Crooked Spire

I've been wanting to do this one for ages. I painted it in watercolours in October 2008, and have been keen to have a go at a Pen & Wash version.

This is the famous bent spire on the Church of St. Mary's and All Saints in Chesterfield. There are many legends and folklore tales about the devil and virgins that attempt to explain the reason for the spires unusual shape, but the most likely reason is that the joiners used unseasoned 'green' timbers and these warped after a few hundred years or so. It is suggested that the plague had wiped out the experienced craftsmen of the area and that untrained novices completed the construction unaware of the need to use seasoned timbers. The warping was probably helped by the massive weight of the lead tiles that were used for the entire spire.

Pen and Wash

As a beginner I have not yet settled into any style or favoured medium. What I have discovered is that I enjoy drawing more than painting. Perhaps I should say, I always feel happier with what I've drawn than what I've painted. I often feel I have ruined a good drawing by splashing paint all over it. LOL.
A friend in my Art Forum recently posted a wonderful Pen & Wash painting of a farm yard scene and I was instantly struck by the combination of pen and paint. I just had to have-a-go. This effort was fairly quick ... 30-40 minutes tops ... but it was just a trial. I learned a lot from doing it, in particular that I need to use the pen much more. I tended to just draw the outlines relying on the paint for the detail but I think I need to do enough with the pen for the drawing to stand in it's own right, just allowing some washed in paint to provide the colours.
Still, I'm quite happy with the overall effect and shall try something a little more involved first chance I get.