Carpenters Yard and Laundry - by Vincent van Gogh

Van Gogh's 1884 drawing Carpenters Yard and Laundry hints at the artist's state of mind. Ominous pencil cross-hatching is built up obsessively, to create a dark house looming out of the landscape.

Van Gogh completed over 1,000 drawings in total and regarded drawing as a basic task enabling him to grow artistically and to study form and movement. The drawing was also a means of channeling his depression.

Van Gogh's drawings are special due to the fact that his depiction of figures, light, and landscape can be admired without the need for color. The artist drew using pencil, black chalk, red chalk, blue chalk, reed pen and charcoal, although he often mixed mediums when drawing. He drew on a variety of paper types and used any material available to him.