Creating Clingendael – 15-11-23

Available as original (if not sold), prints & printable. Learn more:

Website: https://corneakkers.com/2023/11/16/clingendael-15-11-23/
Printable: https://corneakkers.com/product/printable-clingendael-15-11-23/

A Bit of Mystery

This graphite pencil drawing ‘Clingendael – 15-11-23’ is the second impressionist drawing in a row. Last one of Amsterdam already was devoid of any cubist styling. This one is no different. The scenery is different though. This one stays close to home. Clingendael is just around the corner and I often dwell there. Luckily it offers all nice essentials a park can offer: trees, meadows, a mansion, water and reflections. Especially those I like the best. They are a bit of mystery. What is reflected is different from what lurks beneath. I always have to think of ‘De Koele Meren des Doods’, indicating reflected light on lakes, canals and ponds. The living light is on one side and in the depth darkness and death as two flipsides of a coin.

A6

It so happened to be that I forgot to bring along my A5 sketchbook to Brugman where I teach. I had some time left before art class started so I bought myself an A6 one. Actually it was quite some time ago I worked on this small size paper. Probably in 2019 when I also made some impressionist ones of Kethel and Amsterdam that I even sold. Due to the size and the resolution of the paper you get these incredible grainy textures. It almost works like a impressionistic filter. Something hardly to overstate because that’s the very thing I want for landscapes in general. Often I see contour delineations in works of others too harsh and defined. Therefor I always take good care to avoid these. Rather avoid too many details but only suggest them such as leaves on a branch. This one I completed in one go.

Graphite pencil drawing (Faber Castell, Pitt Graphite Matt, 14B) on Winsor & Newton Bristol board paper (21 x 14.8 x 0.1 cm – A5 format)
Artist: Corné Akkers