Drawing a Cabin I’ve Never Seen

With much of the custom art that I do, I don’t get to actually see the places in person. This is less tricky than in the olden days of film cameras and waiting for pictures to get developed and then put in the mail.

Someone I’ve never met saw a copy of my book The Cabins of Wilsonia, went to my website, and used the contact button to ask me if I could draw her parents’ cabin in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

(Obviously I needed my website redesigned to emphasize the fact that I make art people can understand of places and things they love at prices that won’t scare them – i.e. CUSTOM ART!)

As usual, I said I’d need to see the photos first. She sent me several.

This is the main view of the cabin, but I can’t see what is on the left or on the right.
I looked at multiple photos, asked some questions, and did this sketch to see if I was understanding the missing parts correctly.

The customer sent me more information.

This sketch was helpful in understanding the chimney placement on the right.
This photo helps me understand what is covering the chimney in case it needs to show.
This still doesn’t explain what is happening on the left.

I began the drawing, even though I didn’t have all the answers yet.

The customer explained the trees surrounding the cabin, and there are 2 large sycamores very close, but not appearing in any photos that she sent. They sounded important, so I dug through my enormous stacks of photos and found some sycamore branches and leaves. These are drawn in the upper left corner because I want the cabin to look nestled and surrounded.
I got a little nervous about putting in those sycamore leaves without first asking. For awhile, I procrastinated, just counting boards, measuring window panes, and growing ferns.

Finally, I took these photos and sent them to her. She was thrilled and I was relieved. 

I asked again about the left end gable because it shows in the drawing, and I want it to be right. She responded immediately with this immensely helpful photo.

So that’s what’s over there!

Doing custom art of places I’ve never been to requires many photos, conversations, and sketches. It is a mystery and a puzzle, and when I am on the right track, it is enormously satisfying to grant the customer’s wishes and exceed her expectations.

Meanwhile, may I interest you in a copy of The Cabins of Wilsonia?

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