Today’s exercise was about moving from the broad masses of Day 46 into structure and then selective detail.
My preliminary actually contained too much detail. I found myself drawing things simply because I could see them, rather than deciding whether they helped describe the building. Fortunately, I spotted this before starting the final and deliberately simplified it. The preliminary was drawn with the Pilot Falcon SEF nib and ArtGraf watersoluble graphite and, the final was drawn using the Pilot 742 Posting Nib with Buff Titanium and Neutral Tint watercolours. The result feels more controlled than the preliminary. The main structure and large shapes remain clear, while the detail is more selective. The main arch is still important without becoming the dominant feature, and the lower section has enough information without becoming overworked.
The exercise reinforced something I’m beginning to understand about my process: the preliminary is there to help me make decisions, not to dictate the final drawing. Score: 7.5/10
Strongest improvement: Better hierarchy and more selective use of detail.
Weakness: The wash becomes a little too dominant in places, and some of the linework could be more confident.
Key lesson: Don’t draw something simply because you can see it.
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