I recently finished a drawing of a local landmark in my hometown of Chico, CA. I actually resisted drawing this building for years because of the sparseness of the architecture. I don’t think I really like John Bidwell’s taste in architecture. But, it is a major landmark in our town, so it had to be done!
All of my drawings start with a pencil sketch, which is honestly pretty basic and elementary, but it gives my eye the framework to put down the ink lines. Starting on the ink is usually a nerve racking process, and I often take a lengthy break between finishing the pencil sketch and starting the pen lines.
My first goal is to get a basic outline and most of the major lines in place. By major lines, I mean prominent wall or roof lines that give perspective to the drawing. This just lets me know that the drawing will look right. I did this drawing in a Copic Multiliner .01, which is my favorite pen for this style of drawing. The line quality from these pens are perfect for this level of detail. You can see a list of my favorite drawing tools here.
Once the major lines in place, the long process of adding small details and shading follows. I know that getting past this phase is very difficult because the drawing doesn’t look complete. It took a long time to get confident enough to push through and trust that the drawing with come out. I really enjoyed this one!