Landscape Watercolour of Tuscany, 15" x 11"
My entry for this summer's Steve Hall Watercolour Competition. It's a Tuscan scene but not sure where exactly. Anyway I would encourage any UK watercolour artists to have a go at his competition and his web site. Steve Hall paints in the loose Wesson style and he runs very popular watercolour courses also. See more about all this by going to his web site and click on Newsletter.
This was the photo for the challenge...
Landscape Watercolour of Sicily, 15" x 11"
Favignana is a very small island off the west coast of Sicily and very peaceful it is too. There's only a few cars/roads and a very laid back atmosphere. My sketch is of a restaurant or trattoria near the port and I was struck by how red the exterior walls were. Well I tried to get the effect here of he baking summer sun beating down on the place.
Landscape Watercolour of Sicily, 15" x 11" on Saunders Waterford Rough Paper 140 lbs
Erice, old medieval town over Trapani, with fantastic views over Sicily and the sea to the West. It has a maze of cobbled streets and wonderful warm coloured stone buildings with quite small windows.Probably the best way to get up to Erice is by the recently opened cable car from Trapani down below.
Landscape Watercolour of Cagliari, 15" x 11" on Saunders Waterford Rough Paper 140 lbs
The Piazza Yenne is one of the most important squares of Cagliari located at the end of the Largo Carlo Felice in the centre of town. By day it's a popular spot for tourists visiting the citadel or the old town and by night it's a busy meeting place for locals.
Landscape Watercolour of Venice, 11" x 15" on Bockingford NOT Paper 140 lbs
A sketch of a smaller feeder canal to the Grand Canal in Venice. The sketch is based on a reference photo taken by myself - not sure the exact location. I might have over-worked the water in this one and found it difficult to know when to stop with the reflections.
Landscape Watercolour of Venice, 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 140 lbs
Another Venice Canal sketch and I'm sure I'll get sick of painting them soon. I think these canals make for easy composition with the towering sides of the building leading your eyes in to a focal point which has of course got to be a gondola or one of their trademark arched pedestrian bridges.
Landscape Watercolour of Erice, Sicily, 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 140 lbs
A visit to Erice is always nice, and on hot days when light floods the streets and great views of the valley and beyond to the open sea. The intricate maze of alleys are characterised by beautiful flooring panels, and a church or monastery on every block. It's also a very peaceful place with few cars allowed.
Landscape Watercolour of Venice, 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 140 lbs
The Ponte dei Penini in Venice (that's it on the left hand side) and another quiet little backwater in the city. The colours of the buildings are quite striking, even on a dull day, with their rich reds and ochres. A very pretty spot away from the hustle and bustle of the busy tourist areas.
Landscape Watercolour Painting of Capri, 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 140 lbs
The charming seaside Port of Marina Grande, encompassed by two narrow arms or quays, borders the picturesque town of Capri. The port sees many types of watercraft from the old fishing boats to ferries coming over from Naples and Sorrento (bringing over thousands of day trippers each day in the summer), and of course up market yachts. A small square overlooks the port surrounded by the characteristic houses of Capri, close to the water and having great views over the bay from their open galleries.
Landscape Watercolour of Venice, 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 140 lbs
The very ornate front of Santa Maria del Giglio, and inside housing many works of art including the only painting by Rubens in Venice.
The richly decorated baroque façade would be a nightmare to replicate in a painting (especially when you are short of time), so all we can do as a watercolouist is simplify the scene and suggest pillars and statues with darker brush strokes - a bit of dry brush works wonders.
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