Lindos 2012 was an exciting sketching experience. No easel this time just A4 sketchbooks. The challenge was to work quickly so not much sitting around. The sketches are smaller than normal but definitely more fluid. Also kept pushing myself to draw outside of my comfort zone so you should recognise the more varied subject matter.
This was my first picture. Sat down for breakfast at Giorgos. I've sat in the same seat many times and thought I had exhausted all available material. I learned earlier this year that sometimes that just means you need to go out of your comfort zone. The tourist shop opposite presented this opportunity.
The Donkeys
Next challenge was to head up to the Donkey station. That really is a great place to exercise. I used an A5 hard backed notebook for most of these. You are forced to work quickly as the donkeys stay in the same position for only a minute or so. I was always under threat of reverting to slow precise drawing so I returned to the donkey station several times on the trip for the practice of having to make images quickly. While I always carried 2,4,6 an 8b pencils the 4b became my close friend, especially when time was short. Thanks to all the donkey owners and of course to the donkeys themselves.
I had a full 5 minutes to work on this image so thanks to the donkey.
From the Village Cafe
Breakfast morning two and I headed to the Village Cafe. Another drawing I've executed before. This time I had a go at it in pen. I wasn't too happy with the result. Needed another coffee so I made the same picture in pencil.
At Kalypso Restaurant
Sitting down for dinner at the Kalypso restaurant and looking across the table. Dining alone as my wife due to arrive tomorrow. No choice but to get the pencils out.
Having executed the picture this way, essentially literally copying the view, I had another go as below. This time I tried to relate the image to the way the brain rather than the eye maps what I was seeing. The table as a plan view rather than in perspective. Similarly the knives are something we read as an object you look down on so I have removed much of the perspective. I've emphasised looking down at the bottom of the salt and pepper while treating the top in elevation. Finally the wine glass. I've fused the view into the top of a glass with a view across a table at a glass.
This was a stone Kiki was given by some of her customers.
Well. She turned up so we went for dinner at Kalypso. Did this sketch between courses.
People at the Tree
This is the very special tree in the main square. It functions at different levels. It's the centre of the roundabout that marks the nearest traffic can get to the old town, it provides wonderful shade under a vast canopy, it provides a location for tourists to take a rest and finally it provides a ready supply of people on whom to practice drawing. It seems people sit for just around 3 minutes so you have to be quick. All of my people sketches from the trip are of people under this tree. It's my second location for loosening up. This isn't the first tree from the location. This one planted in 1942 I understand.
Follow this link for all the people sketches from Lindos 2012
The map of the view from my preferred people sketching point. I thought 'how would a child draw this?'
The statue in the main square
From Yannis Bar
There's a great seat in Yannis bar that gives a view straight down main street Lindos. In the same vein as the bags I drew earlier the shop opposite had all these hats on display.
Anyway. When you find a good seat you return again and again. The coffee was good. I had a go at looking down the main street as people passed.
Then a gas bottle was put out. Just the perfect material when combined with signage.
At St Stephanos
A couple of times I took a trip around to St Stephanos beside the ampitheatre. The area is named after the chapel which was demolished by the Italians early in the 20C when they ruled the island. Debris washed down from the acropolis is currently being removed under supervision. These are remains of the gymnasium for the ancient city of Lindos. Big blocks of stone.
Meanwhile debris was being cleared from the ancient ampitheatre down these chutes
Cables and Stuff
I'm a sucker for cables. Lindos was the first village on Rhodes to have electricity. There are remnants of that system around the village. I sketched this at the back of Yannis just after Donegal won the all Ireland.
I noticed this as dusk fell on the way back from St Pauls Bay. It appeared through a gap between tree and building. Quickly executed with a 4b
Bits of the weird and wonderful cabling system in Lindos. The whole village is lit by these street lights that have been around for quite a while. A bit of this image is a protest at the inroads the English language is making. The sign is clearly erected to assist tourists but what about the Greek Tourists?
Main Square Views
Views from the main square in Lindos looking over the village as it falls to the main beach can be drawn again and again. I tried this sketch on various occasions during the trip. The variation in the first three is the slightly differing location but more importantly the greater time pressure I exerted on myself on the more sketchy images. The final image was sketched at the end of the holiday from the same location but taking in a much wider angle of vision.
The Acropolis
This image was sketched at the end of the holiday from the same location as above but taking in a much wider angle of vision.
The foot of the acropolis from the back of Yannis bar while I listened to Donegal win the All Ireland
On an evening walk I noticed this view of the acropolis from the end of the pier. It was clear it should be drawn early morning with sunlight coming from the left of the image rather than behind. Off I went first thing to ensure I would be complete before the first of the tourist boats arrived. This took about 1.5 hours. I had gone into too much detail on the vegetation so I worked to pull it together into layers.
Chapels
Looking past St George Chostas from the Rainbird Bar
Looking down from the Rainbird
And the same chapel from a different seat in the Rainbird
15 minute sketch on A4 with 4B of the church at St Pauls Bay. A christening had just
taken place in the forecourt of the Byzantine chapel. The large metal portable christening font was still in place, big enough to immerse the whole baby.
The bell of St Nicolas from that seat at Yannis.
At the Beach
On the way down to Pallas Beach and the view of these steps leading down to the water opens up. A couple of people sitting on the left and a swimmer on the right.
And further along the boats appear
From on the beach I set myself the challenge of drawing the beach parasols. The project was to identify a repeating dark geometry.
People in the water was the challenge here. I sketched the bodies then added the water, boats and background.
This is the view from the beach looking back up the laneway to the village. I've used tone to differentiate the foreground, middle and background.
Views of the Bay
Breakfast morning 3 and we headed up to the Hotel at the end of the donkey trail. Breads and buns. It's a great walk out to Kleovolus's tomb but best before the temperature rises. Maybe some other day.
Roughly the same view from the Rainbird
And some boats in the bay
Things
A big fish in a big bucket of ice I came across on the way to the main square. All in 4b and again no hanging about.
Another 4b sketch. It was clear at this intersection that 'Orange Juice Wars' had taken place between adjacent traders. The price seemed to have settled at one euro per glass. The tray of oranges and cardboard sign are strategically positioned each day. Had a nice glass of juice courtesy of the owner of 'Pals' in the process of sketching so thanks to him.
Architecture
I had to pick up the street pattern and architecture at some stage but I left this as late as possible.
One of the last pictures of the trip. In terms of subject matter I have reverted to type here. I've drawn this captains house before but this was a sketch. The marks are loose and much more relaxed. It was clear to me that the process of drawing every day really can pay dividends. Picture on an A4 sheet and primarily in 4b.
If you would like to know more on Lindos then these other parts of the site may interest you:
My article written for Perspective Magazine Lindian Walkways