NICE NIGHT FOR A STROLL

Evening Stroll, St. Remy de Provence

After we returned from our trip to France, I was able to look at all of the photos we took and have slowly been making my way through them looking for painting possibilities. This was one of them.  A night scene.  Yikes!! I had never done one, but now was the time.   I also decided to try using a new material, Arches oil paper.  I liked the smoothness and the way the first coat just soaks into the paper.  It doesn't allow for much wiping away, so need to plan accordingly.

This painting is done from a photo of one of the nights we went out to a planned group dinner with our biking friends.  It was at the house of a pastry chef.  We were all so stuffed after, that we decided to walk back to the hotel. Hope you enjoy this little view of France.

Study, Study, Study

 Storm Brewing, pencil sketch

Storm Brewing, color Study

Here are two photos showing my thought process behind the development of a painting.  I love stormy skies, and the photo I used for my reference was very dark.  I began with a rough sketch, making notes about values.  The little painting is a quickie, getting the color and values of the various elements.  I like most of the painting, but might add more buildings as shown in the sketch.  I might also make this a vertical piece since I'd like to add more of that stormy sky. This may or may not become a finished painting, but the ideas and values are there if and when I decide to paint it.