I gave you a sneak preview of this painting in an earlier post, but I thought you might enjoy a closer view.
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| “Springtime on Jefferson Drive”, 8″ x 10″, ink & watercolor on 140 lb. paper |
I drove up to Mt. Lebanon, PA, several times over the summer to scope out the town and the neighborhoods and get a general idea of where I might want to paint during plein air week. This scene along Jefferson Drive was one of my favorites. I took photos in early June when the rhododendron were in full bloom and painted this picture back in my studio.
The page border was designed and drawn before the sketch. I drew it with pencil, then inked the lines with a black Pigma Micron pen, leaving the painting until the very end, so I could coordinate the colors with my sketch. I think it’s one of the prettiest borders I’ve ever done!
The houses were lightly penciled in, to make sure the size and perspective were correct, then inked with the same Micron pen used on the border.
The lightest watercolor washes were added first, with successive layers getting darker and darker. I just love painting these old tile roofs!
With winter just around the corner, it’s nice to look at this sketch and remember the hopeful, expectant feeling of spring, when all the joys of summer stretched before us.
