one more day to go...

One more day to go, she said, half believing it. A few leaves to add to the vines, two flower pots to empty and repot into one (I don't like them so much now that the lemon tree has been added) and the pavement to finish. And then, she said confidently, but holding her breath a little, we are almost done! Almost, because there is ALWAYS something more I think I can do. But there comes a time to say STOP and we are not far from that point.

Today I focused on blending the painting in with the house and furnishings, and bringing the lemons to life a little. Here are some details for the artists among you. Please imagine that the masking tape is not there :-)
I like to think that this has been a really successful change, breaking up the blank expanse of wall and linking the picture to the surrounds at the same time. I am pleased that in this photo the angle between the rocks and the flat wall doesn't look like the 90 degrees that it is.


The lemon tree was added at the client's request. It has complicated things a little as the painting was well underway before the request was made. I will have to adjust the wall on the other side to compensate for this a little, but I am going to accept that there will be an inaccuracy here (there is no right or wrong, just what was in my imagination and original sketch) rather than do a massive repaint. The right hand side will have a vase of real flowers in front of it so I am going to tone down the flowers, lift the wall a little, and add more greenery.

This corner (bottom right of painting, photo below) will be closest to the dining table. The wall tile is a perfect match for some of the rocks in the wall, and I didn't notice that until after I had painted them. My sub-conscious mind must have been at work when I mixed the paint. I want to lift and widen this low wall to balance the lemon tree, and that should also have the effect of tucking the painted wall in behind the actual wall of the room, thus anchoring the painting well and truly.

Matching the terrace to both the flooring in the house and the wooden ledge has been challenging. In the end I decided to use the colour of the wood, but then sponge the floor colour over it to give an aged effect. It seems to be working, but tomorrow I may think differently.

And a close up... light not good again today because of a thunderstorm.
Please try to imagine this without the masking tape on the bottom edge.

Today I am grateful for happy clients.