I never get tired of this incredible view. It’s never the same from one day to the next. I love this location early in the morning (there are also no children in the park where I made it – otherwise they talk to me all the time!). There is always a surprise with the form of the clouds. Today they were hanging over the distant mountains and there was a line of mist sitting in the valley. The plain below is the perfect location to grow tobacco (for cigars apparently).
The light was soft and warm. I could have used a cobalt blue, but I wanted a bit more warmth. I generally only use 3 primary colours (they can be different each time) and maybe add an accent colour if I need to. On this occasion it was enough, everything just melted together.
A lesson I learned a while ago was to get down (first) what is going to change most quickly… In this case the sky, distant hills and the valley. So I mapped out the profile of the town and then, in one wet I painted the sky and valley floor. The buildings I knew I could leave for another session. Skies are never quite the same twice. When painting alla prima you need to make decisions quickly!
12 x 16 inches, oil paint on panel. Artist’s colours, Michael Harding and Windsor and Newton. Ultramarine, burnt sienna, cadmium yellow, zinc and titanium whites. I tend to use Jackson’s brushes, mostly filberts and a couple of small brights for the drawing. I’ve just had my first delivery of equipment here in Italy, so a sigh of relief, otherwise, it’s off to Florence!!
Rupert Denyer 