Today I worked on light and shadow using the Tempietto in Rome. This turned out to be one of my boldest attempts so far. I used the Sailor Profit Fude for the preliminary and the Pilot Custom 742 Posting Nib for the main drawing, with Buff Titanium and cool grey washes, and experimented with the Fude for some of the deepest shadows. The drawing of the Tempietto itself could certainly be better. Some of the proportions and architectural details let the finished sketch down. But I’m very pleased with what happened with the light and shade. For the first time, I felt that the wash was genuinely doing more than adding colour — it was describing the form of the building. The cool grey shadows establish the recesses, turn the columns, and give the portico real depth. The Fude also taught me something useful. I pushed some of the darkest areas a little too far, and once they’re on the paper they can’t be taken back. Another reminder that knowing when to stop is as important as knowing what to add.
I’m happy with this one. The score may be 7/10, but I feel the learning jump was considerably bigger than the score suggests.
Score — 7/10
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