The oldendays...

Currently I'm finding delightful challenge in ink drawings, influenced by the historic line-shading technique, the type usually depicting scenes from the 18th century and earlier. Two particular favourites of mine are by Albrecht Durer:

"Watermill at the Montaco"

"View of Arco"

Well, they are not exactly line drawings - perhaps only pen outlines used - but here is a better example of what I am referring to:

Pierre de Fermat, great French mathematician of the 17th century

Though I haven't exactly translated this style in the image below, I am still incorporating the technique to some degree. It is surprisingly difficult to accustom your hand to the neat flowing strokes and keeping the same width between them all the way!

Romanian gypsies

What really captured my attention was the beauty of motherly devotion and a touch of wild independence carried in their demeanor. This is why I am not entirely happy with my rendition - it doesn't quite capture their spirit. Here is the original:

I used a bit of charcoal for the pattern of her skirt, as well as shading the darker side of the wall, just to soften the stark pen lines.

A new technique - what can I say! Learning stroke by stroke...