“Wall of a garden at Costa San Giorgio, Florence.”
One day, during the second week of the Tuscan plein air painting workshop, few of us went to Florence for another outdoor city painting.
We had a long walk, around and in the end, we stopped and set up the easels on a narrow, traditional street, going steeply up a hill. We spent few hours doing a street scape, and then, we packed up and continued up the street. On the way, we passed by Galileo Galilei house, which we didn’t know was there. Anyway, the name of the street is Costa San Giorgio and is a beautiful traditional Tuscan street.
Further up, we found this walled garden with a gate. I liked the effect of light on the wall, so I decided to paint it. Because I had a spare canvas with me, I set up the easel and started the painting, while the rest of the group continued the walk. They picked me up on their way back after an hour or so.
I finished the painting after returning home, in two sessions, over couple of hours.
I used my recent palette, the one I started to use in Tuscany, adding extra some yellow ochre deep and Naples yellow. The fixed palette is made of three yellows (one cool and two warms), two reds (cool and warm), two blues (cool and warm), white and transparent brown oxide. And I am becoming more and more familiar with it and more confident.
I didn’t use any medium, just turps to thin the paints. In terms of colours, I decided to go more for the colours I feel, rather than the colour I see, hence the somewhat brighter and more saturated colours. But I am happy, and it becomes part of my style.
So here it is:
“Wall of a garden at Costa San Giorgio, Florence.”
Oil on linen.
12” X 16” (20 X 30cm)
