Freeway Overpass

FREEWAY OVERPASS, markers and charcoal, 11” x 17”.
Why do thumbnails? It's a low-risk way of thinking visually.

My goal here is to capture a feeling of speed and drama. I want to convey the headlong race of forms stretching across the landscape

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I try a few different compositions, but they don't work. The first thumbnail on the left is too cluttered with trees and poles. The overpass dips out of the picture, rather than surging out.

In the final art at the top of this post, I allow the eye to follow the movement of the overpass into the middle ground space. I accent this area with strong value contrast, hard edges, and very small shapes.

From The Artist's Guide to Sketching)