A painting comparison of the same view over a number of years

After completing #854 Venetian Mist, I was curious how many versions of this view I painted over the last few years and what lining them up in chronological order might reveal....a critique? That could be interesting..... but perhaps shouldn't. 

Painters can be annoyingly hard judges of their own work....me, I look for weak spots but it never occurs to me to beat myself up over it, get depressed or throw things. Depending where I'm at with a painting, I work until it feels right or if nonredeemable move on, adding it to my experience list. Because the trick here is being able to recognize a miss step in the first place.....easy to criticize it but more interesting to sort it out. So no painting is without some merit because painting, at least for me, is an evolution of emerging ideas....well earned triumphs and continually raising that proverbial quality bar....."warning", breathing can be challenging in higher altitudes.....sometimes it's hard to see the path for the clouds, but apparently there's no end to the damn thing anyway....so no point worrying about it too much other than marching forward.  

I'm always awe struck at what some varnished paint on a linen canvas can produce by a good painter. I relish good paint quality, touching it like one might a fine finish on a wonderfully designed piece of furniture. I think a natural reaction is wanting to touch a beautiful surface.....I'm told a serious no, no in a museum...I white knuckle my hands behind my back....it works. Except when I come across something like a small Van Dyck painting below.
     

 My most favorite portrait in the National Collection

 Portrait of Cornelis van der Geestabout 1620, 

  Anthony van Dyck

My favorite detail (below) was the liquid luminosity of his right eye......really well established throughout the whole painting. Shown better in the link above than my image here.

Boy, did I get off track...nature of the beast. Back to it.....now the guy above is on a whole different level and makes me wonder if I'm making progress or treading water until the grim reaper shows his ugly face.    

As of a few days ago canvas #854 was the 7th version painted of Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge location since 2010.....a few for sure, but not a great number.....after seven I should know what I like about this view over others, or at least why I keep making a run at it. One reason I know...the sun sets in the right spot.

1st Version

#228 Venice study 8x10 oil on canvas panel (1-19-10)

2nd version 
(PRIVATE COLLECTION)

#248 Venice Sun 8x10 oil on canvas panel (1-30-10)

View from under the bridge - warm up study - actual morning sunrise used as reference

3rd Version

#350 Venice Gold 20x16 oil on linen panel (7-4-10)

4th Version 
(PRIVATE COLLECTION)

#365 Venice Sun 20x24 oil on linen panel (8-10-10)
2nd version was used as my reference

5th Version 
(PRIVATE COLLECTION)

#798 Venice - Venetian Gold 8x10 Oil on linen (3-5-13)

One of (6) consecutive Venetian 8x10 studies for a gallery (link)

6th Version

#821 Grand Canal Transit oil on linen 40x44 Oil on linen (6-9-13)

One of (6) consecutive 40x44 experimental atmospheric paintings - several different subjects (link)

7th Version

#854 Venetian Mist 36x36 oil on linen (9-5-13)

There was a large time gap with this view until I revisited it a while back. I was doing a 8x10 Venice barrage for a gallery. Since I'm essentially a large format painter - small critters like these are few and far between. The galleries and my collectors like Venice. My 8x10s make good colour notes...sometimes a good composition emerges, even a good painting (galleries liking the latter) but I need elbow room to really get into it. It's clear here, I decided to take the view large after the 8x10 run.

I had what I wanted very early in the game with versions 2, 3 and 4 but mini works in comparison to where I am now. Taking a subject larger is another matter altogether, and in my limited experience, not always successful. I'm a formal subject painter as opposed to the casual ones we might do En plein air. So it takes some work upping the scale, to figure it out and keep paint quality in place. I need to know clearly what I intend so natural breaking points can be established and fit in my time slots. I always allow (7) full days for all my larger paintings - TOTAL FOCUS is my key and staying away from the "8th day".....that's the kiss of death. By that time boredom sets in, my thinking drifts, I get sloppy and crap! The painting gets cluttered and over cooked!

8th Version

#855 Venetian sunset 30x30 oil on linen (9-19-13) 

Each of these paintings has something I can draw off of going forward, which is really all I needed. I've developed a better understanding for my subject....hopefully I wont over think it while painting. My natural rhythm will be more deliberate and confident. Now that I've talked myself into it, it seems like a good time to mess with that elusive bar raising thing. 

I have a few 40x44 stretched canvases ready to go; a size I like very much...almost a square. Works well horizontally or vertically. Plus a bonus, it fits into my SUV with a 5" frame!

