time for other things...

That's it for now, I need to do other things. Hopefully I can paint again tomorrow morning.

As you can probably see, there are still a lot of weaknesses to be sorted, and of course all the detail of the ornate parts of the arches is still to be done. The landscape in the bottom section is still evolving in my mind. 

But overall I am starting to feel good about the work and am really looking forward to working it up more when I next get a chance. For now, though, the brushes are washed and the painting is off the easel and leaning on the wall where I can contemplate it at my leisure. 

Today I am grateful for a gentle breeze in the studio. 

immediately

As soon as I pulled up this photo on my computer I could see a glaring error that I hadn't noticed on the canvas. Can you spot it? (No, not the angle of the pillars, that is because I had to photograph at an odd angle to avoid light reflecting off the wet oil).

I have decided today, after contemplating it for a few days, to paint the roman road in under the present day water. There is a hugely exciting new dig going on very close to this arch, and the road being uncovered is pristine. The baths are complete, so much new information coming to light. Open day is coming up... I will be there! So, in honour of that dig, I am putting the road back in under this arch and letting the water flow over it. 

PS: I am tempted to paint Rome in the background instead of my beloved hills... well, after all...

Today I am grateful for a little self discipline :-) 

in the real

I can't believe I just wrote that! (Previous post).

In the real.

What has happened to my mastery of the English language?

Yikes!

Bloomin' 'eck!

I'm a lost cause...

mamma mia!

Slopes away to paint some more...  muttering as she goes "I will not edit that last post... I will not edit... I will not... 

.

trying to be good

But failing. I couldn't wait... instead of doing more basic work on the last segment I started some of the refining I wanted to do right in the middle... oops!

No self discipline, yes, I know!

Here is this morning's effort...

Some of the metaphor was a bit too subtle perhaps, so now there is no mistaking how horrible the industrial abuse is. (Photographed from a distance because the light was shining too much on the wet paint. The teal blue is not quite so bright in the real). 

Now for lunch... hungry work, painting is, with all the smells of Sunday pranzo around the neighbourhood floating in. The village is filling up with returning residents, and I can hear calling out, French language, people leaning out of windows to chat...gotta love village life! 

Today I am grateful for new energy. 

later

I think that it is apparent what I am wanting to do with this work, but I did set myself rather a challenge. 

The first two arches set the scene I hope, ancient Aquino (post Roman though, as the church is made from Roman ruins). While no longer serving the Romans, the arch still stands proud, its full height. I need to sit patiently and work at the detail on that when the work is dry. But dominating (gently, soflty), is my favourite church, Madonna della Libera. I have taken liberties and simplified the town (in Roman times it was protected by a moat). 

The second arch is based on a fabulous watercolour from the 1800s. It is evidence that the water has long been flowing along what was once a Roman road. In the original it is an idyllic scene, very romantic. Again I have simplified it, and taken only what suits my purposes. 

The viewpoint for the first two arches is looking up at them, as we look at the ancient past. The second two arches are taken from photographs, so the viewer is looking directly at them.

The third arch shows the industrial use of the water, with the means of controlling the flow established. It is still an attractive sight, if one forgets about what it should really look like. 

The fourth arch is surrounded by the ugliness of the current industrial buildings. The more the vegetation is cleared to protect the arch the more ugly industry is exposed. I have painted this in a darker setting, as it is very much a dark period in the history of this monument.  

The fifth arch, looking ahead to the future, has the viewer slightly above with a lower vanishing point (compositionally) so he gets an overview of what might be achieveable. I have reluctantly left out the base of the arch for two reasons: to put it in to scale I would need to have taken up too much of the canvas, and I don't believe that this will be fully uncovered in my life time. I have " uncovered" as much as I think is feasible in the current situation with the paper mill using the water and taking up so much of the area in front of/behind the arch. 

I am impatient to do more, but must wait to push and pull the colours back and adjust the tonal values. It is a really hot day and the painting is all quite "tacky"... the paint wont flow on that surface, so it's time to take a break. 

I think that tomorrow and Monday morning will see the basis of this all completed, and then the task of bringing it to life has to wait until next weekend. That is the biggest challenge, but also the most rewarding part. 

Today I am grateful also for good drying weather for oils. 

coming together now

Still a very long way to go, but I think I can see some progress. Just a small image because it is nowhere near my own expectations yet. But it's getting there...

Now for yet another break...

Every time I stop, back aching, eyes tired, exhausted from so much concentration, I remember that so many people think that painting is just a cruisy hobby, and I am soooo lucky to have a talent for it. They have no idea how exhausting it is, how all consuming it can be, and why I now look as though I haven't slept in a week when really it is only four straight days of painting that has done this to me!

PS more progress has been made with the greenery and transition from the middle arch to the next one down. (We had an unexpected power cut before I could post this. It seems there was an accident, but I don't think anyone has been badly hurt, judging by the "meno male" comments floating up into the studio). I'll post another painting update photo later.

Today I am grateful for time to paint. 

the last segment

It's not even lunchtime and I am needing a break. It's been a busy morning, up early and I've worked on the painting (not just this segment) for hours already. 

Oh to be a fast painter, sometimes, but I do like my slow way of working, really! If I spent longer in the drawing up stage and less time painting it would feel like colouring in. This way I feel totally immersed in the work even if I sometimes have to rework things to get them right. 

I'll soon be ready to show you all the bits together, just a bit more linking to do before you see the "whole". The finishing off can't happen until this is dry enough for me to lean all over it.

Today I am grateful for my painting shirt :-) .