Thursday (not sure why publication date is Wednesday because I didn't actually post until Friday????) we spent a wonderful day at the village called La Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, where the largest spring in France is found, and is the source of the Sorgue river. The sun shone, the temperature was perfect and the colours in the fast moving water were intense blues and greens. I love painting reflections in water, and so was delighted to walk, snap photos and feel inspired.
I finally settled on a view.......
Friday morning we painted at an old ochre quarry near Les Bassacs. We arrived about 9:15 and the view I wanted to paint had many interesting cast shadows. I tried to paint quickly and get down the darks and some mid tones, but the light kept changing.
I did finish the painting (left) in situ but felt it neede some colour correcting back in the studio, and so the final version (right) is a little different, though the photo is too light, and the painting has a stronger ochre tint. Now that I see them side by side I think I like the first version better! C'est la vie!
Tonight is our vernissage and then last dinner. I am almost packed and already anticipating the next two travel days, to Marseilles and Paris, then to Toronto and finally to Guelph and home.
Two beauties, Pat. The reflection painting is beautiful, and I really like both versions of the trees. That dappled light looks really challenging.
ReplyDeleteRe the dappled light - the big challenge was the changing light/shadow patterns on the ground; as soon as I thought I had it on the canvas, I would look up and realize the patterns had changed, so I would try to change the painting, but eventually I had to give up and just go with what I had.....all fun.
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