Landscape Watercolour of Birmingham, 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 140 lbs
Close to the Birmingham New Street Railway Station and the shops and street vendors on New Street are experiencing another busy trading day. New Street is now mostly pedestrianised. Birmingham, the second biggest city in the UK is a vibrant city, offering visitors a fabulous array of shopping, attractions, culture, entertainment and dining within the fairly compact city centre.
Landscape Watercolour of Old City Jerusalem, 15" x 11" on Bockingford Rough Paper 140 lbs
In the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, a stone's throw from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, is the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer (on Muristan Road). Built by Kaiser Wilhelm in the late 1800s, he personally dedicated the church in 1898, when he and his wife, Augusta Victoria, became the first western rulers to visit Jerusalem. You can climb 177 steps up the bell tower and see Mount Zion.
Day 5 and the morning exercise was a typical French/Italian market scene in a small square. It was I guess a practice in composition again, tonal values and light. As per normal I did not listen 100% to teacher and had slightly modified the example we should have copied. So mine was probably more Southern Italy in atmosphere rather than France:
My next effort (again a rush job before lunch, so done in 30 minutes or so) was closer to Joseph's style with perhaps less strength in the colours, a bit more subtle and a looser feel to the shadows, background building and figures under the parasols.
In the afternoon I did a quick sketch of the bay in front of the hotel, looking over to the far side of Cadeques.
Landscape Watercolour, Alexandria, Egypt, 15" x 11" on Bockingford Rough Paper 140 lbs.
Another street market view in the central area of Alexandria fairly close to the port. Yes the parasol covers are really low in places, and maybe they all started off life in different colours but the strong sun has bleached them all to a neutral shade. And just above the parasol level are a spaghetti like conglomeration of wires going backwards and forwards between the buildings.
Landscape Watercolour, Alexandria, 15" x 11" on Bockingford Rough Paper 140 lbs
Another Alexandria street scene and I think there's loads more to come as I took many photos on my visit. They lend themselves so well to watercolour with the lights and the darks. This was quite a busy scene and working to a quarter sheet which is my norm, you have to decide what to leave out and it came down to missing cars and people - so imagine many more of both. I've left in the trademark yellow-topped taxis and ladies in traditional dress.
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT paper 300 gms
The many street markets in Alexandria have agreat buzz about them with many different products on offer - all the normal mediterranean veg, herbs & spices, and plenty of fish and shellfish. The nice thing is that unless you're in a tourist area you won't get the high pressure sales from the vendors if you approach too close. But it's about as far from the aisles of Tescos as you can imagine. I went a bit looser with this painting which I think turned out okay to catch the essence of the scene.
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
In the myriad of streets around the port area of Alexandria, it's easy to get lost or disorientated. Stumbling on a view of a main road or the sea front allows you to get your bearings again. The area has many different types of architecture - the old juxtaposed with the new. In this scene I was struck by the earthy coloured old building with it's old turquoise shutters in the centre of a market area and a newer 70's style office block behind, looking completely out of place. Numerous old parasols cover and shade market produce up the sunny side of the street.
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
I might have given a bit too much space to the beat up old red car in the composition here, but hopefully with the glimmer on the bonnet it adds to the impression of the strong sunlight. The street vendor on the right was selling shiny fresh green peppers - it must be tough to try to make a living out of selling just one type of veg! I can remember his parasol had seen better days.
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
Continuing my series of streets in Alexandria (more to come from my reference photos) and may be went a bit looser on this one which I prefer. Tried to capture the feeling of the heat of the day and that the place needs a massive makeover with all the unfinished tower blocks with multiple floors just being a shell.
Watercolour 15" x 11" on Bockingford NOT Paper 300 gms
A wander round the backstreets of downtown Alexandria and now and then you stumble across an open area offering respite from the intensity of the narrow streets. Whilst some street vendors proudly show off their produce on the shady side of the street, those less fortunate opposite have theirs hidden from the midday sun under layers of drab tarpaulin.
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