Get Back to Basics with the Art of Observational Drawing in Nature like Andrew Wyeth
As I walked down the quiet streets of a Historic Richmondtown, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of calm wash over me.
It was as if time had stood still in this place, with its weathered houses and peaceful landscape.
And it was in this moment that I realized the beauty of getting back to basics with the art of observational drawing, just as Andrew Wyeth had done so many times before.
Wyeth was known for his stunning depictions of the rural landscapes and people of Pennsylvania and Maine and it was this dedication to observation and realism that made his art so powerful.
“I search for the realness, the real feeling of a subject, all the texture around it… I always want to see the third dimension of something… I want to come alive with the object.” -Andrew Wyeth
As I walked through the town, I couldn’t help but notice the way the weathered houses seemed to blend in with the natural landscape. I was reminded of Wyeth’s painting “Wind from the Sea,” which captured the essence of a weathered house in the midst of a barren landscape.
With my sketchbook in hand, I found a quiet spot to sit and observe. I focused on the details of the houses, with their peeling paint and worn roofs. I observed the way the light played off the textures of the wood and the shadows that were cast by the trees. I allowed myself to become fully present in the moment, letting go of preconceived notions and simply observing.
As I drew, I took breaks to observe my subject and notice any new details that I might have missed. I noticed the way the wind picked up, causing the leaves to rustle and the houses to creak. It was these small details that made the scene come to life on the page.
As I finished up my drawing, I reflected on the experience. I realized that by getting back to basics with the art of observational drawing, I was able to appreciate the beauty of simplicity and the natural world in a whole new way.
Just like Wyeth, I had learned to search for the realness and texture of my subject and to come alive with the object.
As Wyeth once said, “I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape — the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn’t show.” And just as there was something waiting beneath the surface of Wyeth’s paintings, there was something waiting to be discovered in the simple beauty of the weathered houses and peaceful landscape of this historic small town.
