The Scale Of Things

Most older buildings and houses are much more fun to draw than newer ones. Perhaps because the scale of older buildings are mostly more 'human'. Except maybe in first sight for religious buildings, like cathedrals, churches and The Haya Sofia. But just look at this monastery in Istria. Although it's much bigger than the houses surrounding it, it still has this human-like proportionary in it's arches and squares. Even the tower don't look disproportional. Not that the builders wanted it that way, but purely because it was than technically impossible to build a bigger tower. Perhaps that's a good thought in these uncertain economical times: keep things in proportion, keep a human pace.

Black and white with pen and ink

After I'd made several drawings for the local newspaper, the editor-in-chief told me that the readers were very pleased with my drawings. As a result the publisher used them for greeting cards. People could buy them in a set of six different drawings. The editor-in-chief also told me that his brother knew a gallery where they might wanted to have an exhibition with my drawings. Wow, that sounded great!
I was a bit naive and forgot to ask "who, where, when, why?" and started to make several drawings in pen and ink instead. Below you can see what kind of detail I'd put in it. I soon found out it was hard labor to make these kind of drawings. But it was worth it, I thought. And they sure looked better then the drawings I made for the newspaper!

The location is Istria, where I've been in the summer of 1988. It was part of The Republic of Yugoslavia. With very angry-looking soldiers at the border, checking your passport for a very long time without saying a word. It happened to be a nice holiday, though. I've met friendly people, the weather was splendid and the drinks and food were very low priced. At the end I've treated the whole group of about 25 people on the greatest icecream they've ever had. And still had money left!

I've brought my sketchbook with me and with the help of several photographs I could make this drawing back at home.

Of course the exhibition never took place. Due to several problems with local legislations and other very important management and business terms, the gallery never opened and so my drawings ended somewhere in my archive. Until now, because I now can use my blog to share these drawings with you.

Holiday sketches

The summerly conditions made me look for sketches I made on holidays I've had in the past. The sketch which most dated back, was the one I made in 1988, due to a vacation in the former Republic of Yugoslavia.
I went by bus, a terrible way to travel: it took more than 27 hours to get to our destination! Anyway, the weather, the scenery and the company of some fellow travelers made it a pleasant stay. When I got home (again: after more than a 27 hours journey by bus...) I somehow managed to stay in the holiday mood and made the sketch above. Or rather: a sketched collage.
Technique: pen and watercolor on Canson 300 grs. Unfortunately the dimension of the original is to big for my little scanner, but I guess you get the picture (so to say) of what it is like in Istria.