February Challenge

This months challenge was chosen by Mick www.thepaintingstruggle.blogspot.com/ and is a scene in Venice showing The Bridge of Sighs.

When Mick sent this photograph I was unable to save it and various e-mails went back and forth without a resolution, Finally I searched the web and came up with a free utility called Pixillion Image Converter. I downloaded and it worked first time! I was able to convert the photo file enabling me to save, crop, print etc.

Venice is one of the most painted cities in the World - actually many think over painted. I remember reading of a judge at an exhibition saying if any more Venice paintings appeared he would...!!! On my last visit - a cruise in the Venice lagoons - we explored beyond the normal tourist limits. I knew that the population has fallen dramatically in the last decade or more and this was evident in the empty buildings and semi-derelict shops as soon as you got beyond the centre and main tourist areas. A dying city?

The first two paintings attempts were unsatisfactory. Yesterday I had a final shot and first of all cropped the photograph.

The right hand (facing) side has been cropped. This is the view I decided upon. I completed the drawing trying not to be over fussy but getting everything in their right place. 

Bridge of Sighs- Fabriano Artistico Extra White 18" x 10" Not

Modified by lightening the small rear bridge using a damp sponge.

I used quite a few colours in this painting. Blues were Cerulean, Cobalt (Rowney PB72) and Cyan (Maimeri Green shade PB15-3). The Cerulean mainly on the bridge, Heavily diluted Cobalt for the water and sky, with Cyan for the darker areas of the water. Also some Ultramarine for the darks in the boats. The walls were  Raw Umber, Raw Sienna, Quinacridone Gold (Daniel Smith PO49) and Yellow Ochre (Graham) with Burnt Sienna , Ultramarine Violet Deep (Graham PV15) and Permanent Magenta (Rowney PV19). Some Viridian on the poles sticking out of the water and Burnt Umber and Indigo Daniel Smith) for the darks. I think that's it. Oh yes a touch of Permanent Carmine (W & N PR N/A) on the small boat.

Brushes by contrast were the Isabey Size 8 series 6228 and Da Vinci Maestro 10 Size 6, both Kolinsky sable plus a size 4 . 

One thing I'm frustrated with. I photographed the original using two cameras, a Nikon DSLR with 55mm lens and a Canon Powershot, different settings and under different light. Despite producing over 20 photographs not one conveys the actual painting in a satisfactory way. It is better than the reproduction on here - by a margin - but unfortunately you'll have to take my word for it. I'll have to consult Mick the camera expert. Comments welcome.

Piet Lap

Piet Lap. Note his palette arrangements

I first became aware of Piet Lap when I bought `Realistic Abstracts' by Keest van Aalst. The initial attraction among some of the artists featured was Viktoria Prischedko, but I explored the others  and came upon Piet Lap, and some more who I may highlight in future. Piet, a Dutch artist born in 1943, isn't among the younger element but what an artist! His work featured in the abstract book is more inclined in that direction but on finding his website I discovered a range of representational paintings, in a very expressionistic style, that are absolutely stunning.  In order to find out more I contacted him with a number of questions and also asked permission to show some of his paintings. The reply was prompt, although he checked my blog out first, and answered all my queries.

St Kilda

The paintings shown are all quite large as many are full sheet and some even larger. Details and individual sizes are shown on his website. His paintings are grouped in several categories with Landscapes, Dutch, Italian, Scottish and Others together with Still Lifes and Other Works. A full biography is on the website.

 The famous fish market at Venice

Another Venice view

Piet likes painting boats: those stranded on beaches and also derelicts

An example of his Still Lifes.

What an amazing panoramic view!

As for specifics to quote Piet " I have 40 colours on my palette, far too much of course, but half of them I seldom use (just in case..) A must for me are French Ultramarine, Cobalt Blue, Caerulean Blue, Prussian Blue, Indigo, Paynes Grey, Quinacridone Rose, Cadmium Red, Purple Madder, Caput Mortuum, Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, Sepia, Raw Umber, Burnt Umber, Cadmium Yellow Citron, Cadmium Yellow, Hookers Green Dark, and...white gouache. All tubes Winsor & Newton, Schminke and Talens (Rembrandt)".

Regarding brushes "Some expensive Kolinsky sables, some cheap flat brushes, but mostly Da Vinci Cosmotop mix brushes in all sizes from 6 to 32".

Paper " I have tried all sorts of paper but nowadays I stick to Arches 300gsm and 640gsm Torchon (Rough)".

His approach to painting "I have no specific approach, it all depends on the subject you paint, on intuition, on your mood for an experimental approach, on the outdoor circumstances".

Other comments " I like travelling, it's half the fun in a painters life. And that's where I differ from most of the other watercolourists. I always paint my landscapes on the spot, except of course my aerial views of Dutch rivers, which I photographed from a helicopter.  ..."Making a watercolour is like chess playing: try to think about the next two or three steps you intend to make, eventually prepare a sufficient amount of some colours, but don't rigidly stick to your plan: things can change on your way, so be receptive. If you act do it with speed and determination".

 Not sure if I'm supposed to post this but his parting comment  was "A tip:in my gear is a hipflask with `water for life' it clears one's mind. Don't tell anybody"... " "Best wishes and have painters fun yours Piet Lap".

As I've already said this is one fabulous artist and obviously a great guy.. His website is www.pietlap.com/  If you like what you've seen, and I'm sure most will, have a look at all the fabulous paintings featured. Thank you Piet for being so open and helpful.