Fragmentary pen and ink study of breakwater. I want to do more straight up pen and ink on white paper - a spartan discipline with no color or even gray scale, but very versatile as evidenced by the great 19th C illustrators. Not sure if I want to finish this, either from life or photo ref, or leave it.
I went back the next day and continued work on the pen and ink drawing of the breakwater. I don't know if it improved the image but it was good exercise in rendering shapes, values, and textures.
Another version of the breakwater, this time in overcast morning light. This is a tricky subject, because the tide is alway either coming in or going out, at a rate right on the edge of perceptibility, like the minute hand of a clock. Not only do parts of the structure disappear as the tide comes in, but the water's edge, which ordinarily would be a useful reference point, is always changing as well. The only constant is the horizon.
There was a many-layered cloudy sky behind the iconic Pilgrim Monument tower. Don't know if I'll work on this more - it might be better to leave it as is and possibly use it as the basis for a larger, more planned out painting.
This breakwater of dark, seaweed encrusted boulders reaching into the sea from the beach was catching the late rays of the setting sun. The rocks were the most brilliant thing in the scene despite being also the darkest.
4" x 6" ink on bristol in sketchbook.