Later.....

A weeks worth of paint and canvas - canvas #854

The view is Venice from Rialto Bridge looking up the Grand Canal. My interest here was a misty atmosphere created by this magnificent sunset breaking through a heavy cloud covering.....I was after a very soft wet-in-wet feeling my photos don't really pick up well. But I think the detail below captures my intent. 

#854 Venetian Mist 36x36 oil on linen (9-5-13)

MY FAVORITE DETAIL

 

 Framed in a square Plein Air frame #502GWL from JFM Enterprises

Painting hung to the far left

 SOLD PAINTINGS

#769 Merging 16x16 oil on linen - Richard Stravitz Fine Art Gallery

#819 Morning Matadors 40x44 oil on linen - Richard Stravitz Fine Art Gallery

#633 Trafalgar Square 30x30 oil on linen - Burchtree Gallery

#596 Venice Dogona View 20x20 Oil on linen - Burchtree Fine Art Gallery

#539 Koi 8x10 oil on linen - LeGrand Fine Art

Later....

Forgotten paintings making an entrance

I have (3) 20x20 canvases painted from memory on a flight back from Europe going over the Great Lakes at sunset. I didn't have a camera. Totally forgot my I Phone had one....however I'm not sure it would have captured what I was seeing anyway. The next day I did a bunch of 6x6s to use as colour notes. My original plan was to go very large but I would need better references...so I moved up to 20x20s exploring some possibilities. I was happy with the results, capturing the wonders I saw that evening....I had a reasonable foundation to move on; larger, but I just didn't think I could take it further, so set it aside....my experience says when you reach your target, you stop, because the same energy won't be in the next one. 

I re-discovered my forgotten paintings a few weeks back and coincidentally had a need for (3) 20x20 paintings as replacements in a custom frame for another group being retired. I paint standard sizes (for me) so I can simply change paintings out reusing my frames until sold.....or not.

 MY EXISTING FRAME 29x72

      

CHANGED OUT with 17,000 feet paintings

AS SHOWN IN CROSSROADS GALLERY 

for September 20th opening.

MY 17,000 FEET IMPRESSIONS

#629 - 17,000 Feet 20x20 oil on linen (1/21/12)

#628 17,000 Feet 20x20 oil on linen (1/21/12)

#630 17,000 Feet 20x20 oil on linen (1/22/12)

Everything has its time.

Later....

Final touches on canvas #853 - Hello September!

After sleeping on canvas #853, I ended up dong a few small punctuation points to my foreground and signing it. The rest of my day was spent goofing off thinking about the next one watching surfing movies. 

LAST PAINTING OF THE MONTH

853 Beach Sunrise 48x44 oil on linen (8-31-13)

I think it needs a cooler title tho!

Later......

Staring at a blank 60x66 white canvas

Every once in awhile nothing looks appetizing....certainly true in painting. Nothing so far is causing me to pick up the brush. Aside from fixing a previous painting, the last 8 days has gone flat....unusual, because "nothing" is what I wanted to paint! For sure not the 66x60 canvas in front of me!

So before this goes too far, I'm going to force the issue by removing that big old 60x66 white canvas I've been staring at for the last 3 or 4 days and replace it with a smaller one. I was originally thinking a 11x14 or 20x20 might move it along....nice and easy....nothing to lose kinda size. 

Then I kicked in with a 48x44, realizing I wasn't up for another big one just yet or a "teeny bopper"! I know this isn't small, however, it is, when compared to the other monster!

BACK TO IT!

Game is on with # 853 - 48x44 linen canvas
 

I only had an afternoon session because it took all morning for me to stop fussing and pick up the brush....this painting is all about air and water and needs to stay fresh. I want to maintain my wet-in-wet throughout, so I need good stopping points. In this case my horizon line .   

For the most part, upper part of my painting is done and as far as I could take it today.

SECOND SESSION

This would make a great stopping point but I had a full day - got up early ready to go and still had time to make it to the bottom of my canvas. I also didn't go back into yesterdays work....so far it's holding up.

Working top to bottom I finish each passage as I go; in other words, each "thought", because I'll never have it, or the moment again. If I don't, I have to start over or do a patch job next session.....also tough on my paint quality; so I try not to. Aside from being a very efficient way to paint, it keeps a certain fresh quality to my work that I like. It's why preplanned stopping points in a painting are important to me. 

Time to sleep on it!

Later.....