Duivelsberg – 25-12-23

Newest Addition

This graphite pencil drawing ‘Duivelsberg – 25-12-23’ is my newest addition to my ever growing Berg en Dal Series. Last pastel was great to do and I am inspired enough to expand the series with new ones. The scenery has everything a landscape artist could wish for. Even little creeks with wonderful water reflections run through it. I’m very much an advocate of this region. I often dwell here except for today. Which is Christmas by the way. It’s gloomy outside so I’d stick to an earlier reference photo I used for this one.

Drawing During Christmas

Last works consist of two pastels and an oil painting. ‘Sinterklaas in Voorburg – 03-12-23’ was my last graphite pencil drawing. That’s due to my intention to take up my pastel chalks once again. Sometimes you simply forget about a certain medium. With one in progress I feel confident to do a little sidestep in graphite again. Besides that, I’m with my parents now and t.v. shows don’t attrack me that much. What can an artist during such a holiday than to sip on an Irisch coffee and simply draw?

To the East

Last artworks handling this area were situated in the west. I thought it was about time to do a sketch of the Duivelsberg to the east of Berg en Dal. You might remember the scene. ‘Beek – 21-07-19’ is made live on just about the same location as this one. The dominant tree in the middle of the drawing is the same anyway. There is this path that leads to the Filosofendal. From that I took a picture in the direction of this very tree.

Artistic Approach

As to my artistic approach there was a nice distribution of tonal values I could work with. In the front there were many nice dark tonal regions. These are the leafy structures in the upper part of corner and the lower part formed by the path. The aim was to make this one not cubist as the previous but impressionist. These decisions came on a whim really. I think I fell in love with the smashing chiaroscuro depiction. The tonal distribution in the picture lends itself to impressionism more than to abstract forms cubistically. I’m glad I can handle, together with surrealism, all these styles. I hope I put a distinct mark on all these three and people will be able to acknowledge that.

Graphite pencil drawing (Faber Castell, Pitt Graphite matt, 14B) on Winsor & Newton Bristol board paper (21 x 14.8 x 0.1 cm – A5 format)
Artist: Corné Akkers