Flooded quarry, Swithland Woods

Old, very deep, flooded slate quarry, Swithland Woods, carbon pencil on a rich cream paper, size A4, Vivien Blackburn

The Charnwood Forest area of Leicestershire is very very ancient rock and the woods in this part are pitted with these old slate quarries - very deep and quite dangerous.

I've meant to draw here for a long time and thought it would make a nice change from the canals and river in my waterways project with it's woods and steep hillside - the rocky side is hidden in shadow. I may try to get there at a different time of day when it's lit up. I also plan to visit other flooded quarries, bigger and deeper - though I do like this little one.

I've mislaid my little battery operated eraser, which would have been perfect to draw those light branches back in through charcoal - so I had to carefully(ish) leave them unshaded.

I think this might make it onto canvas as I like the composition - what do you think?

Comments

Robyn Sinclair said…
It definitely deserves promotion to a canvas, Vivien. I love the composition too and those central trees are so beautifully sketched. You did a great job of preserving your whites too.
6:15 pm
Annie said…
This drawing is great! You chose the right track from the picture. Perfect composition!
6:32 pm
daviddrawsandpaints said…
When I see this kind of image I imediately think of my first reading of 'The Hobbit' and the deep dark woods. There's a kind of fascination with the undergrowth and trailing roots that is very mysterious. Spooky, but I love it!
7:27 pm
vivien said…
Robyn, Annie and David - thanks :>)

I think of the Hobbit too - Old Man Willow may be lurking somewhere there :>) I have actually got a fantastic - though sadly poorly focussed - image of a green man in the bark of a tree not far away, complete with horns, high cheekbones and a goatee beard.

I just hope nothing with giant arms and tentacles reaches out for me like it did from the lake for Bilbo as they went into ?Moria :>O
9:24 pm
Billie Crain said…
Sorry I'm late commenting on this one, Vivien. I really like the black charcoal(?)on the cream paper. We have quarries here in northern Michigan that this reminds me of so much. I think your comp is spot on!
9:33 pm
vivien said…
Hi Billie - it's carbon pencil. A bit like a charcoal pencil but not - almost like a conte pencil.

thanks :>)

I like the cards you've designed for Etsy :>)
10:29 pm
Karl Marxhausen said…
Mmmm.Glad I stumbled across this exacting drawing. wonderful.
7:12 pm
vivien said…
thanks Karl :>)
9:46 pm
Jala Pfaff said…
Beautiful drawing.
6:00 am
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