There are such great silhouette shapes for sky lines in Venice. Added to which beautiful light and colour = I could keep painting this amazing city!
The historic wooden posts in the water helps break up the strong horizon line and make the composition more interesting.
I made a grey with Burnt Sienna and Ultramarine Blue then added the orangie sky mix to it to make it hazy and give a sense of space and colour harmony.
I used quick thick paint (hardly any medium to thin it) which gives a silvery glossy finish that adds to the subject.
Another windy morning but lucky with the rain and had some great fluffy clouds. I really enjoyed painting the sky, a real test of observation under limited time.
I had to strap my pochard to the railings as the wind would blow it over and difficult to do any detail as it buffeted my arm.
But I still enjoyed it! A' large' painting with lots going on, I used a connected palette of colour, linking my mixes so the painting is harmonised.
As I painted the sky the clouds and colours just kept improving. which is frustrating when you have committed to certain cloud formation and colours. I did add a light orange glow on the horizon but to have added anymore I would have needed to scrub it off and start again. It's getting the balance in changing to improve but not obliteration what you have.
It feels as though these paintings are at the limit of my comfort, pushing with size, application of paint - making it thicker, challenging subjects, composition, and the elements! I hope it will help my skills in the long run :-)
You can see the same little fishing boats I painted in yesterdays sunrise painting.
I now have another two other paintings on the go which I have started here (both tricky!) I will complete them soon. I wanted to get them started here as there's so many areas I'm itching to paint, and we leave tomorrow morning for the Lake district....
Lovely light on the morning hills, really blue and pale. I used a new wood panel by Gerstaeker called Tintoretto, I had prepared it with three layers of acrylic gesso, and it was really nice to work on, the paint glided but didn't sink into it. No need to frame either as its a box style.
I was careful to get the tone right of the hills as they weren't much darker than the sky. I used a new colour - Cadmiun Orange. Quite potent use very little of it, mixed with Lemon yellow for the sky line plus I then used the mixed orange into most of the other colours this helps with the harmony and giving it a warm feel. It was fun to paint on the panoramic style I recommend having ago if you haven't tried it.
I went to London yesterday and did a plein air next to the Thames, it was raining and I choose a tricky subject, it needs work so will post soon.
Thankfully my dog Matte has turned the corner and is better although his sight hasn't come back yet. But he's well enough for me to get out painting again :-) and thank you for your good wishes for him.
One for my students, we will work on planes (surfaces) of a subject and harmonious colours.
It was surprising how yellow the pear was, you think a pear is green so to truly see it I cut out a little hole in a piece of paper and looked at the pear, this isolates the colours, so you are not distracted with other colours around it. It helps to see what's really there not what you think is there!
I like contrasting bright colours, I originally wanted to put the pear with a blue background, but changed my mind once the pear was done I felt it need harmonious russet colours.
I also enjoyed the slightly different composition, having the corner and sides, it gives a sense of space.
