Wet Work

It's raining today in Natick. It's a good day to curl up, read books and drink hot tea. Of course, I went outside at 7:00 A.M. to see if anything was happening at the dam. I brought my sketchbook and some charcoal pencils and a jar of mixed inks. I like the chance effects of rain, snow and even ice in my drawings. Once in awhile, something great happens. However, more often the drawing gets washed away. There's a metaphor for life in here somewhere. Below are today's efforts and a few from years past using an assortment of media.

A Great Blue Heron in front of the dam (in the rain)
charcoal, ink
30-05-16

Looking over the top of the dam
charcoal, ink, colored pencil
30-05-16

the same drawing above, in the wild

When I sketch in the rain, I try to take a photo of the work because the rain often washes everything away by the time I get back to my studio.

The island in the rain
21-03-16

geese in the rain
21-03-16

heron under the bridge
01-07-15

various ducks
11-09-16

28-07-14

28-07-16

Using a hard charcoal
20-04-13

I think this is a slightly water soluble litho crayon
 23-07-16