Two sketches done a year apart in the ‘twin kiosk’ rooms in the Harem section of the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. The first was done in 2012 focussing on the decorative tiles and trying to get the perspective right. The second was done last summer, and I tried to show the brilliance of the high stained glass windows. I had to really darken the room to get the relative contrast right, but at the expense of any other detail in the room. I’ll try to return and combine the best of both in a third sketch… (Or maybe someone clever could combine them through photoshop? Jim?)
UPDATE: Jim (sketchtesting.co.uk) is very clever and has combined them, below. Ta!
Lexington grey fountain pen, watercolour, A5 – 45 mins
Marker pen with Carbon ink, water-brush with Lexington grey ink, white Gelly Roll pen, watercolour, A5 – 30 minutes
Mostly drawing 
It’s similar to the choices that have to be made in photography with exposure settings: show the details or capture the mood. Love the way that ‘lowering the exposure’ in the second drawing has changed the window from bleached sunlight to revealing the colours and forms of the hills and sky beyond.
Hi Jim, thanks for the merged image. I’m especially impressed by the way you’ve reconciled the perspective across the 2 pictures. Ed