Sketching the past: Salle la Sources

I've been a tad perplexed by the weather this winter which has meant fewer trips out and much less sketching than I'd hoped to do.

However I've just had a revelation. I've got very many sketches in lots of sketchbooks which have never appeared in this blog - because they predate it.

So from now on, I am going to post sketches of places I've visited in the past from time to time.

This first one is of an old building in Salle la Source on the edge of the Causse de Comtal in the Aveyron department of France

Salles la Source
(19th July 1994)
8" x 11", pen and sepia ink
in black Daler Rowney Sketchbook

copyright Katherine Tyrrell

I was staying in Cougousse at the time on a country house painting holiday with Stan Woolston. Salles la Source was a quick trip down to road towards Rodez.

This particular sketch was a bit of an exercise in trying to represent the different textures of this old building and the values in a way which did not confuse the two. I think it's worked reasonably well. I know I love those tiled roofs in that part of the world!

On the opposite page I've also got all the annotations I made at the time of the colours of the buildings and foliage. I might scan this and have a go at producing a coloured version.

Note how I know precisely when I was there - because I almost always date my sketches!

I very much enjoyed visiting the Aveyron - it's a very untouristy part of France. Or maybe I mean it tends to attract French tourists rather than people from other countries? At any rate it's very peaceful.

Links to sites about the Aveyron:

• Mairie de Salle la Source (translated into English)
  
• Tourisme Aveyron - the official website
• Averyon.com (english version)
  
• Travel & Leisure - Introducing Aveyron by Marcelle Clements
• Wikipedia - Aveyron