Point Lobos State Natural Reserve: Part I of III

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a lovely town, but I’m pretty single-minded about what it means to me: it is the closest town to the gorgeous Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. If you are ever in the area, I recommend you skip a more touristy town and add this spectacular park to your day instead.

I spent a couple of days in the area but I started out with an evening walk at the local town beach, Carmel Beach. This little sketch I did that evening kinda set the tone for most of my sketches from my time there.

Though the ink here is DeAtrementis Document Ink, which is waterproof when dry, you can get it to move around if you use water over a line you just laid down. And the Sailor Fude pen lays down a pretty juicy line that takes a while to dry. (For all supply details, see the “Supplies” tab on this blog.)

My family is pretty patient with my sketching when we are someplace. Still, I like to keep it short, like this almost-abstract sketch of seaweed and rock. If you’re wondering how the photo and sketch look so different it is because 1) I am a better sketcher than a photographer and 2) I like to really search my subject for color and enhance and celebrate the color I see. I rarely make up color, but I often turn up the dial on it.

To do a longer sketch like this one made by the boat pier at Point Lobos, I will probably head out by myself, or skip joining my family on a little loop of a hike we’re doing. These were mostly splotchy-grey juvenile seagulls on guano-covered rocks.

More from foggy Point Lobos in the coming days.