Heide bij Exloo c. 1904 - 1912

Ferdinand Oldewelt made this sketch of Heide bij Exloo using pencil and colored pencil. The drawing material is crucial here. Pencil is a readily available, democratic material, reflecting the accessibility of the landscape itself. Look closely, and you will see how the artist used varying degrees of pressure to render the scene: dark, emphatic lines define the road, while a lighter touch suggests the open sky and distant horizon. The colored pencil adds subtle hues of green and purple, enhancing the atmospheric depth. Oldewelt’s choice of materials and techniques is intimately tied to the act of observation. This unassuming sketch invites us to consider the labor involved in capturing a fleeting moment in nature, and how artmaking, regardless of scale, helps us to engage with the world around us. This seemingly simple sketch exemplifies how the close study of materials and making practices enriches our understanding of art.