Original Watercolours by Tim Wilmot

Watermill Tuscany 2018 watercolour course painting #3 - Fivizzano Market Day Plein Air

Day 3 last year on the WaterMill Posara painting holiday and a trip to nearby Fivizzano. It's market day on Tuesday, in the central square and around the Medici Fountain. When painting plein air with lots of people around you as in this market, it's probably best to position yourself somewhere out of the way (I was on the side of the market, up against a wall) and comfortable. #watercolorpainting #tuscany #watermill #pleinairpainting #stcmill

After the market has gone - St Foy la Grande, France

St Foy la Grande, France, 15" x 11"

St Foy has a very busy and popular Saturday Market in SW France.  I took a photo of the main street on a Saturday afternoon, after the market had cleared up, and the town is really quiet compared to the morning's hustle and bustle.  My photo looked like Armageddon had happened, so I added in some people and a few cars.  I love bunting across the street.  A great way of connecting the two sides and adds a little bit of framing over the top.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 140lbs.

 

Market day in St Foy - umbrellas and bunting

St Foy la Grande, France, 15" x 11"

The focus for this one were the lovely colourful umbrellas and bunting strung across the street here on market day.  So less focus on the foreground and market stalls and trying to capture the bright sunlight reaching the narrow streets below.  A few tricky bits to paint around, but kept it fairly loose.

I have recorded a video of this one.  Worth publishing?

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press paper, 300 gms.

 

Devizes #3 - Devizes Corn Exchange

Devizes, UK, 15" x 11"

A third plein air after a hearty lunch and a pint of Wadworths of course (The Wadworths brewery is in the town).  This is the Corn Exchange.  It was getting rather cold and windy by now, so this was done in about 40 minutes.  The market had packed up and so was I.  Just a really simple scene and those can be the most enjoyable to paint.  Had a bit of fun with the splattering for the foliage effect top right.  Thanks to Frank and Mel, fellow Exiles for staying on.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 300 gms.

 

Devizes #1 - Market Day - Angles and Triangles

Devizes, UK, 15" x 11"

A recent trip out with my friends of the 'Exiles'.  Location was Devizes in Wiltshire - a market town in central Wiltshire, and we were there on Market Day!  What luck.  As soon as I arrived in the centre, here was the scene in front of me from the other side of the street.  I looked at it and thought triangles and 45 degree angles.  So a lot of repetition - the market stalls, the shadow on the van, shadows coming from the monument on the right, and so on.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 300 gms

 

Devizes #1 - Market Day

Devizes, UK, 15" x 11"

A recent trip out with my friends of the 'Exiles'.  Location was Devizes in Wiltshire - a market town in central Wiltshire, and we were there on Market Day!  What luck.  As soon as I arrived in the centre, here was the scene in front of me from the other side of the street.  I looked at it and thought triangles and 45 degree angles.  So a lot of repetition - the market stalls, the shadow on the van, shadows coming from the monument on the right, and so on.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 300 gms

 

Fishing Boats, Vieux Port Marseille, France

Marseille, France, 15" x 11"

A view along the harbourside in Marseille with a fish market on the left and some small fishing craft moored up on the right.  Another exercise in simplifying what you see.  Reduce the background buildings to shapes, and just put in a few windows.  The market on the left has to be just suggested, or I think it would take the eye of the viewer away from the centre and the boats.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 300gms

 

Saturday Market, Fabriano Italy

Fabriano, Italy, 15" x 11"

Yes, Fabriano where the other paper comes from.  Based on a photo of mine from a visit a few years ago.  It's sometimes a good idea to keep going back over older reference photos and those you dismissed before, maybe suitable now, especially if your style of painting has changed over time.  Which was the case with this one.  I jazzed it up a bit with some people (my photo had none or they were way in the background).

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 300 gms

 

Central Tetbury, Snooty Fox and Market Hall

Tetbury, UK, 15" x 11"

A painting based on a photo taken from a 2017 plein air session with the 'exiles'.  This is the very busy centre of Tetbury, Market Hall on the right and the Snooty Fox on the left.  As can be seen, I do invariably leave pencil marks showing from the original sketch.  I think it adds to the loose feel of the picture.  You can of course rub them out on unpainted surfaces and if I had done this here, it would have made those car windscreens quite bright.

Painted on Saunders Waterford, Cold Press, 300 gms

 

Venice Fish Market Plein Air Demo

Venice, Italy, 15" x 22"

A plein air demo from the recent Venice Workshop I ran.  Quite an overcast day and I decided to add a few shadows for some extra interest.  Memo to self: don't go there midday as there's a chance all the market traders are clearing up after the morning market and it's a very busy corner where I was - I had to move my easel several times as I was obstructing them getting to their boats.  Another hazard - the traders were trowing away unsold fish and sprats still in their polystyrene trays and the local seagulls had a frenzy - it was like a scene out of Hitchcock's The Birds movie.