Sketch of the Week

Today I'm introducing you to a current passion of mine in drawing: dead trees.

This particular tree is at Shelburne Farms, but I first became interested in them when I was out in Wyoming. Part of my fascination may be morbid, but mostly I think dead trees are aesthetically beautiful. They exude a powerfully emotive line quality in their trunks and limbs, and the texture of their bark is wonderfully rich and varied.

I especially liked this tree because its knotted surface looked like a face to me. I also liked the value contrast of the birch tree behind it, and since it was autumn, the foliage was ablaze with yellow.

How do you feel about trees, dead alive, or otherwise?

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