I can’t resist an interesting fire hydrant. Maybe I have some canine blood in me, or I was a dog in a past life. I found this yellow wonder in Los Gatos, California. I’m not sure if it was the angle of the light (I’m a sucker for oblique lighting), the embossed letters or the yellow color that caused me to point and shoot:
Today’s watercolor experiment:
The watercolor I painted today is a quick sketch. This is a different than my slow, deliberate approach to the yesterday’s painting.
That I did not spend too much time on this sketch is fairly obvious. Among the problems with this sketch are, lack of detail in the lettering and a very narrow value range (from darkest dark to lightest light). The overall presentation lacks the impression of three dimensions. The sketch is flat.
Although it is a sketch, I could also think of it as an underpainting. I would like to work on it a little bit more tomorrow perhaps, and correct the flaws.
Today’s vintage photograph:
My attraction to fire hydrants (standpipes and other plumbing fixtures) is not new. I took the photograph below at the Nashville Flea Market in the 1980s. Although the fire plug itself was a classic, and worthy of its own portrait, I was compelled to snap the shutter on this scene by its surroundings.
I love that the cinderblock wall established the horizontal line within the frame. The truck and the hydrant are parallel to each other, but deviate from the vertical. I sometimes find myself imagining that the hydrant and the truck represent the true vertical. In that case, the cinderblock wall makes no sense.
It is an odd picture, but I really like it.
Reblogged this on floretaisidro and commented:
he he
Ah! another admirer of the art of Hydrants – great picture.
Thanks! Yup, fire hydrants, manhole covers, coal shute doors… great art!
j
What a unique obsession — but you’ve shown us why in a great multimedia approach. Odd is good. (Works for the WPC “Relic” theme, too, FYI)
Thanks, Jann. There’s something nice about finding (functional) relics in plain sight.
Where does one find the WPC?
j
It’s posted every Friday at The Daily Post; here’s the link to yesterday’s “Relic” challenge:
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/relic/
Be sure to tag your post “Weekly Photo Challenge.” You can see two I’ve submitted at http://austindetails.me for format and tag styles. Yours would suit it well!
Thank you Jann.
J