Xior Lumiar, Lisbon - watercolor pencils test
Here I wanted to test a new kind (for me) of watercolor paper—smooth hot pressed Arches —and, most importantly, new watercolor pencils, which I bought specifically for working on crisp, graphic shadows.
In the end, I only liked the brownish gray pencil (which the buildings are painted in). The Payne's grey pencil I'd been so hopeful about turned out to be too blue (as for me) (the last photo shows swatches, in case anyone else finds it helpful), so I was forced to use Payne's grey watercolors from my usual Van Gogh palette.
In this complex of buildings, I like the rhythm and direction of the forms. I even tried to take a reference and paint with the same perspective distortion, which I think reflects this aspiration to the future (these are student dormitory buildings, and I hope the youth there are the future). And I think pencils convey the texture of the grey panels of the building more beautifully and generally add a graphic quality to the drawing. Also, I think a contrast between trees and buildings are more sharp in case of using pencils.
What do you think of this combination of materials? did I manage to convey the idea? Any comments on the work are welcome!