What a difference a year makes... pt 1

9 Views of Mount Fuji - again

For our current group sketch project I shared the “9 Views of the Hudson River” sketchbook.

9 Views of the Hudson River

I enjoyed this project, and felt like I could continue learning from it.

I decided to do the sketchbook a second time, with slightly different parameters.

1. I am now practicing with the Winsor & Newton Professional paints

2. I’m only loosely following the 1, 2, 3 pigment progression

3. I’ve adjusted the images slightly - I didn’t realize the first printing cropped them all, so I’ve printed them again in different dimensions and I’m following that for the new sketches

I’ve completed the first three so far, shown below to compare with the originals. There’s still plenty of room for improvement, but I’m happy to see that I’ve made progress since the first paintings.

Sadly I forgot to date the original book so I’m not exactly sure when I painted them, but I think I started sometime around March 2025.

Sketch 1, Original Photograph in B&W

Sketch 1, First Try - Early 2025

W&N Cotman, Burnt Umber

Sketch 1, Second Try - Late 2025

W&N Burnt Sienna and French Ultramarine

Sketch 1, Side by Side

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Sketch 2, Original Photograph in B&W

Sketch 2, First Try - Early 2025

W&N Cotman, Ultramarine

Sketch 2, Second Try - Late 2025

W&N Burnt Sienna and Cobalt

Sketch 2, Side by Side

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Sketch 3, Original Photograph in B&W

Sketch 3, First Try - Early 2025

W&N Cotman, Alizarin Crimson

Sketch 3, Second Try - Late 2025

In this one I used one pigment, “Neutral Tint” to test out the difference of mixing vs using one color. I think I’ll use it as a convenience color, but actually preferred the process of the mixing and like the result better with the earlier two. Slightly more dynamic images, less flat feeling.

Sketch 3, Side by Side

-Lana