Rooftops over Ragusa: the finished painting

/ davidrpharmer
Rooftops over Ragusa Finished

This has been an enjoyable journey to use that expression, which does seem appropriate, as I did feel I went back there. I took photographs with a view to paint, but never found the time. One thing about lockdown is that I don’t feel guilty about making more time to paint. There is always something to do in the house but generally house and garden are tidy and the allotment is up-to-date, which is unheard of

Also I am managing to paint in natural light which is a plus. So often painting time comes in the evening and artificial light is a handicap

Colours were enjoyable with the mix of phthalo blue and cobalt for sky and cathedral. Just a tad of grey in the blue for accuracy and to stand against the sky. For all the old houses, different shades of Burnt Sienna and orange, with some blue in the steps to balance the colour scheme

There is a competition coming up for 70+ year olds in lockdown so might put this one in. There will be thousands of entries from across the country, so no hope of winning, but as we say, it’s the taking part that counts

12 thoughts on “Rooftops over Ragusa: the finished painting”

    • Thank you Emma
      I’ve only ever done watercolour so I should be getting it right! Having said that I can still get a tidemark if I don’t concentrate
      I hope you’re enjoying your watercolours anyway. The results are rewarding when everything comes together
      I hope your leg is mending nicely
      David

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      • They form so quickly in warm weather as the paint dries so fast. So tempting to touch it up and then you are in worse trouble
        I’ve just looked at my Ragusa picture again and I’ve got a couple of small ones, which could pass for clouds luckily. More than a few times I’ve put in a nonexistent tree just to cover a mark. I always paint oversize too, as the edges invariably show marks where the paint runs down and congeals
        Happy painting!
        Glad your leg is improving which is more important, Emma

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      • Interesting to hear you comments on the tide marks. I suspect life would be easier if I taped around the edges of my pictures but I have run out of masking tape! I am now in the painful rehab exercise part of recovery.I can walk slowly with a crutch to help with balance but too much walk results in a painful swollen ankle. Its strange that although I am “closer” to normality I feel very far away from being to get up and walk somewhere without having to think about every tiny movement I make. How to position my ankle, bend my knee and so on.

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      • Hi Emma
        Yes I tape round the edges and use a fairly heavyweight paper as I wash straight across and make all the paper wet. The paper balloons and then goes back flat if allowed to dry naturally say overnight. Shame about the tape. I think SAA will send it to you
        About twenty years ago I ruptured my Achilles tendon so I sympathise with your predicament. It’s a very long process and can’t be rushed. Just a little each day. Sleep with your foot higher than your head if you can, and that will combat the puffy ankle. Good luck with it all

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      • Thank you, David. Rupturing an achilles tendon sounds very painful and a slow business. I am making progress with the leg, its slow and exhausting. Thank you for the wash tips. It is evident to me that watercolours require a lot of knowldege, patience and practice.

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  3. I usually go for the ‘feel’ of an artwork than its ‘looks’. On Valentine’s Day this year, my mom and I went to a restaurant and they had a watercolour painting hung by the wall our table was. It was of a beautiful house on decay, and I looked at it all my time there, thinking about my grandparent’s house that was sold to a realtor after they had passed away. The painting, in my mother’s opinion, wasn’t something very special but for me it captured that decayed and neglected look very well, and made me feel something (sad and nostalgic in this case). Your paintings have a feeling of their own, one could look at them and imagine what the artist was thinking and maybe feel something too. Similarly one feels something when they watch Morse, which is why I associated them.

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