Lesson 1: The watercolour paper!

GINESTRA - watercolour 50x70cm

It happened again- once in a while I end up using  random paper( in this case Canson 200grs paper) instead of real watercolor paper. 

The reason usually is because I find it ready to hand, just in the right size - and I just plan to do a fast sketch anyway ;). 

But now, what happens when your sketch didn't turn out that bad, BUT you can't finish it...

Good watercolor paper is GOOD because it can take several layers of color and water. In this painting I feel like it would need some more depth and shadows using wet color - but this paper can't take it -I could draw on it , or paint with a very dry color - but that's not what I want!

On the other hand I don't really want to paint this subject again, even if I often do paint more versions, since I feel quite happy with the way I captured the esssence I was looking for! 

And also the flowers are on the compost now!!

So remember one of the very first lessons - ALWAYS use GOOD watercolor paper!!

Wisteria Love! Reworking an old painting!

 I just love the wisteria and would love to sit on that bench!

This painting is made from a very small photo, I think it was a pubblicity in a garden magazine, a few years ago.

I wasn't happy with it, but left it in the pile. Then recently I found it again and got inspired!

I washed away part of  it, and painted the shadows on the wisteria

(and some yellow for the light on the ground -even if the photo doesn't show it!). 

 I would have liked more white, but it's not possible now. If  I can find the original photo again, I will try to do a new version though!

Do you ever rework old paintings?!

Finished work!

This is the finished watercolor painting from last week. As I wanted to keep it loose, I just added some red on the flowers, and a few darker shadows on the leaves.

Visiting Giardino Corsini

This weekend I  visited the beautiful garden of  Palazzo Corsini al Prato in Florence. During the show Artigianato e Palazzo, many artisans and artist exposed there products and artworks in the garden and in  the three 'limonaia' - the greenhouses for the lemon trees in the winter.

My main interest was the guided tour to the garden by a historian and also learning about the more botanical  and practical aspects by Paolo, the gardener.

In the parterres there were beautiful scented peonies, artichokes, lavender and santolina 

- no close ups, sorry!

 

But I also enjoyed the beautiful portraits by Magali de Maistre , Sicilian 'cannoli' and much more!

I wasn't planning to show the photos, so I just took a few for my own records, but you can search 

'Palazzo Corsini al Prato' for more photos!

Work in progress - A Tribute to...

Work in progress...  Inspired by a beautiful painting of the great watercolor artist Kanta Harusaki.

The First washes, wet in wet.

I decided to add some red to the center of the flower and some plastic wrap for special effects...

I'll show you the final painting soon - I just noticed I didn't take a photo of it yet!

I decided to 'copy' freely the works and the styles of some artists I like, in order to develop my own way of painting. Especially I want to loosen up. I never liked copying artwork before, but noticed that this was a funny way of just painting without worrying about problems to resolve, like composition and choice of color! I really think that I'll be doing more of this!!

Floral - just sketching!

I often use my sketchbooks for playing around and painting early in the morning 

- even when I don't have time ! And yes, often it is floral!