Naples Mercantile Building

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

I took Bruno to a dog park for a couple of hours yesterday so I didn't feel guilty this morning when I decided to drive into Old Naples for some sketching.  It's ironic that you see young people in Old Naples and vice versa.  Anyway, I found a nice comfy spot in the shade directly across the street from this neat building built in 1919.  It's called the Mercantile Building and I imagine it was the center of commerce for the town back in the day.  Now it is one of many upscale restaurants that line 3rd street.  Last week I had lunch right next door at Campiello's, one of several restaurants in town that allows dogs.  I was more impressed with the lines and value shifts in the building versus the colors so I used my soluble ink and water pen to complete the sketch in less than an hour before it got too hot even in the shade.  Sorry about that.  I know it's still cold back home.  Some of the perspective is a bit off and the lines wobbly but I think that is part of the charm of this type of sketch.  It sure feels good to be drawing and painting again.  There were days when I never thought I would.  

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