Yesterday's Accomplishments

Yesterday I was sitting looking out the window as the sun was shining and our temperatures reached the low 50s.  With all the storms that have passed over us, we've accumulated about 18 inches of snow.  We've been stuck up on this hill for four weeks with only a one day window where we were able to get down the quarter mile drive safely. 

Although it was warm yesterday and again today, it's going to take several days to melt this away.  And so far the drive up the hill is still treacherous due to a couple inch thick sheet of ice that was under the snow.  Even the slushy areas are slippery!  Terry's out now trying to break it up and lay salt down. 

Here's a watercolor sketch I did as I was looking out the window....

And before I worked the watercolor, I worked on this pen and ink sketch.  Perspective is not quite right, I don't think, but I enjoyed doing it just the same.

As I was working the sketch, I lost sight of sunlight and shadow.  When I first thought I was done, I sat there looking at the sketch and realized the values were all the same as if a cloudy day and yet I had included cast shadows on the ground.  Didn't look right by any means!  Here it was worked in pen and ink and I needed to fix the lighting.

So I grabbed my trusty white gel pen and covered some of the ink marks on the sunny side of the buildings and posts and took a Neutral Tint wash over what should be the shaded areas.

I think what also helped make it a little easier to cover the ink marks was the fact I used my Pilot Prera with the dry feed and Lexington Gray ink.  I struggled getting the ink to feed dark anyways.