Stepped Gable House Sketch

 

A few weeks ago I sketched a house in Norwood that I really liked.  I had such fun with that one I decided I would start photographing any house that caught my eye.  A couple weeks ago I was walking with George in Walnut Hills and was basically taking pictures of every single house because the architecture is amazing.  As I was photographing this particular house (and pointing at the lovely brick detail) the owner got out of his car.  I was a little embarrassed to be caught red-handed and blurted out, "I like to sketch houses and your house is beautiful and I am going to sketch it."  He instantly replied, "I'll buy it!"  I then told him he had better see it before he agreed to that and promised to be in touch.

Normally, it could have been months (or years) before I got around to sketching a house I liked on my walk.  But after my interaction I thought I had better get right to it.  Below you can see the inked black and white line drawing. 

After inking, I add watercolor to the drawing.  This is my favorite part of the process.

The next image shows the entire sketch.  When I posted this on Instagram my architect neighbor told me I should look up Flemish architecture (Thank you Roy!).  One of the main characteristics this house shared with the Flemish style are the stepped gables.  "A stepped gable, crow-stepped gable, or corbie step is a stairstep type of design at the top of the triangular gable-end of a building. The top of the parapet wall projects above the roofline and the top of the brick or stone wall is stacked in a step pattern above the roof as a decoration and as a convenient way to finish the brick courses." (Wikipedia) 

Last week I printed a tiny copy of the house and left it in the mailbox with a note for the owners. They contacted me and yes, they indeed wanted to purchase the sketch!  I usually like to add the address and mat the sketch if I have a mat that fits.  Below you can see the final drawing (with their address photoshopped out for their privacy).        

“There isn't any questioning the fact that some people enter your life, at the exact point of need, want or desire - it's sometimes a coincidence and most times fate, but whatever it is,
I am certain it came to make me smile.”

― Nikki Rowe

In the future I will try and be a little less obvious when I am taking photos. But my serendipitous encounter with the owner turned out to be such a lovely exchange.  And every time I do one of these sketches I fall a little more in love with the architecture of Cincinnati.  When I think about how and why this sketch came about I really don't know the reasons.  But I do know that life is fascinating.  Although the twists and turns are beyond my comprehension, I am slowly learning to let go of control and let life show me the next step (even if it is a corbie step!).