Yesterday was supposed to rain all afternoon, so we got out fairly early to the coffee shop opposite the Trocadero. It is such a beautiful building. I drew it a couple of weeks ago in my tiny Fabriano sketchbook that I really find too restrictive. I wanted to draw this whole centre area. Unfortunately they’ve painted it two shades of cream, both quite bland but one a little more pink. Once I’d got the colours on I realised that to do what the drawings needed, I had to beef up the colours a bit. Much happier when I’d done that.
What a shame when they restored the building they didn’t paint it with a bit more pizzazz. It looked more interesting, though a bit sad and forlorn before they painted it. See the 2001 photograph on this page. I am left wondering if there are any early drawings of it with colour so that we would know how it was painted in it’s heyday.
Great second sketch Wendy and so different from your previous one. I like the colour !
I was told that when the interior of the beautiful QVB building was restored recently there were comments/complaints about the colours being too vibrant and bright. But they were based on the original colours and people had just gotten used to the faded look.