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On the way to Haarlem

This is drawn from the roundabout at Zaandammerweg, in Assendelft, which is on the way to Haarlem, if you’re cycling from Wormerveer, which I was that day.

Made mostly in that fantastic Cobalt Blue fountain pen ink by Graf von Faber-Castell, with some lines and smudges added in purple pencil. The ink is supposed to be a dark rich cobalt blue, but when you dilute it right down, or dab it off when it’s still wet on the page, it seems to go much more purple, even pink. It’s the loveliest ink I’ve ever handled.

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Lifting bridge at Wormerveer

This ink and wash sketch, with red pencil and black ink pen, was drawn really quickly in the near-dark outside Café Batavia in Wormerveer. At the time I felt it was a bit unfinished but it turned out to be one of my favourites. It has a sort of Japanese calligraphy look to it, which I like.

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Zwarteweg

Zwarteweg in Heemskerk, where there are almost actual hills. Steady now. Anyway, I loved drawing this one. At first sight it’s just this mass of featureless green. Nothing to really grab on to. But the more you look, the more it reveals itself. All those lines, all this wild stuff going on. It’s such a tickly thing to put your eyes through.