Creating Maassluis – 08-06-21

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An Incredible Search
This graphite pencil drawing of Maassluis is an inbetween exercise. I find myself in this incredible search for capturing the cubist essence of Geesje Kwak in oil. Depicting this city is somehow similar in design and ambition though. Lately I am fantasizing about combining ‘realism’ or whatever realism might mean to an artist and my personal roundism style. I find myself curiously related to the buddhist at the hotdog stand ordering one with everything. Maybe it has something to do with having explored many styles such as realism, impressionism, cubism and then some. Why wouldn’t I want exactly that: one with everything?

Maassluis
Even though Maassluis is not far away, I never visited the place until some years ago. That is when I made my first drawing of the place. The mindset I had was to render the trees cubistically. I kept other elements such as the buildings, ships and water realistic or impressionistic at least. This way the cubist tree becomes an integral part of the realistic depiction rather than an annoying deviation from it. That is my aim at least and it is for the spectator to judge.

Progression
Surely I can see I progressed in techniques and artistic conception from then on. Drawings from the recent past look more elaborated like Park Leeuwenbergh. The reason can be found in either taking more time and patience to work things out or getting conservative. By the latter I mean that each style can start with a rough edge. As time goes by one tends to fine polish it, extending the possibilities within that certain style to the max. That is, until everything has been squeezed out and becomes almost rendered in a reserved way. Obviously I hope that will not be the case in the current situation I am in. I like to progress from here and pick up the joy of sketching and find stuff anew. Anyway, that will be for and be judged upon later. First I have to return to Geesje Kwak and start a new drawing to kill the time when I am not behind my easle.

Graphite pencil drawing (Pentel 0.5 mm, 3B) on Talens Bristol paper (21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm - A4 format)
Artist: Corné Akkers