You may remember these sketches; they started me thinking about how many
beautiful objects we see daily.  I decided to dedicate one of my new Stillman & Birn sketchbooks to our business.  My first two watercolor sketches were in the Delta book —
it took me a bit to get used to the paper.  S&B stands up to wet washes, which is heavenly.  And this is also an urban sketch — drawing our world, one sketch at a time!
The three pieces are an American Aesthetics Victorian Shield-back settee and two chairs —  a female and male version, or bustle and captain’s chair — circa 1870-1890.

It will be interesting if I have the ability to draw process images of the restoration:  veneer work, finish work, rebuilding the innards using the original materials.  The new showcover is a purple-fuchsia crushed velvet which would be appropriate for the period.  Mitchell’s attention to detail in patterning is the best in the business (yes I am biased but it is true!)

The carvings are walnut and satinwood.  The ribbon motif along the top may be my favorite detail, and the banjo-shaped or clock-shaped piece that ties the three backs together on the settee.  Taking the time to draw the pieces is allowing me to drop into the details before I work on them, which I never do; one of the many perks to drawing/painting any subject is that you actually look closely at the details!

My first sketch was all about getting used to my favorite pens and watercolor wet washes on the delta paper.  I need to loosen up a bit but it is a learning curve.  Drawn in an Stillman & Birn Delta journal with a Uni-ball pen and Daniel Smith watercolors.

I agree to Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International License, which you can learn more about by visiting the site, or,
visit my web page for a more user-friendly summary on my terms.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back to dkatiepowellart.