My previous drawing of the Roman Forum featured long, deep shadows cast by bright sunlight, which was quite a change from my preferred moonlit scenes. I loved the effect and wanted to explore it again. It reminded me of once witnessing the sun rise over the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Square in Venice.

I’ve also experienced stormy days when the clouds became so dark that the street lights came on, while in the distance the storm was broken by a patch of brilliant sunlight. Those two memories came together in this drawing.

And so I arrived at Doge’s Palace in Venice for this original artwork which has been a lot of fun to create. Between the intricate Gothic façade of the palace, the spotlit Porta della Carta, the reflections across the wet paving and the long shadows stretching over St. Mark’s Square, there was already plenty to keep me occupied. I then made things considerably harder for myself by adding a swirling flock of pigeons!

It took a lot of concentration, particularly balancing the architectural detail with the changing light and movement of the birds, but I got there in the end.

In the distance, beyond the square, San Giorgio Maggiore emerges into the brighter light, contrasting with the dark storm clouds gathering above the palace.

Subject: Doge's Palace, Venice, Italy

Medium: Pen and monochrome colour pencil

Paper: Acid-free cartridge paper

Image size: 59 × 41 cm

Framed: No

Original: Yes

Certificate of Authentication: Yes

Artist: Graham McKenzie-Smith