URBAN SKETCHING

URBAN SKETCHING

Sketching in Firenze

This is a photo from two years ago, April 2017, when I really discovered  Urban Sketching

- and got hooked!

There was a Sketching Maratona in Florence and I met many persons that have become my friends.

Ferrara, May 2019

Ferrara, 2019

Monza, May 2019

Since then  I have been drawing and sketching in their company, and alone, 

all around Florence, Rome,

Tuscany, Sardinia and Italy, Spain, Greece and Finland.

I still use mostly watercolors, but I have discovered, or returned to, other mediums as well.

Above are some of my latest watercolor sketches.

Hope to see you soon and sketch or paint together!

Roses and berries in watercolor

Rose e bacche, 2016. 38x56 cm Fabriano Artstico 300 gsm - pigments W&N, St Petrsburg

I wish you a sunny August with this painting from last year.

When I'm teaching watercolor classes I certainly put the emphasis on a painterly style
and also in my own paintings I want to keep it loose.

Flowers are one my all time favourite subjects!
According to the season I can find a lot of inspiration in my garden or in the nature.
If there's not enough I'll combine bought flowers to what I find for free....
Here I was trying out my 3 new St Petersburg colors: yellow, red and turquoise green
that together mix into a cool purple grey shade.

The best thing is that when the flowers are gone - the painting stays and reminds you of the beauty!

Painting more bikers in Chianti

Ciclisti - 56x76 cm  watercolor on paper 300gsm

Another version of the bikers in Chianti. 

It's a full sheet painting and I've used black color for a more modern and graphic look. 

HERE  is a link to previous paintings and if you'd like to read more about what inspired me originally click here. 

And I'd love to know which one you prefer!?

At Lamole di Lamole 2017

Bikers in Chianti - original Watercolor

Ciclisti 38x56cm watercolor on paper 300gsm 

 Artistically there's a lot going on this year. 

While I'm continuing to teach watercolor lessons,

(I've met so many lovely persons!)

 I've also managed to take much more time for my own painting and drawing. 

I'm absolutely enjoying the outdoor painting sessions together with other artists

painting in and around Florence and Tuscany.  

Just now we are having a break because of the summer heat, 

but I'm continuing with the life drawing, since it's in the indoor studio.

There has been a big Art Show in Fabriano, Italy, and other smaller ones - some still upcoming.

I'm not posting much of my work as I feel that I'm in a limbo.

I'm experimenting a lot. 

I know the direction, but I'm not sure about the destination.

Just like these bikers above - one of the subjects I'm exploring at the moment.

(you can see earlier ones here and here)

I enjoy the trip, even if sometimes I struggle and hope to reach 

some kind of a pit stop soon! 

I'm surely evolving, hopefully improving - 

what do you think?! 

Fabriano In Acquerello 2017

I'm very grateful and proud that my watercolor painting 'Cerchio Magico' was selected 

to the international watercolor exhibition

 'FabrianoinAcquerello' 

 in Fabriano, Italy this year.

The exhibition is opening on Thursday April 20th, 2017

and is part of a larger happening (link) gathering 100 Italian watercolor Artists representing our country,  

and totally more than 700 artworks by as many artists from the whole world!

Cerchio magico, 2016- watercolor 38x56 cm

During the following days there will be demonstrations, workshops and events - 

and many many watercolor artists sharing their passion - 

in the small town of Fabriano in Central Italy.
Here is the facebook page where you can read more.

I look forward to this experience - meeting some of my favourite artists, sharing with friends,

painting together and learning more every day!

PAINTING EN PLEIN AIR

VILLA IL VENTAGLIO FIRENZE

This year has started with many pleasant news regarding arts. 

First of all my work was selected to Fabriano in Italy, 

but I will tell you more about that in another post, maybe with some photos...

Then my friend Natus had the brilliant idea 

to create a group of

watercolour painters in Florence. 

