Welcome to Polly's Blog

Welcome to Polly's Blog
Watercolour, humour, this and that

Wednesday 23 October 2013

LAKE GARDA PAINTINGS AND SKETCHES

Here's Polly again, with more memories of her painting holiday, with Hazel Soan, to Italy.  Lake Garda was the second part of the holiday (went to Verona first) and challenging it certainly was, what with heavy rain, damp and cloud, it was a grey few days. It was also very cold and I had to buy another thick top. One day I had 5 layers on. Anyway, after the morning demo with Hazel, we went off and did our own thing in the afternoon, sometimes meeting up with other painters, especially when it rained, we would all have found some place to shelter. Beware there are NINE! So have patience if you want to read to the end.

Quickly dashed out of the hotel to paint this bounganvillia (can't spell it) at the side of the hotel.  Bit of a mess really but I just had to paint it.

This couple were sat in front of me for ages, so painted them but the rest of the painting is made up.

Here I was sheltered under some arches. This is the main square in Salo.  There was no-one about. Teaming with rain and windy.  How do I remember that?  Because I was sketching and I remember the sounds, the loneliness, oh everything.  A photograph would have just shown a wet day.

This is another view of the main square and the Lake was behind me.  I was sat on the war memorial steps and we were waiting to catch the ferry.  Hazel Soan is the one in black with a camera in her hand. I sketched this while I was waiting and then went back on a fine afternoon and painted it. So it's a painting in two halves!!!

The doorway to the Duomo, last afternoon, and cruelly the sun was trying to break through the clouds!  People were buying ice creams from a little shop in the square, but I did NOT succumb!

Final sketch of the holiday, by now the sun was shining albeit watery.  Used my water soluble pen and water brush for speed. 

We took a ferry to this little place, the rain was torrential by the time I painted this.  Hazel had done a demo of orange trees so I incorporated that idea in my painting. 

Was looking for a place to paint (This was the ferry destination place called Geronimo or something similar) when it started to rain.  Four of us ended up sketching in this little place where we had a quick lunch and Prosecco.  This poor man you will notice is tall with a decidedly dodgey skinny knee.  In actual fact he was rather on the short side! So you can see that I am not very accurate! Especially when I have had a glass of wine.

This was literally a 10 min sketch done when we stopped at San Sirmione on the way to our second destination, using my Elegant Finewriter water soluble pen.  Too many angles.  Nightmare.  Stupid to attempt when 10 mins was all I had to spare.

Well here endeth my on the spot paintings. My next post will be the fun personal paintings I did in my room at night.  

22 comments:

  1. You are right Polly they capture so much more than a photo!! Some lovely sketches here... this sort of plein air I think is just what I need, did you use a sketch book?

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    1. Thank you. Done on Saunders w/c quarter imperial block. My treat as I was on holiday, and the half imperial for the main paintings. Too lazy to stretch paper and it is suggested paper by Hazel. Got some left so will have to go on another course lol The next batch of personal sketches are mostly done on khadi paper.

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  2. Love this tour of the Garda lake, your watercolors are really excellent !

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  3. Polly - such a treat to see all these paintings. You managed not only to capture these scenes so well but your art leaves a feeling of the place. Thank you Polly for sharing - I so enjoyed your work. Take care and have a lovely week-end.

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    1. Thank you Debbie. How lovely that you think I have given you a feeling of the place. You too have a lovely weekend

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  4. what a fine array of paintings! I enjoyed each and every one. :)

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    1. Thank you Celeste for your kind words. Have a great weekend

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  5. A wonderful adventure that ended with a series of great works. I think Hazel makes you work a lot, but it worth it!!!
    Lovely to share your adventure in real time on FB and here!!!

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    1. Thank you Rita. An adventure it certainly was. She doesn't make us work hard but everyone did work hard, we were a very serious group. Have a lovely weekend

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  6. After such a workout I guess nothing will scare you and we'll continue to make sketches. They are all great and connected with a lot of memories. Good weekend Polly.

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    1. Lydie. Thank you. It was wonderful working en plein air. I have some lovely memories.

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  7. I really admire your determination to sketch and paint no matter what the weather...I'm like that too. I can remember painting a gondola repair place in Venice, tucked into a doorway with the umbrella sitting on my head while I huddled under it and painted. As with most plein air paintings when you look back at them, you are so aware of how it looked, felt, smelled, sounded...much more than if you took a photo. I especially like the one of the place you took the ferry to. There is something about the loneliness of it with just the two figures and their umbrellas. I also like the life and vibrance of the one of the main square with all the figures. You did them really well. Thanks for sharing so much of your trip with us.

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    1. Thank you Joan. We both like painting en plein air; Yes, it is really special to be able to paint outdoors and a real challenge at times, never mind people looking over your shoulder. Oh, And I painted possibly the same boatyard nr Acadamia area. And I can imagine you in the doorway. lol

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  8. You had a wonderful painting holiday, Polly, love the sketches!

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  9. It looks like a very successful trip :>) so get out there and use that pad here! all these autumn colours that will soon blow away are perfect for it.

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    1. Vivien thank you. Don't think there will be any colours left on the trees after tomorrow nights. But thanks for your visit and comments.

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  11. It's a shame when the weather is against you on a painting vacation like this, but I'm amazed that you didn't let it ruin it, and how much you painted and sketched! I like the bougainvillea painting a lot, as well as the sitting couple and the one with the man sitting under the umbrella.

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