Monday, March 24, 2008

Gondolas in Venice - SOLD


Click on image to enlarge.

7"x 10" oil on canvas. Available.

This little painting is from one of my dear photos taken in the fall of 2006. I was able to capture this scene while crossing a little bridge on the way to eat real Italian pizza. The trip to northern Italy and the Greek Isles was life changing in that it was the catalyst to my painting again. I've been at the easel for six months and have now painted from one of my Venice photos for the first time. I simply fell in love with Venice and I was only there a half a day! I haven't wanted to paint my favorite place until I was ''ready" and had the courage. This weekend I was ready and painted it small– 7"x10"– to force myself to limit the detail. I wasn't too successful with that, I just kept picking up that small brush! I really wanted the water to sparkle and I think I achieved that. In fact, I like it a lot and much better than the photo of it! Why can't I ever get a good photo of my paintings? I move the painting every way possible to avoid those light reflections but I always get those little white dots that look like the canvas showing through the paint. If someone out there can tell me how to avoid that, I'd love ya!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very nice work! I think with architectural subjects it's even more of a challenge to loosen up, because "loose" doesn't mean sloppy. It still needs to be drawn well, which can often slow down the process unless we really have a handle on drawing. I'd think with your background you have an advantage over many.

Bigger brushes could help, or if all else fails you could try an even smaller canvas. I did a 4x5" painting of the Grand Canal not too long ago and it taught me a lot about how broad strokes can suggest so much if the values and shapes are right. Now to do the same thing on a 30x40" canvas!

daviddrawsandpaints said...

Hi Marilyn,
Just found you. Hope you don't mind me adding to this?
The tiny dots you speak of only show up when the photo is enlarged. At the smaller scale it all blends together.
It's a great subject (dear to my heart)and a good little painting. I agree with Jennifer - larger brushes, but I would also add that I like to lay on thicker paint to cover the panel surface. With both techniques I block out the ground and treat it more impressionistically. Now there's a big word for this late in the day!
And there's me talking as if I knew anything!
Cheers,
DAVID

Marilyn M. King said...

Jennifer,
I think you are right about "drawing well" being the key to it all. Drawing is not just using a pencil, but "seeing" and being able to put it down in two dimensions -whether it is a pencil, pen, or large brush. You can only achieve "loose" when you are well trained in seeing and have the practice behind you in putting down what you see in quicker and more abbreviated marks. As an illustrator under tight deadlines I'm afraid I relied on faster techniques more than I wish. I think as I practice seeing more and more, the looseness will come as long as I keep studying those great painters out there like Charles Warren Mundy and one of your favorites too - Kevin Macpherson.

http://www.cwmundy.com/

Thanks for your many thoughts and comments. You are very encouraging.

Marilyn M. King said...

Dave,
Thanks for your comments, I left you a longer response on your email.

daviddrawsandpaints said...

Hi Marilyn,
Unfortunately I haven't received the email you mentioned and I suspect it was sent through the email link on my blogsite profile page. This link uses Outlook Express which I am having problems with and don't yet know how to resolve.
Can I ask you to resend your mail using this address: david@davidcornelius.co.uk
Thanks
DAVID