Duncan's Sketchbook

A collection of my sketches and works on paper created on location.

[duncansketches]

Rapperswil Castle from Kempraten by Duncan Pond Via Flickr: Rapperswil is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Switzerland. This view is from Kempraten to the north of the main town. This particular view is from a friends house. I have seen many old illustrations of the town, many from this same angle, and all have that feel of being from a past era. What is interesting, even without attempting it, that same feeling comes through in my sketch as well! Medium: Pen and ink on rough water color paper with watercolor wash.

[duncansketches]

House no. 19 Werkstrasse in Wald Zurich by Duncan Pond Via Flickr: This is an old mill house on Jona river in the old mill town of Wald in Canton Zurich. These old houses interest me as they were built for industry yet still have elements of the local family homes, such as the one on the hill above. I drew this on on location from the Wald Swimming pool (Wald Bad) a great place to relax on a sunny afternoon! Medium: Pen and ink on rough watercolor paper, water color wash, pen and colored pencils.

[duncansketches]

Steinbock rocks Santis by Duncan Pond Via Flickr: Spotting some Steinbock, that's German for Mountain Goats, on the Santis in Switzerland was a huge thrill, if only visible through binoculars. Of this group I managed to get some blurry pictures, from those I worked up this mix media portrait of 5 goats as they made their way under cliffs just above the ever dwindling summit glacier. Medium: Freehand pencil, watercolour, and ink brush on watercolour paper.

[duncansketches]

Steinbock on the Santis by Duncan Pond Via Flickr: We could only see these Steinbock nestled into a cliff face high on the Santis Mountain in Eastern Switzerland through Binoculars. These are elusive majestic mountain goats. Drawing these I could only think of the stone age hunters who climbed these mountains thousands of years ago to hunt these impressive beasts. The medium is pencil on watercolour paper with a Photoshop filter, I will next paint on top of the pencil with watercolor, but before I do I wanted to add the oil painting filter in Photoshop to give the drawing a feeling like being painted on stone, harking back to those neolithic cave paintings of the same subject.

[duncansketches]

Storm clouds over Zugersee by Duncan Pond Via Flickr: For a couple hours, while the kids swan in the lake, I watched and captured the swelling of storms over the alps behind the famous Pilatus mountain.

[duncansketches]

Mt. Glarus over Schwammhöhe by Duncan Pond Via Flickr: Mt. Glarus towers over the Klöntal valley and lake. The walls of rock climb almost vertically from 1200 meters to almost 3000 meters. The walls of rock are impressive to say the least! Here I painted the view up one of the many side valleys that cut into the mountain, the many water falls leaping over rocky cliffs captured my sense of awe. Sketched on location with pen and watercolor wash.

[duncansketches]

Rapperswil - Hauptplatz morning on Flickr.

Often we visit the Hauptplatz in the center of the old town. there is always something going on. But the most striking moment for me is early in the morning, late winter when the light is just right. The sunshine is so intense with the houses behind me leaving their mark in shadow. This sketch took me 3 days to complete returning each day a the same time to add a little more. medium: Pencil, pen & watercolor

[duncansketches]

Rapperswil Curti haus sketch.jpg on Flickr.

One of Rapperswil's most famous houses and a great example of a Swiss painted house. I sketched this one on location with pencil, pen brushes, water color and a little body color to finish off some highlights.

[duncansketches]

Rapperswil no.55 sketch.jpg on Flickr.

Haus at no. 55 Herrenburg directly across from the Herrenburg school and the church. On location pen, wash pens and colored pencil.

[duncansketches]

Rapperswil Castle Sketch.jpg on Flickr.

watercolour sketch of Rapperswil castle looking south west. On location sketch using pen and watercolour with finish in colour pencils

[duncansketches]

Rapperswil - sketch towards Engelplatz.jpg on Flickr.

View of Engelplatz from the church steps in Rapperswil. This one took 3 lunch breaks to complete, with a break for rainy weather, luckily the weather is getting warmer and each day a little brighter. Medium: Art brush pens from Faber-Castell: Grays

[duncansketches]

Rapperswil Lamp and house on Flickr.

Rapperswil Lamp and house Rapperswil has a fantastic amount of interesting sights! I just love to make a sandwich for lunch and then sit, enjoy the sun, and draw. Today's sunny spot featured one of many of the towns old styled lamps. This one placed on a corner of an old 15th century house. I sketched the scene quickly in pencil and then filled in with softer graphite and as a final touch a few lines with pen. Medium: Pencil and Pen on paper sketch on location.

[duncansketches]

Rapperswil C. Church Portal on Flickr.

The Stadtpfarrkirche of Rapperswil. Built in 1220/1229. This very old church stands besides the majestic Rapperswil Castle or 'Schloss' in German. I sat and had lunch at the base of a fantastically carved Madonna and Child. The smell of incense was in the air from the nearby Abby and this coupled with the bright sun and dramatic shadow on the church portal I had to attempt to these subtle changes in light and dark. I took me three lunch breaks to complete this one :) Medium: Pencil, Brush Pens, and Body color on paper.

[duncansketches]

Little Travel Sketchbook, a set on Flickr.

A series of sketches from my small travel sketchbook I keep when I go abroad.

[duncansketches]

Rapperswil Station Sketch on Flickr.

The benefits of missing ones train. I have really admired the station in Rapperswil and having a little time to wait gave me the opportunity to capture the Renaissance Revival station in pencil & Tombow ink brush pens. Medium: Tombow ink brush pens and pencil on paper. Sketched on location Wed. 12 Feb. 2014

[duncansketches]

Before we moved to Switzerland we visited Zermatt one summer holiday. The day we arrived was cloudy and rainy with not a single mountain in sight. I was so enthralled to finnaly see the Matterhorn and alas only bleak gray cloud greeted us. Then in the night stars appeared in the sky and I set my alarm real early, in chance I would see it. In the morning through the curtains a pink and orange light was cast into the hotel room, and when I drew back the curtians I was enthralled!  I quickly worked to catch the light on the spot with watercolor. I have to say that painting this grand mountain bathed in the morning glow of its shear rocky face was a moment of complete invisibly of sense, just the mountain and this image on paper were all that existed, I was gone.

[duncansketches]

Riom castle over lake on Flickr.