Vacation sketches 2013, 22nd of August 2013.

Fall first begins in Gorski kotar. When the Lady passes, here the afternoon light is warmly yellow, and one can feel freshness in the air. On the old road, a slight wind already carries some dry leaves.

Primorsko-goranska county ends with the settlement Zdihovo, and from there to Karlovac we already forget that the Fall is sneaking from Gorski kotar; here the Summer still ruthlessly burns, but the corn is dry in its lower half - one who knows how to look can see it here also.

So, another summer is over. Expectation of the autumn rains reminded me of Arsen Dedić's "Ines" (my translation from Croatian to English below).

It has passed quickly, as it does every year, and as every year one needs to take with him to the winter all that he managed to save from Summer. I saved some sights over the sea to the mountain (Velika kapela, above; 17 x 18 cm, and below; 20 x 21 cm). Šilo, Krk. On the watercolor above, one can see the Šilo's church of St. Nicholas, and below, among the green and brown foliage one can discern Crikvenica.

On the beach, in a rucksack with a towel and other bathing and walking gear, I also carry my drawing utensils: toned paper sketchbook, pencils with different hardnesses, eraser and a white pastel (see >> Portrait of a mirror for details). I cannot persevere too long on a sketch; it was too hot this summer.

On Lošinj island, in Krivica bay, I sketch a particularly impressive pine (below).

On Krk island, the pines are different, and many of them are completely grey and dry - perished from the north wind. In front of such a sight, after fifteen years, I wrote a poem again:

Antonio Šiber, 2013

A poem could pass as a haiku. Blackbird, north wind (bura in Croatian) and pine could be >> kigo (sesonal) words characteristic of Croatia.

Hiding from the north wind on Krk, I sketch a poor shrub, which served as a shelter to us, and rocks where we sat down to rest (below). Nobody passed here for a long time and the two of us accidentally chased out a huge rabbit.

Drawing does not satisfy me any longer - I can't wait to finish the drawing so that I can start experimenting with color and water. Aquarelle hydrodynamics.

Broken by the long walking with the view of >> Vrbnik (and back) I lie in front of the drawer with a huge mirror (below; 21 x 8 cm). I only need a drop of water, all the color I already have on the dry remains on the palette. Perspective shortening.

Interesting. I move over so that my head is closer to the mirror (below; 22 x 7 cm). Now the legs and feet look >> perspectively shortened. Reddish and orange, in places yellowish color of tan. I rested and I feel well.

A man would like to be close to the nature, but he often forgets how cruel nature is. I imagine myself returning after a day of work in the field to a stone house in >> Dolovo, without a running water and electricity, without a soft mattress and shower, without an air-conditioning device, stove, washing machine, painkiller drugs and medicine to control all those health problems I gathered in 40 years of life. A frightening thought.

I don't draw and I don't paint only myself. I am simply my most patient model.

Sometimes I catch people around me in situations which enable me to sketch them. For example, when they watch TV (below).

Or when they get ready to sleep (below; more info about the model in the post >> Firemen). This sketch was made before leaving for the seaside.

"After vacation" posts are proof that the "Construction of Reality" lasts surprisingly (and for me unexpectedly) long. Here are those posts from the years past:

• >> Tempo enigmatico (2012)
• >> Vacation sketches (2011)
• >> Liftoff (2010)
• >> On comics, again (2009)

Last updated on 22nd of August 2013.