Wednesday, April 21, 2010

En Route to Venice with Karlyn

9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP

We awoke to much needed rain, and our newly planted trees and veggies are sure to appreciate the water!

This painting was inspired by examples in Karlyn's new book. The image was a from a photo I took en route to Venice while I was there with Karlyn a year ago. It's of a small hilltown somewhere between Tuscany and Venice, taken from the window of our van.

I loved Karlyn's suggestions for using Unryu paper to soak up th dark areas of watercolor, and the way she vignettes the masses of foliage. In my photo, the foreground was an orchard, but I decided to leave this suggestive. The dark lines on the buildings are bits of acryllic outlined using a Gutta bottle - the type of line making tool used by silkers. Karlyn introduced us to using acryllic and Gutta bottles during one of her Raleigh workshops. I thought I might have used this image previously, but I couldn't find it this morning.

I'm off to work and a thousand thank you notes to write!

Have a great day!

3 comments:

Wezz said...

It's beautiful, and I love how you put in some hints of grape colors for the vineyard in the foreground... I hope to be able to go to Venice one day!! I can keep dreaming, right? LOL

Hugs,
Wezz

Lorraine said...

What an interesting and colorful painting Lin. I love the colors and all the "suggestions" along with the more detailed building. Just wonderful!

Have a great day.
Hugs,
Lorraine

Joan said...

Beautiful piece!!! I love the building and never thought of using one of those bottles for outlining. (I have one from when I did silk painting.) I like that you weren't really detailed in the foreground. Bella!!!