Original Watercolours by Tim Wilmot

Adding Bunting to a Street Scene adds another dimension

Sainte Foy La Grande, France, 15" x 11".

Adding some bunting to a street scene can add another dimension.  Sometimes the upper portion of a street scene can lack a bit of interest, and adding in some bunting helps in many areas - adds interest, connects elements of a painting together (the left with the right) and helps with perspective (looking down the street and a 'zig zag' pattern of lines with flags smaller in the distance).  Some telephone lines do the same thing, but not as good as a bit of bunting in my opinion!

 

Place Robert Darniche, Monsegur, France and some wet in wet

Monsegur, France, 15" x 11"

A small market town in the South West of France, with the covered market hall on the left.  When the tone of two connecting objects are the same (but with different colours) like the sky and the far roof tops, I normally do them both in one go - first the sky wash and bring down over the roof tops.  Not too wet, just damp, and then quickly as possible paint in the warm roof tops and let the two blend together to give a soft transition.  It sometimes helps the feeling of the heat as well.

 

A shady street in Bergerac and a few watercolour techniques to mention...

Bergerac, France, 15" x 11".

A shady street in the old part of Bergerac in SW France.  I have a high bit of contrast between the focal figure and the dark shadows around.  A couple of other watercolour techniques used in this painting - a bit of splattering on the wall with clear water when the paint is still moist, and again with clear water some lines with a small brush to help lead the eye in to the picture.

 

Saint Jean de Luz

Saint Jean de Luz, France, 15" x 11".

Saint Jean de Luz in South West France on the Atlantic coast.  Thanks Jean Luc for your reference photo (if anyone has any photos, please send them to me!).  Superb subject for a watercolour with light and shade.  The chance to do some loose stuff in the bottom left corner.  Quite a tricky picture with the light almost behind, which is a bit of a challenge.  Also nice to use many watercolour techniques on this - wash, negative painting, dry brush etc..

 

Bayonne Church - Autumn

Bayonne, France, 15" x 11".

A thank you to Jean-Luc who sent me a reference photo for this painting of Bayonne Church in Autumn.  I suppose there are a few different approaches to painting a light coloured tree against a dark background - 1) Negative painting (dark background first then the tree), 2) Paint tree first, let dry/ish then do the background, or possibly 3) a load of thick body paint for the tree on a dry background.  I went for a variant of 1) and 3) !

 

Duras shutters

Duras, France, 15" x 11"

A study of the main square in Duras, SW France.  I am trying to bring together all the main elements of the picture.  So across the middle, a shadow hits the parked car, then a couple of figures are connected to the car, the shadows of the couple are joining the larger figure and then almost a connection to the smallest figure on the left.  And simply there are 3 main areas of the paining - background buildings, middle ground figures and cars and the the foreground shadow.

 

Sunlit street, St Foy La Grande

St Foy La Grande, France, 15" x 11".

Another 3 colour palette painting of this small town in the South West of France.  Cars can be quite difficult to do when they are totally in the shade, especially if they are dark cars.  So I think you have to just concentrate on the main lighter areas of the car - the roof, bonnet and maybe headlamps.  I have a few figures on the left side to connect the shadows with the lighter buildings.

 

Narrow streets - central Bordeaux, France

Bordeaux, France, 11" x 15"

Portrait orientation for a change (not usual for me) as the scene needs it.  Being a narrow street and framed either side by high buildings.  This is another of my '3 colour' paintings/sketches using my limited palette.  I gave myself a limit of one hour for this one.  That does help you focus on timings and not going for too much detail as in the ornate facades of the buildings.  I think if I did this again, it needs more figures in there and maybe a light figure contrasting with the darker shadows.

 

A bend in the street - Bergerac, France

Bergerac, France, 15" x 11"

A lovely bend in one of the quite narrow streets in the old part of Bergerac, South West France.  Buildings are characterised with shutters and oak timber cladding.  I like this composition because of the bend in the street leading you into the scene, and the framing of the high buildings left and right.  I introduced a shard of light to add a bit of drama and some figures in the background, melting into the shadows.  

 

St Meard de Gurcon, France, main square

St Meard de Gurcon, France, 15" x 11".

The main square in St Meard de Gurcon, South West France.  A quickish sketch and another minor struggle with the Saunders Waterford rough paper (I am sure the surface properties have been changed by the manufacturers recently).  On the left of the square is an old building supported by sturdy oak timbers.  That would make a good spot to paint - in the shade there and looking towards the light, over towards the town hall.