Estate Clingendael – 2014-08-05

A Subtle Impressionistic View

This graphite pencil drawing Estate Clingendael – 2014‑08‑05 shows the main manor of the estate in a subtly impressionistic view. Not the first time that I went there for a sketching session outdoors. Last year I did a little A6-size landscape sketch. Now I come to think of it, why did I not visited it more frequently. It’s just around the corner from where I live. Well, this has changed by the completion of this drawing, honoring its lingering beauty.

On the Very Spot or Not?

However, I did not complete it on the very spot. Therefor it’s too complicated due to the window frames. Initially, I was wavering between two choices: execute it in one go or do a more elaborate version? In March of this year I did the façade of the ‘Binnenhof’ in quite a sketchy way. There is only so much that you can show though, indication only the overall structure of such architectural things. Isn’t that the fun of life drawing anyway? You don’t have to necessarily put in all the effort to make it right, right? There is a small window of opportunity to draw and what you get, is what you view.

Unspoiled White

So why would it be any other way for this one? Well, soon I came to realize here lies a big chance for me. To do a kind of ‘official’ state portrait of Clingendael, one that everybody familiar to the place could recognize instantly. On the other side there was another thing that struck me: the subtle lighting coming from upper right corner. Basically, the whole façade lay in the shadow. I had it in me to lay down a full array of subtle shifts in tonal values to capture that. Consequently, only on the upper side of the building, on the gravel path and in the sky there’s unspoiled white.

Repoussoirs

The trees on the left and right serve as impressive repoussoirs. They gird the building quite beautifully, don’t you think? Personally, I like these kinds of contrasts best: dark and light, organic versus architectural and all that. If they are there, I will exploit them to the max for sure. All in all, not an easy project but worth the effort.

Click here to see a publication of the art work in magazine Articulaction Art Review, issue September 2014.

Graphite pencil drawing (Pentel 0.5 mm, 3B) on Winsor & Newton paper (21 x 14.8 x 0.1 cm – A5 format)

Artist: Corné Akkers

Sales info: info@corneakkers.com

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