On labor day weekend this year we went camping to Jekyll Island. The park was full with people getting the most out of the end of the summer and we enjoyed a great weekend there. Saturday was rainy so we spent a lot of time sitting under the awning of our camper and either reading or drawing.
I worked on a small study of an oak tree from direct observation. Oak trees abound in the south and this particular one is a very impressive old one. For this study I focused on the tree itself and the ones on the background aiming to achieve a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective (less contrast and detail in the background).
My nine-year old son Felipe, joined me and worked on his own observational silverpoint drawing. I recommended that he look at the negative shapes and draw the spaces in between the branches to deal with the complexity of the subject and he did a great job!! His loose marks and linear build up of value are impressive and his composition very dynamic. Children are such natural artists. They never seize to amaze me.