I have been back from Italy for 2 weeks and am still getting my act together. I have been very negligent with my blog. I have been out painting trying to put to use the lessons learned in the Italian country side. Many of the exercises I did in Italy are just that: exercises to learn new techniques and concepts but a some have come out well. One already sold. A couple of other I hope to hang in a gallery in Columbus, Ohio. I could go on at length about how well the workshops were conducted by Maddine Insalaco and Joe Vinson of Buonconvento and how much I learned but that will have to wait till later. It was time well spent. The picture above is myself under a tent on the only day it rain on us located on a vineard near Montalcino. I am apply oil to acid free water color paper in the tradition of Valenciennes and the original landscape painter of the 18th century. It was very intense: up at 7 am, breakfast at 8, out the door to paint by 8:30 paint till 1pm, lunch in style till 2, paint till 6, critique at 7, lecture than dinner, bed by 10 and do the same again. It works.
This monochromatic study of the cottage of La Ripolina, Buonconvento was done with knife only and a mixture of burnt umber and zinc white. Values are everything. The sun is on the right and close to the horizon, shadows are deep and long, the sky reflected and scattered light. It was a challenge but fun.
This painting was done in a small stream near Montalcino in the morning with the sun on the left lighting up the right side of the stream bank and the tops of the trees. The greens contains chrome green which give a mint tone, a softer color.
This paint is the same scene but afternoon and the sun has move over to the right and now the left side is illuminated. It works well.
