PAINTING IN TUSCANY: watercolour

Showing posts with label watercolour. Show all posts

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?!

Some thoughts about Creativity!

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

Hope you enjoy it!

Enjoy the process!

Statue of Nettuno, detail - watercolour on paper Fabriano Artistico 300 gsm

As I've finished teaching most workshops for this year,

I finally have time to go through all the impressions and memories.

I feel lucky to meet so many interesting and wonderful persons from different countries,

sharing my passion in watercolour painting!

I really enjoy every single painting session, and I hope - I feel - most students do, as well.

The hard part is to decide how much theory I should teach

- I'd really want to invite everybody to just enjoy the moment:

the fluidity of the watercolours, the incredible colours that emerge from the the washes

and some accidental happy surprises.

The nature of watercolour includes accepting also unplanned results!

Of course some basic knowledge is necessary - but then I think you should just...

Enjoy the process!

The painting above is an example of an unplanned painting, a happy coincidence?!

a sunset wash on paper 300 gsm

The background wash started out as a demonstration of fluid painting

during an inspiring sunset painting session in August.

The result was similar to this one above.

As usual, I didn't have time to finish it in any way, but as I liked the colours I kept it for another moment.

Some time ago it emerged amongst other washes and paintings,

while I was watching photos of statues from Florence... and...

Suddenly this detail of the statue of Nettuno hit me - a moment of inspiration

- and the painting was done!

Yes, in this case I worked in a quite unusual way,

since I adapted the painting to a previously painted background.

Fortunately there was light (white) in almost all the right spots,

but not everthing worked pefectly well.

To get the three dimensional look,

I had to adapt the position of the figure to the background.

Compared to the real statue I also made some simplifications.

Did you notice which?!

I added some structure, a hint of the wall behind, on the right part, and that's what I like less.

Probably I should try to wash it away...

Anyway, I'm quite satisfied with this experiment, and think that maybe I could paint something else adapting these finishes and colours?

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?!

Painting in Tuscany!

Fabriano artistico watercolor paper 300 gsm 28x38cm

Painting a Tuscan corner ... Such a beautiful place!

Un bellissimo angolo di Toscana !

Blocking in the lightest colors... then adding the middle values...

La stesura dei primi colori... poi i verdi...

- and the final details

- gli ultimi ritocchi.

Ancora del Chianti Eco Friendly BB & Art Retreat in Tuscany
Painting here! - Ecco dove sono!

Inspiring watercolours! Acquerelli per ispirare!

I've been busy painting and with workshops, and once again it's a looong time since I showed any watercolours! But I've been working a lot the last months so soon there will be more to see!

E stato un periodo intenso, ho dipinto e lavorato tanto ma ho presto mostrerò altri miei lavori!

This particular painting was a lot of fun exploring the negative spaces

during the workshop with my friend and one of my teachers, swedish artist Monica Mansson one week ago!

To learn how to do the negative painting, go to vinca-rosea-step-by-step.

Mi sono divertita tanto a realizzare questo studio (e altri) dei spazi negativi,

partecipando al workshop di Monica Mansson, artista svedese, amica e una dei miei insegnanti!

Per vedere come dipingere al negativo vai a vinca-rosea-step-by-step.

Painting outdoors is always so peaceful and relaxing!

Dipingere dal vero e en plein air è sempre bellissimo!

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!

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!

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

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

Chianti Poesia

I'm sharing this link with a short presentation of me in italian

here, on Chianti Poesia ,

the blog of Leonardo Manetti, a local poet and blogwriter.

A chi interessa, può leggere una mia breve presentazione

qui, su Chianti Poesia,

il blog di Leonardo Manetti, il poeta del Chianti!

Vinca Rosea Step-by-step

Negative painting

Dipingere in negativo

One way to paint light flowers is by negative painting... Here is a step-by-step demonstration.

Per dipingere i fiori chiari, a volte uso il metodo di pittura al negativo...

Sotto vi dimostro come procedo.

I start by a first wash wet-in wet. I just put down the lightest colours that I want to blend together. I also added the central part of the flowers.

Il primo passo è una stesura bagnato su bagnato. Qui uso i colori più chiari che devono sfumare insieme. Ho anche aggiunto la parte centrale del fiore.

