JAGST hike & paint, Etappe 1
Crailsheim (railway bridge)
My starting point this first day is the city of Crailsheim which you can easily reach by train. It actually feels like winter. The trees are still without leaves.
My first location for painting by river Jagst is connected to the railway, as it is the large railway bridge close to the train station. The bridge covers the river as well as a broad strip of green and a walkway.
From a car park by the river I walked down below the bridge. Besides a few ducks and some walkers-by there is no sound but the sound of the water and every now and then a train crossing the bridge. The river has this unique natural smell which you also can experience while kayaking in the area.
Today just two hours painting time so I intend to come back to this location again and do some more wandering and maybe sketch another angle of the bridge.
Material: Canson watercolour paper A3
Seen: 2 ducks, a few passers-by
2 hours of walking and painting
Weather: sunny, nearly 15° C,
Thoughts: Calm area. Good start of my project although it was too short a stay – can’t wait to come back to paint again. The earth is still wet and cold, so a stool is obligatory.
Here is how I continued:
JAGST hike & paint, still Etappe 1
Crailsheim (at the weir)
My starting point this day is again in Crailsheim. I cross the small footbridge at Tiefenbacher Strasse and wander to the first weir by the Jagst from this point direction city centre. It is about opposite the place I sat last time (railway bridge) and it is very loud because of the roaring and bubbling water. Nevertheless some ducks flew away as they saw me coming and later as I sat down they came closer again.
The movement of water and its colours are very interesting and there are extreme contrasts from the white of the bubbling water to the dark of the stones and shadows in the water. The roaring is so extreme that I actually overheard my phone.
The smell is unique and I sit on a sand bed with river shells which indicates that the water must be quite clean. After having ended the watercolour I continued my hike direction Bergwerkstrasse, then crossed another small bridge by the river, then back to the car. A good second day although again it was only two hours time.
Material: Canson watercolour paper A3
Seen: A few ducks, a few passers-by in the distance, a friend and one fisherman
About 2 hours of walking and painting
Weather: sunny, nearly 12° C, Sahara dust in the air
Thoughts: Good fun. Equipment is good. The area is wet and cold, so a stool is obligatory. I should extend my stays to half or full day for getting more into it.
Learning: Turn phone to vibration by the weir as it could be overheard…
