sketching and hypothermia

The 15C packhorse bridge across a small river and flood plain. Charcoal.



I'm sure I'm suffering from hypothermia! I'm still chilled inside and it's now 1am. I'm off to bed in a minute - husband went hours ago so it should be nice and warm as toast.


Ros and I went sketching by the packhorse bridge this afternoon, both of us wrapped up well but oh it was Cold. I got absolutely chilled to the bone and after a couple of hourse we gave up and went off for a hot chocolate and a warm by the fire in a lovely little tea shop. We both got 2 sketches done first though so our haloes shone :)


The first one above was in charcoal, I sat uncomfortably balanced on a thick tree branch above some mud and water trying not to drop the sketchbook in it ..... or me.


The second was of the old iron railway bridge across the canal - the river that flows under the packhorse bridge joins it on the left. The old railway track is now a footpath that goes for several miles across the city. Mechanical pencil.




There were still walkers out despite the cold.

Comments

Lindsay said…
You really take to heart the expression "suffering for your art"! Lots of suffering= great charcoal drawings! I'm falling in love with bridges too.
vivien said…
I didn't know it was going to be THAT cold! Ros, my friend had come about 8 miles to sketch there and I felt too guilty to be the first one to give up - I was sooo relieved when she admitted she was ready to call it a day!

Today is lovely and I have visitors coming so can't go out to sketch - typical! still the visitors are my daughters so it will be lovely to see them both at the same time.
jafabrit said…
It would have been fun to see a photo of you perched on a tree :) Your drawing of the bridge is just lovely.
Making A Mark said…
Vivien - I am sitting here indoors in my artic fleece because I absolutely refuse to switch the heating back on because this is MAY for $%%^^ sake! I cannot imagine how cold you got doing these sketches - I had three layers on indoors!

I really love the first one. Great composition - the eye really goes through the pic. Gorgeous touches with the charcoal too.

I think we'll ask for photos in future from Glen so we can see the perch! Don't you find you always really remember well the ones in which you were uncomfortable while doing them?

In the second you've got a teeny touch of that perennial curse of the plein air sketcher - the lean on the water. (I do it all the time with vertical lines - to the point where I now have a small collapsible ruler to give me a guide line!) But so easily sorted for you when you convert these into paintings

Now go shine that halo again.
vivien said…
Jafa a picture of me precariously balanced on the tree branch would NOT be a pretty picture!

Katherine the water in the sketchbook is actually ok - it's me the photographer that had the list to starboard! - it's verticals I have to be careful with, if I'm not aware I can definitely get them with a distinct lean!

I really need to finish those big canvasses but I'm enjoying being able to get out again and new projects are always a buzz :) - how is yours going?

yes uncomfortable ones DO stick in the memory! - like the day at the coast where the gale force icy blast blew straight off the sea - we couldn't hold a normally size book still as the wind would flip it just as you got near it with a loaded paintbrush - I got one tiny 6inch one out of the day - and a 200 mile round trip!

thanks for the promo on your blog today :)
Casey Klahn said…
I have enjoyed these bridge sketches. Now, if I could just break out that new moleskin - still in it's wrapper. You're inspiring me!
vivien said…
Thanks Casey :) - get unwrapping! I'll be watching :)

there will be more - I want to track down other ancient bridges as well as newer ones - there are also pools and reservoirs to visit :)

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