I like sketching a lot, but in the current situation with Covid-19, I’ve been spending a lot of time sitting on my sofa. Not watching TV at least, but drawing. Drawing, sketching, and very little time enjoying the fresh air. This weekend, we decided to visit Zermatt in the Swiss Alps for the first time. If you know me well, you guess it right, I planned anyway to do some mountain sketches!
Sketching is relaxing!
Sure, sketching for customers, dealing with requirements, administrative work, is not always stress-free. But when no one is expecting any specific result, and I have time in front of me, sketching is for me a really relaxing activity.
Drawing a beautiful landscape, a nice interior, or a wonderful old town is always something I enjoy. Taking a few days off I went with my family to visit Zermatt in Switzerland and we stayed at the Parkhotel Beau Site.
Walking through the old town, going up to the mountains by cable car, eating raclette was all part of the program. After a tiring day, all I wanted was to enjoy a nice cocktail at the hotel bar. Wow! The hotel bar had such a nice atmosphere, I couldn’t help but get my phone out and Google the story of it. It was recently renovated by Atelier Zürich and there’s an interesting blog article from the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper if you’re interested.
With all that information in mind, and while waiting for my second cocktail to come, I decided to get my iPad out of the suitcase. Interesting fact, I indeed often travel with my pencils as I try to limit my usage of electronics and screens when on holiday. But Zermatt is a car-free city, so I decided to lighten my suitcase and pack only my iPad.
Green and blue are all you need for mountain sketches !
Indeed, this is a provocative title, and the Swiss Alps have much more colors to provide. From grey to red-ish stones, white for the snow that we could find even in June. Add to that, yellow and purple for the numerous flowers that were waiting for warmer days to start blossoming, and red to draw the Swiss flag that is visible on many houses.
But yes, the main impression I have of the Swiss Alps is “Green and blue”. Green, for the luxurious grass that sheeps and cows love to eat while swinging their bells; and blue for the clear sky and the many mountain lakes.
However, don’t get me wrong, you can’t easily get away with one green and one blue pencil. As a matter of fact, it’s all about nuances and shades !
I’m sharing below the result of my sketching. You’ll find the final image as well as the making-off timelapse video. I hope you like them!
[Image and video to be added]
Note: This article is linking to the Parkhotel Beau Site and Atelier Zürich websites only to credit the owner of the pictured place and the interior designer. This post has not been sponsored nor endorsed by them, and the links are not affiliated.