Sometimes change is for the good. One of our old historic hotels, The Oaks, had been empty for years. Kids nearly burned it down setting a fire in some of the upper rooms. Trees sprouted in the basement, which was prone to flooding, and protruded from cracks in the walls and broken windows. They made a hanging garden on the outside of the building.
Mind you, that made an interesting sketch, too! But we were all glad when someone bought the beautiful old relic, cleaned it up, gutted the inside and built fresh, clean apartments. They restored and reclaimed the exterior beauty it had in the early 20th century. The basement is now a community gathering place. This place was a great save, and one I’ve sketched in many stages!
When a historic bridge in our town was being replaced, I was afraid it would be modern and ugly, so I recorded stages of the demolition and restoration. I sat on the gravel bank in all kinds of weather, sketching heavy machinery, workmen and crumbling chunks of cement. Happily, it’s as lovely as it ever was and still greets visitors to our downtown area. (I’m so happy to be wrong sometimes!)
Try a new approach when you’re exploring your own backyard—a new tool or medium—just to shake things up and let you see in new ways. I used an antique Japanese yatate and a bamboo stick on my bridge sketches, and they had very different effects. The bold lines seemed to capture my anxiety about the project.
I did this small postcard-size sketch with a brown ink pen and quick watercolor washes.
I’m so glad the restoration company retained these beautiful details.
Is there an old bridge that’s going to be replaced? A wooded lot destined to become a high rise? A favorite greasy spoon or coffee shop that’s undergoing restoration? Record the change—it’s fascinating!