After finishing my challenge for the Virtual Paint Out I felt that I had spare creative energy to release and I wanted to paint something special. I just couldn’t find any inspiration anywhere in my large library of photographs or even any items of interest from my home for a quick still life. I eventually landed on a photograph of a lane in Provence, France, and chose to do this water colour. I want to paint two water colour sketches per week, and this week I have only painted one. However, I enjoyed this at the end when it came together, but after two hours work, it looked so boring and similar to the other two I have painted recently. It then hit me; it needs a figure. I have to confess that for me all landscapes have added meaning and pathos with a figure in it. I don’t know why this is, and I could go on about it, but this work looks a lot better with the small figure on the path; just a suggestion of a woman hurrying off somewhere. I made her much smaller than a photograph would have shown a real person to scale, and this was intentional as it always adds to the grandeur of the surroundings. What I like about the effect of adding the figure is that, for me, it seems to take the scene back in time and maybe that is because I put her in a long dress. Who knows?
"A Lane in Provence"Water Colour on Paper - 10.5" x 10.5" (Approx.)
3 comments:
What a glorious avenue of trees, Anne! The trees look massive next to the figure, making the majesty of the trees truly the focal point for me. I love the period clothes you've dressed her in...Definitely reminiscent of an earlier era.
Thanks Sherry. I might develop this as a theme or series - if time permits.
How often I have run or cycled along just such places and youhave also caught the atmosphere. I just wonder if the lady a bit further along the roadwould have done just what you wanted and given even more distance but hey that said I just love it thanks for the memories
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