Darrell Windjack

Alberta, Canada, Ascension, Polychromos pencil on paper, 19½ x 15½" (39 x 49 cm)

Third Prize is a one-page editorial feature in American Art Collector magazine My Inspiration

Beautiful architecture, both modern and historic, always catches my attention. My artist eye sizes up brick-and-mortar constructs of human ingenuity as potential sources for future artworks. Although it can be daunting, I enjoy tackling this subject matter. I should have been an architect! A friend photographed this pedestal staircase, and I immediately asked her if I could use it as a reference. Something about this abandoned scene drew me in. It makes you wonder how alive this dilapidated villa must have been during its heyday decades before decay and graffiti chipped away at its grandeur.

My Design Strategy

I work from the photo reference but alter things for greater impact. Much of the fine detail will be stripped away to present a more simplified composition where “less is more.” Saturated colors in the photo are minimized, leaving mainly black and white for a more haunting effect. Fringes of the painting take on an abstract feel with defined features being the central focus, that is, the staircase and window. Lastly, the photo appeared to show the wall of an adjacent building in the window. I decided instead to leave the window illuminated only by natural light. Polychromos pencils on 98-lb mixed media paper were used.

My Working Process

Step one is to freehand sketch a detailed drawing of the laptop photo. This takes up to a week as I carefully observe and transpose angles and shapes to paper. A ruler is used to regularly measure distance from borders to certain points in the drawing to ensure the relative distance matches the photo. Accurate drawing is crucial to a good painting. Patience is a virtue. Transitioning left to right colors and values are applied with a light hand, layer upon layer before blending with a burnishing pencil. White pencil is used to soften sharp edges and for highlights. A fixative is applied once the painting has been signed off to prevent smudging.

Contact Details

» Email: darrellwindjack@shaw.ca » Website: www.darrellwindjack.wixsite. com/website