We meet regularly to paint together in different places of the city 

- urban locations - we've met in Fiesole, P.zza Santo Spirito or -

 as in this case - in a garden, Villa il Ventaglio.

Such a lovely day!

It's a great occasion of sharing your passion with lovely people.

There are already many of us, and more join every time!

And -

another nice part is when at the end we usually have lunch together!

WARM AND COOL COLORS

A sketch of someone dear!

Painted with only 2 colours.

Some thoughts about Creativity!

This video that I made recently reassumes my thoughts about creativity.

Hope you enjoy it! 

Changing the colors for a different atmosphere!!

'A corner of Tuscany - red sky' - 28x38 cm Fabriano artistico 300gsm

If you  saw my previous post about the watercolor workshop when I painted the first version of 

 'A Corner of Tuscany', this is the same house... 

As I was waiting for the first painting to dry, I started a new one.

I usually like to change something when I paint a new version, this time I decided for a red sky.

Obviously I also had to change the other colors.

As you can see the tree is purple,

but for the plants in the pots I decided for a cool green shade, 

because I felt that I needed some contrast to all the warm colors.

It's not easy to show all the shades of color in a photo, 

but if you look at both photos you can see how the atmosphere changed!

I'd love to know what you think, which version do you prefer?!

Loose Landscape Painting

A corner of Tuscany - Fattoria Poggiopiano 2016

28x38cm

The last years I have concentrated on loosing up my paintings. 

It has been a lot of work: experimenting, making mistakes...

A lot of fun, 

but also frustrating when you don't achieve satisfying results...

Obviously I started with my favourite subject, florals.

I also aimed to capture the movement of cyclists, in an abstract way (more here).

To get a different approach to landscape painting I attended a one day workshop with  

Italian Watercolor Artist Luciano Boscaini. 

detail   

 It is always interesting to see other artists work and I got practical advice and examples that I also love to share to my students.

For example about soft and hard edges , and letting  color  bleed - like you see on the roof (detail above).

This is something I love to use, AND VERY IMPORTANT when you wish to LOOSEN UP your paintings!

But until you see it from real, you don't really get it!

(I'll prepare a tutorial on this, soon)

He's definitely not for beginners, and also the level of the other participating artists was high!

I had a great time, and actually painted 3 paintings,

- I just can't stop painting, so in order not to overwork, I usually start a new one while the first is drying! -

so I'll prepare  more photos soon!

More summer flowers! - Ancora fioriture estive!

 28x38cm on fabriano artistico 300gsm

I have a lot of sunshine at my front door, so one of the few flowers that can get along in this area in the summer is hibiscus -that I love! 

This year it's orange, last year it was yellow if you like to see the painting click on the link yellow hibiscus here!

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Il sole scotta sulla mia porta d'ingresso; d'estate ci campano pochi fiori - una è l'ibisco!

Quest'anno è arancione, l'anno scorso era giallo, se vuoi vedere il dipinto, clicca qui!

It's finally summer! - Finalmente estate!

Pelargonium rosso - 18x25cm

With this small sketch from my garden I just want to wish a lovely summer to everybody! 

June and May has been quite cool months this year, but now with July the summer is here!

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Un saluto dal mio giardino e un bellissimo estate a tutti!

Dopo un maggio e giugno piuttosto freschi, finalmente luglio ci porta l'estate!

Sea, summer and sun! - Sole, mare, estate!

I already published this painting on fb, but I really wanted to write a post as well...

This painting is from a photo, and I really wanted to simplify much more, but was afraid that it wouldn't have been appreciated by the receiver!? It's hard to paint for someone else ... 

Also - it's a beautiful photo - but not mine, so I couldn't put too much emotions into the subject.

Fortunately I love the process, but...
I painted 3 versions before I was happy - How do you handle these situations?

( see previous post on watercolor lessons and  'enjoy painting' here )

Castelsardo, Sardegna 28x35 cm

Ho già pubblicato questo foto su fb, ma volevo anche scrivere un  post...
Dipingere su commissione, da una foto come in questo caso, è sempre difficile...
Avrei voluto semplificare di più, ma avevo paura di non accontentare il committente?!

