Flying Pictures - Venice

Watercolour, gesso, ink & gouache on grey paper (click for larger image)

Lindsay's Flying Pictures sketchbook is now in France with Casey. Since the theme of Lindsay's book is water, my contribution is Venice (above). It's the view from Piazza S. Marco across the lagoon. To the right, detail of some buildings on the Grand Canal.

Lindsay commenced her book with a beautiful and striking collage. I continued this theme, taking her little canoe through Tuscany and on to Venice. Will Casey be tempted to paddle the little canoe on through France? We'll have to wait and see.

You can follow the adventures of all seven books in the Flying Pictures Sketchbook Exchange here.

After John Singer Sargent

After JSS Campo dei Gesuiti (Venice) watercolour 26 x 36cm
Original painting 1902-1904 is 35 x 50cm (Private collection)

This is my second attempt to copy a John Singer Sargent watercolour, the first some time ago, I think was more successful.

The Sargent and Venice exhibition I saw earlier this month was inspiring. It would have been wonderful to paint in the gallery which I had pretty much to myself, being on the tale-end of the exhibition. Unfortunately not enough time.

It isn't until I try to copy Sargent that I realise how deceptive is the simplicity of his watercolours. This palette is quite simple but the values are very hard to get. I will attempt this picture again, taking a little more care with my vertical lines and proportions. Next I will try this palette with one of my Venice photographs.