In an attempt to capture the subject and challenge ourselves to use a different medium or technique, we visited the same residential house in Manoa Valley twice. Our sketches, although all of the same house, look quite different.

AJ: Last time we sketched this house I felt very overwhelmed by the challenge of capturing the perspective, presenting the depth / value, and even sizing the various sections of the house properly in relation to one another. This time I decided to focus on one area (front entrance) to see if I could turn that into a productive learning experience. I chose to use pencil because I feel like it is the biggest challenge for me and something I have tended to avoid. I am not as satisfied with the result as when I use ink / watercolour, but I feel like I should try to work on the fundamental aspects of drawing a bit more!

Harald: I managed to ruin several previous sketching efforts (mostly pencil) by not knowing when to stop.  I tried to do better this time by using pen and deliberately starting with only crude outlines of the most basic elements of our target house.  Ultimately I committed the same sin again though and did more damage than good with ill-conceived cross-hatching.  To end on a positive note, I quickly jotted down another very rough sketch in order to return to that earliest phase that I felt best about.  None of the results are satisfying in their own right, but I was happy to have learned more about what I need to focus on in the future.  Progress of sorts!

Sebastian: For my first sketch, I used my standard supplies – a pen and watercolor set. It is a combination I am familiar with and am trying to improve. I decided to go out of my comfort zone for the second sketch. I had, unsuccessfully, used watercolor pencils before and decided to give it another try. My sketch (initially flat and geometric) progressed toward a more three-dimensional depiction with cross hatching and watercolor washes. Instead of an hour-long sketch, it turned into a two hour project. I struggled with it and ended up with something very different from what I normally do.