Inoltre la foto, anche se molto bella, non era mia, quindi non poteva suscitare troppe emozioni in me. Per fortuna dipingere mi diverte sempre, ma -
ho dipinto 3 versioni prima di accontentarmi. Voi come fate in questi casi?!
( leggi  qui  il post precedente su lezioni di pittura e 'divertirsi dipingendo')

Cyclamen 2nd part - Ciclamini 2a parte

Ciclamini 28x38 cm, carta Fabriano artistico 300gr

Cyclamen, A loose floral painting from this winter

(you can see the process here in my earlier post).

This time I'm happy with how I kept the white for the light

 - even if I think that a terracotta pot could do a nice contrast! 

Have to wait for the autumn to get fresh flowers again!

Ciclamini, l'ho dipinto quest'inverno

(per vedere il processo nel mail precedente clicca qui ).

Questa volta sono contenta di aver conservato tanto bianco per dare luce 

- anche se penso che riproverò con dei vasi in terracotta.

Aspetterò i fiori freschi l'autunno prossimo!

Last but not least! - L'ultimo è il 'Primo'!

Primo! watercolour 28x38cm 

Ok, this is the last cyclist painting that I'm sharing - for now! 

 I'm moving on to another project for a while.

If you want to see other cyclists click here and here and here.

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L'ultimo ciclista che mostrerò - per adesso - è ''Primo!'',

adesso ho un altro progetto in mente...

Per vedere altri ciclisti vai qui, qui e qui.

Cyclists in Chianti - Ciclisti nel Chianti

 watercolor 28x38cm on 300 grs 100% cotton paper

Another study of cyclists - starting to be an obsession? 

Well, when I get an idea I want to develop it further, and still have to improve ... 

Any suggestions?
if you want to see other cyclists click here and here 

-

Ancora ciclisti - devo ancora sviluppare questa idea e migliorare...

Qualche suggerimento?
per vedere altri ciclisti vai qui e qui

L'Eroica

L'Eroica 

watercolour 28x38 cm

My very first Bicycles painting- inspired by L'Eroica, 

the cycling event hold in Chianti in October every year.
If you want to see another cyclists pinting click here.

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Ispirata da L'Eroica ho dipinto il primo paesaggio con ciclisti...

Cliccare qui per vedere un altro dipinto con ciclisti.

Cyclists - Ciclisti

Racing in Chianti -Corse nel Chianti- 

28x38cm watercolour on Fabriano 300gr paper

I wanted to capture the atmosphere and the movement of bicycle races.

In Spring the roads of Chianti are full of bicycle riders...

-

In primavera le nostre strade sono piene di ciclisti. 

Qui ho voluto catturare l'atmosfera e il movimento di una corsa di ciclismo...

Starting again! Ricomincio!

I haven't been posting for a LOOONG time.

 I have been feeling that I am on a turning point, not happy with what I'm painting.

I've been experimenting, doing abstract, trying other mediums as well.

I didn't find any answers - 

but I'm absolutely enjoying the process of doing arts 

- and teaching. 

So I decided to start sharing my work again and

Hope you enjoy some of it!

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E da tanto tempo che non condivido i miei lavori - ma adesso lo farò e scriverò anche in italiano!

Non sono stata - e non lo sono ancora - contenta dei miei lavori, 

ma ho dipinto e sperimentato varie tecniche. 

Adesso posso dire che la procedura del creare arte per me è fondamentale e piacevolissimo

- così come l'insegnare,

 è ricomincerò a condividere i miei lavori 

sperando che qualcuno vi piaccia!

Shadows... and tulips...- OMBRE

Painting 'black' tulips, I was more fascinated by the shadow... 

Probably that's why that turned out to be the best part of the painting!
-
I miei tulipani neri - ero più attratta  dall'ombra sul tavolo.
-Infatti è la parte che mi è riuscita meglio!