Padrão do Salado a Brush Pen Drawing in Guimarães
2023-01-12
I made this drawing of the Padrão do Salado with a brush pen. It was on one of those days when we snuck away for a little escape, just wandering around Guimarães for no particular reason.
On the way to the historic center of Guimarães, it sits right at the entrance to the square. We always end up starting our walks here, in the square. And because of that, we always end up stopping here too, for a drink.
So, with the sketchbook in hand and the pen in my pocket, it’s easy to fit in a pause to draw. I think I’ve drawn the Padrão about three times now. It’s always a challenge, with its confusing angles and vanishing points. But it’s always an enjoyable one.
The Padrão is one of those monuments that looks simple at first glance. But it has an arch full of curves, and a column beside it, that never quite come together on paper the way I expect. I like coming back to draw the same place from time to time. Seeing how my line changes, how the way I look at things changes too. Every time I try to work out those angles, I feel like I understand the structure of the arch a little better.
The square around it was packed that day, people sitting at tables, others just passing through. We chose a table in a quiet corner, looking up at the Padrão from below, trying to figure out where the stone curved.
On the next page, the drinks were, of course, the fuel keeping us going on that hot day. Sitting nearby, between one sip and another, we took the chance to rest our legs before heading off to explore the rest of the historic center.
Guimarães is always worth it, with that small-town feel packed with history, where every corner seems to ask for a new drawing. Here’s the record of that afternoon of monuments, ink, and cold beer.