Rue du Petit Champlain WIP

 

OK, I am at it again and am working on a cityscape, the reference picture I took back in 2003 - that was before digital cameras in my world.  So I scanned in the print into my computer using my printer and am taking it from there.  This was taken in early Fall in old town Quebec City and as you can see no cars allowed on this street.  It just looked so European.  I knew when I was coming down the Breakneck stairs that one day I wanted to paint this scene.  I remember the brisk air, the noisy crowd, all the activity, color and sign pollution - and I just loved it. 

But it is a pretty intimidating picture, so just keep telling myself to do one layer at a time and trying to keep it loose - yeah right!!  Technically I guess you can paint a building loose and certainly the windows will be looser and of course the people and other things as we move back into the planes will get more abstract and hopefully single strokes. 

I underpainted with a light yellow ochre to enhance all the bright light flying around this picture.  I have really left the yellow coming through in several areas.  Right now I am fighting myself as I left yellow streaks shining through the sky and of course it doesn't look finished as you can see brush strokes.  I want to glaze over it, but just keep telling myself to remember 6 feet is the comfortable viewing distance, and then it really doesn't show up as streaky - we'll see if I can keep it through out or glaze it up.  I really don't know what I have against brush strokes, but in pastels I always smooth it out too - just me I guess.

 

Also took my time trying to get the perspective drawn in correctly.  I kind of ran out of room, even though this is large for me, 18"x18" (again one of my $1.91 cheap canvas that I am painting over) so shortened some of the space below the railing and took out a half inch off the bottom above the railing and will hope that it still reads like I am standing above the street.  

Thanks much for stopping by.