Sat upon the metal gate under the fused Horse Chestnut Tree, I noticed a beautiful composition of the ‘King James VI & I Oak of 1612’. 

I happily waited for a walker with his dog to pass by, then quickly photographed the picture.  My Impressionist sketch is directly inspired by my photograph, having taken approximately one and half an hour to produce.

Here is a digital edit to highlight the dark tones for my sketch detail, including the paper texture:

My sketch incorporates various techniques, most, such as pencil overlays and the fleetness of working being usual practice amongst professional artists. Other techniques included in this sketch (and some of my other sketches) are my own way of producing pencil work details. Of course, each artist has their personal methods for working canvas, sketches, watercolours or sculptures et al.

I doubt my unusual techniques have not found other artists doing same or similar in the world of art. What I am saying is I discovered the way I create my sketch details through my own practice and experimentation. This is an important process in finding your artistic style.

By the way, the two eyes in the overhanging leaves (upper mid-right) were further developed from naturally occurring pencil work. The eyes that appeared in the old Oak tree were entirely and completely by chance. I found the manner my pencil lines are produced seems to create ‘eyes’ in my work.

I thought this was particularly interesting, so in previous sketches I decided to make this an element of my landscape sketch work. I think ‘Buzzards Wood‘ is probably the first time I noticed this phenomena in my work.

Shall we take a look at the photograph my sketch is derived? Here it is:

In effect I have slightly brought forward the perspective, as we see in the photograph. My sketch is a few feet nearer to the fallen Horse Chestnut Tree branch at the lower mid centre of the picture. The branch has significance to my work, as I will make known at some later time.

In my sketch I give the sense of light and shade upon the field grass. Also the delineation of light throughout the overhanging leaves.

I hope you have enjoyed this article and my photographically derived Impressionist sketch :]