When the paper is dry, I start with the dark parts and shadows, just painting the OUTLINE of flowers and leaves, blending the colour outwards ...

Quando la carta è asciutta, comincio a delimitare i fiori e le foglie dipingendo il contorno esterno e sfumando in fuori...

Just continue until you reach the contrast that makes the flowers stand out - this is negative painting!

Si continua fino al contrasto voluto per fare risaltare i fiori -

this is negative painting, and this technique is used commonly in watercolours. I hope you liked this tutorial !

questa è la tecnica al negativo, si usa spesso nell'acquarello. Spero ti sia piaciuta!

Abstract landscapes 2 - Paesaggi astratti 2

Simplifying even more - just the horizon and colour washes...

Semplificando ancora - solo colore e orizzonte...

Sunset and backlight...

Tramonto e controluce...

And what about this - can you see a landscape here?!

E questo cosa sarà - ci vedi un paesaggio?!

link to more abstract landscapes- paesaggi astratti here

Abstract landscapes - Paesaggi astratti

Just some small abstract landscape studies from this winter.

My purpose was to simplify the shapes and play with the colours.

Alcuni piccoli paesaggi astratti dipinti quest'inverno.

Lo scopo era di semplificare le forme, giocando con i colori.

As you might see, I was inspired by... olive grooves at sunset.

Forse si può vedere che sono stata ispirata dagli uliveti al tramonto...

I think it's also clear in which order I painted these?!

Credo si possa capire anche la successione dei dipinti?!

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...

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!

Watercolour studies - more pears!

If you have seen my earlier posts (here and here) you can see how my paintings developed, getting simplier!

I also changed the accent colours, choosing from the real ones I would see.

I painted many more, but already sent them as postcards!

At the end I ran out of the ready cut paper - and used some Canson 200 gsm paper for the last pears( as the one above). It dried much faster, and doesn't have the structure of the Fabraiano Artistico coldpressed watercolour paper, but it's also interesting.

Now - it was time to stop!

But I will definitely repeat this painting session as an excercise soon. I also recommend it as a watercolour lesson to everybody: choose a simple subject, paint small size and repeat several times!

It's very meditative and zen - and you learn a lot!

Watercolour studies - pears!

Some days ago I painted a series of pears from my garden (link here).

I started with more naturalistic paintings, but slowly started to simplify.

Below you can get an idea of the process!

More tomorrow!

Painting pears in my garden - so delicious!

Pears, watercolour 10x15 cm

We have had such a hot July, but finally last weekend the temperatures went down a bit, allowing me to move outdoors and enjoy my garden again. I wanted to paint a series of postcards for the postcardartgroup.

The vegetation and flowers have suffered from the heat, but I did find something to paint!

Pears, small watercolours in progress, 10x15 cm

I started to paint the small pears that are maturing right now.

The first paintings were more naturalistic, even if I was using a loose style.

I repeated the same subject several times...

It was very relaxing and meditative to repeat the same subject with small changes, to see which changes would actually improve the painting. or which solutions I'd like more.

Usually I like to paint large, but doing all these studies was possible because I kept the size small, like a postcard - and I highly recommend this excercise to everybody who loves painting!

The postcards are of now, but I'll show you more pictures soon!

Playing with watercolours... Summer colours!

Alcea Rosea, watercolour 24x30cm on Fabriano Artistico 300grs paper

I have either been very busy or very lazy lately, so it's definitely time for a new post!

I painted this hollyhock (Alcea Rosea ) from my fantasy, last week,

when the flowers in my garden were already suffering the heat of July...

And this is what I did first, an underwash just playing with some colours.

To be honest I wasn't really sure what it was going to develop into!

And yes, I admit I was definitely inspired by Jean Haines, if you don't know her work, click on the link for lots of inspiration.

work in progress

Lesson 5: Play with your watercolours!

Take your material and start playing - it's easy and fun!

Start with any piece of watercolour paper and use clean water to wet it with your brush. Check the wetness of the paper by turning it and looking at it from the border : it should be damp all over, without pools!

Now choose 2 or 3 colours and start dropping colours onto the paper! You can mix some colours, if you want, or just let them mix on the paper.

Let the colours spread and see how beautiful the result is without any effort! This is the basics of wet-in-wet painting and You will enjoy playing like this even if you are a more experienced painter!

This is Wet in wet - It's easy!