On our last evening in northern Italy, we headed to our favorite restaurant for one more yummy dinner and were seated in a private alcove with a balcony, overlooking the outdoor patio. We felt so-o-o-o special!
 |
| 10″ x 7″, ink & watercolor in Stillman & Birn Beta series sketchbook |
Even though I had done several other sketches of the restaurant (here and here), I decided to do just one more when I saw our birds-eye view and the huge hanging globe lights. It was nice to draw from a different view point. I whipped out this quick sketch before our smiling waitress delivered my piping hot pizza.
 |
| Detail |
I snapped a picture before I dove into my pizza, so I could add color to the page at home. I’d rather get something down on paper and finish it later than to tell myself there isn’t enough time to do a whole painting, so I won’t even pull out my sketchbook and pen. I would have missed out on a lot of great sketches if I had been compulsive about finishing things on location.
Also, sketching while waiting for your meal to arrive, when everyone else is scarfing down bread and butter, saves a lots of calories!
13 Comments
What a delightful sketch, and I love how you've captured the glow from the hanging globe lights.
I wasn't sure how I was going to do that, but it worked out in the end. It does have a glow. 🙂
pizza with smoked fish? interesting:)
thanks for a little bit of summer – it's sooo grey and gloomy today…
That pizza sounds kind of gross, I know, but, believe me, it was wonderful!
Thanks for the reminder to just get something down on paper. So often I let "perfect" be the enemy of "good enough!"
Well said, Edie. I need to remember that myself. I tend to fuss with things way too much. Better to splash on some color and move on.
Lovely sketch and a different view. I like your composition on this!!
What a lovely sketch…and an interesting point of view. Your sketches are always so inspiring to me! Even the little date marker is adorable. Thanks for the inspiration!
I think I need to make an effort to look for unique points of view more often, instead of taking the obvious approach. It does make for a more interesting page.
Very inspiring on doing work on location. At least get something down.. that way you have the flavor and its easier to finish later. a camera is good but it loses the moment that a sketch there can capture. Do you write something down right away to copy later so you don't forget? your whole sketch book is just lovely.
I have a pocket notebook that I keep in my bag when I'm traveling, and I jot down little notes during the day of all the things I see, people I meet, meals I enjoy. Then, in the evening, I pencil it all in roughly in my journal. If I have time, I'll then ink over the text with a Pitt pen, but often I do that later, on the plane coming home, or back home, after the trip. I try not to get more than a day behind in my journaling when I'm traveling, because it gets very difficult to catch up. The task becomes overwhelming, and I start to lose my enthusiasm for the task. It's a lot of work, but I absolutely love having the end product.
Thanks. I use a S Pitt pen by Faber Castell is that what you use? I notice the color isn't black. 🙂 I keep trying to get my printing to look better. 🙂
I just love those globe lamps and how they do glow! And, what a wonderful setting!