First, a big thank you to everyone for submitting their comments and support for the visual flaneur’s endeavors. Please keep sending them!

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Today I’d like to share the first (of five) part of the series ‘Vienna with San Franciscan eyes’, that originated from the 8 Feet of Vienna accordion notebook I posted earlier.

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Vienna never fails to enchant me with its old world charm and and the gorgeous architecture mostly of days gone by. Somehow this city laughs in the face of change. I had not uncovered this resilience when I spent my years in college there, however now that I came back for a visit, I could not fail to notice. Just one lovely example: Neon and metal signs with idiosyncratic typefaces of the 50’s still identify small businesses, invite Fraeuleins to shop or instruct at governmental offices. I had never considered how special they were when I was surrounded by them all the time! If that’s the sort of thing you are interested in check out this book.

Between such musings on the roadside I payed visits to mausoleums of art – museums. Especially the figures of Egon Schiele in the MUMOK left a lasting impression on me and I copied one of his expressionistic paintings . In front of the museum Leopold I quickly sketched a  Fiaker – the famous horse drawn carriages now mainly catering to tourists looking for a ‘local’ way of exploring the city.

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All those observations made their way into the first part of Vienna with San Franciscan eyes (1/5):

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In case you are interested in the ‘how to’:

I scanned the relevant pages from my notebook, removed some elements in Photoshop and made sure that the five pieces would have a coherent design yet could be free standing as well. I printed them onto Arches hot pressed Watercolor paper and allowed myself only a limited palette of Quinacridine Gold, Winsor Yellow, Indanthrene Blue and Brown Madder Watercolors to keep the pieces united. In the end I went over some lines with Indian Ink.

Enjoy!