Pen, Ink and Watercolour: Lassen National Park, CA

A lone rock that was carried and dropped on the edge of cliff.
(Arches cold press)

James and I took a road trip up to Lassen National Park. We read that the park highway would be closed due to snow but we were still surprised to see so much snow when we arrived. After all, it's already July and we have had almost 3 months of sunshine so far.

A closed highway turned into a trail.
(Arches cold press)

The park is not big, but it didn't feel crowded with many visitors around. James and I did some sketching at the view point where a lone rock stands on the edge of cliff. Then he took off to hike on a trail covered by snow while I sketched on the closed highway. A couple of 'cats' and a caterpillar (not in the sketch) parked on the highway and the road was closed beyond that point. This is my first time seeing a snowplough and tires with snow chains so a sketch is required for sure!

(Strathmore 400 series watercolor paper)

On my way back to the car park I saw the road block and traffic cones. I liked the bright orange in contrast of white snow, blue sky and green pine trees. While sketching, quite a few people stopped and talked with me. One of them made a comment that my sketches act like my camera. I agreed at the time but that is only partly true. I think my sketches catches not only what I see but also how I feel right there, right then. Something I think only urban sketchers can understand.

(Strathmore 400 series watercolor paper)

The next day we drove to the coast. There we saw something that we haven't seen in the Bay area for a while- clouds, rain and fog! Luckily we got some breaks for sketching by the beach before driving back home.

I used Strathmore 400 series watercolor paper and Arches cold press for this trip. I'm somewhat familiar with Strathmore paper but this is my first time using Arches. Not sure if it's the paper but I do like the sketches done on the Arches paper.