience.
You are amazing to get all of the pictures done in such a short time. I do have to snap photos and work more from them later when I am back at my camping spot! We still have them map out and found the town if Lititz. We did make a trip to Gettysburg and would love to go back to that area again!
I have never been there but seeing your sketches makes me all the more inspired. I love how you were able to draw so many so quickly and then finish them up! Skill, art and practice — you have them all!