Saturday, December 27, 2008

Rain and Watercolor

Rain is the death of watercolor. I knew I was in trouble when the clouds rolled in over the Crateri Silvestri in Sicily last month.


These cinder cones are high on the summit of Etna. I walked around their rims and gazed in, but the clouds closed in.


By the time I started a sketch, a steady drizzle started. The washes in the sky wouldn't dry. I leaned forward to intercept the drops. But you can see from the droplets in the sky that I couldn't block them. I just had to admit defeat and head down the mountain.

5 comments:

J M said...

The sketch has a wonderful depth and sense of scale. I like the way you have suggested light in the rim of the crater.

Unknown said...

Hi Jim,
I was just wondering if you were going to start Art By Committee again. It was so much fun!

Thank you for keeping this blog. It is a great inspiration for me.

Happy (soon to be) New Year!

James Gurney said...

I enjoy Art By Committee, too! I've just been a bit swamped (and have been traveling) over the last few months, so I was taking a break. I'll bring it back sometime in the new year. Andy W. suggested doing it once a month. How does that sound to you?

Unknown said...

Sure, that sounds good. Thanks for doing it!

Hannah JS Davis said...

I'd like to join into the ABC when it returns, I had intended to take part in it previously but never found any time. Once a month doesn't sound bad.

I didn't visit Sicily, but I did visit Rome and Naples in December several years ago. Eventually I'd like to go back and take another ride atop Mt. Vesuvius. Italy itself is quite the inspiring place to visit.