Bixby Bridge, Pacific Coast Highway
8" x 10"
Pen and sepia ink and coloured pencils in Moleskine sketchbook
After I left Point Lobos in the early afternoon, I continued down Highway 1 and along the coastline of Big Sur.
Big Sur is the coastline and immediate area inland which stretches some 90 miles (145km) along the coastline between the Carmel River and the San Carpoforo Creek. It extends about 20 miles (32km) inland. It's a truly amazing coastline with great views - both along and down(!) and seeing and driving down Big Sur is something I've wanted to do for a very long time.
The marine inversion continued for the most part. Here's an illustration of what I mean.
Note also the steep sides - this is not a road to take your eye off the road so you can admire the view - you need to use the various stopping places en route to do that - and you'll be in good company as everybody else is doing the same thing!
Driving south down Big Sur (as opposed to north) means you get to maximise your focus on the road for some 90 miles as you're driving hairpin bends on the side next to the very big drop!
As I began to drive down the Highway, I began to realise that driving the Big Sur was going be very tiring, would take some time and that stopping a lot was maybe not the best idea. So sketching was limited and I skipped a visit to the redwoods and San Simeon and the Hearst Castle and still arrived in Morro Bay rather tired.....well actually I could use a lot stronger expression than that - but not in public! I'd definitely recommend taking your time travelling down Big Sur. Also be aware that it's a very popular place to visit and accommodation can be booked up a long time in advance.
The sketch is of the area next to the Bixby Bridge. The bridge was one of the largest and tallest bridges built when it was constructed in the thirties. It transformed the life of people who lived in the area. When I sketched it the bottom of the cloud was only just above the aurface of the road!
Read more about Big Sur and conservation aspects of the coastline at the sites listed below
Links:
Technorati tags: art , coloured pencils , colored pencils , drawing , landscape , Moleskine , plein air , plein air sketching , sketching
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