Saturday, December 15, 2007

Casalecchio - Mixed Media from Suggestions

After the kind suggestions on my earlier Italian landscape from Keith, Bev, Mineke, and others, I pulled out another of my photos from a trip to Sicily we took 2 years ago and decided to try again for that hazy background.

THIS time, I stretched the paper!! LOL and was amazed after I wet, stapled and taped the paper to foamcore (all I had available) how absolutely FLAT it remained after all the washes and water! So I will definitely use that method again. LOL

The scene is from an agritourism, working farm in the hills of Casalecchio, Sicily -- far larger than the complex I painted -- I shrunk much of the buildings as I was more interested in the panarama than the buildings. I realized AFTER it was sketched that the point of interest landed smack in the middle of the paper -- but I know that I have ample space to crop the left of this painting to move the buildings a bit off center -- I'm posting the painting in its entirety for my discussion!

I used Winsor-Newton watercolors on Arches cold press 140# and grayed some of the colors as I applied them with a light touch to keep a hazy look. I then used Mineke's suggestion to glaze the background with a thin mix of gouache and water -- which you see here. I also added a bit more graying with a bit of Winsor violet. I added a bit of ink to the windows and roof lines of the houses to sharpen those images.

In some ways I miss all the details of brighter images (which I tend to paint!) but I think the methods suggested work well and I again, appreciate all the generous suggestions!

Now to figure out how to do these kinds of landscapes with a bit looser feel! LOL

3 comments:

Lorraine said...

I really like the darker detailed buildings against the looser, lighter landscape. It really makes the buildings pop. I know that rule about not putting the point of interest in the middle of the page but honestly, my eye took it all in -- roving over the landscape from top to bottom. I would opt for a bit more color but so many photos really do look that way -- misty -- so it doesn't bother me. That's the beauty of art -- to each his own! Whew, stretching paper -- now you really are a pro!!!
Hugs,
Lorraine

Teri said...

It is just beautiful! And even though the houses are in the middle, it works well with all the surrounding beauty.

Joan Y said...

Wow, I love the atmosphere you created in this one. It's very effective and seems to make the houses pop! Great painting Lin!