Jeanette's Painting of the Train Station

Hi, folks. Jeanette here. I was standing next to Jim while he was painting the gouache study of the train station last week. I liked the cool light coming in from the west window on the rainy day, and the contrasts on the terra cotta tile floor.  I spent about an hour on the pencil underdrawing before starting the transparent watercolor. 

The scene needed a figure so I added Scott Anderson and his French easel. Later, though, a passenger with the perfect silhouette walked through my scene, so I put her in as well. She stopped for just a second and looked around, and then kept going. I quickly penciled her in and then painted her from memory.

I was using a Stillman and Birn hot-press Zeta Hardbound Sketchbook (5.5 x 8.5 inches) watercolor sketchbook. I love the heavy 180 lb. non-buckling paper and the vertical format, but it's a challenge for me to get smooth washes on that surface. The rougher Beta watercolor book gives me smoother washes.