The Mansion: Reflecting Pool

Reference photo taken: 2005

Self-Critique

It was only while preparing to post this piece that I noticed my horizon line being noticeably off. It should have been an easy catch, but I think I was simply too focused on the complexity of the trees and foliage.

Despite that, this project was a significant confidence booster. I hadn’t finished my last two attempts at nature scenes, so seeing this through felt like a win. I’m particularly happy with how I gave the trees distinct “personalities,” even if they aren’t perfectly accurate to the photo. Finding the right marks for foliage remains a challenge, but I’m enjoying the process of figuring it out.

Materials

• 2H, HB, 2B, and 6B pencils
• 8 x 5.5 inch sketchbook

Process

I worked in layers, beginning with a light 2H sketch and gradually moving to softer, darker pencils. After the initial sketch, I realized I had over-detailed the trees on the left, which made the composition feel a bit cluttered. I decided that focusing primarily on the foreground trees would make the overall image more readable.

The layering process was a great exercise in value control; it was helpful to see exactly how much contrast a darker pencil added when applied directly over a lighter shade.