Bella, Bella, Mondo!

"Venetian Gondolas"

By James Swanson/ Traveler Jim M

11"x14" Oil on Canvas 

See the journey of this Painting.

 A Day of Sun Shine, 

Day One of a Special Edition.

Welcome to Day One!, of this 14 day Travel paint special edition of the Artist and the Traveler. I've come across some wonderful Travelers so far in this world painting expedition. I've met Hill and Fell Walkers in the UK and Austria, a fly fishing couple who travel around in an RV looking for the big catch, to some humanitarians in Africa doing great things. All of them have had special stories to tell me that helped inspire their paintings.

Travelers Jim and wife Cathy

This special project needs an special guest, meet our new Traveler  Jim M.!  In 2007 Jim and his wife took a 14 day trip to Northern Italy following the trail of PBS travel guide Rick Steves' Italian journey.

Venice

Traveler Jim M. did such a great job of documenting the trip on his web site that when I came across it I was floored. Which has lead me to ask to do a virtual tag along on his old trip and recreate the 14 day trip in paint. I'll be doing 14 paintings in a plein air style( as if I were right there painting), each one depicting different day of his trip. A painting a day for two weeks, lets get going!

Jim's photo that I will be working with.

Traveler Jim M. Journal Story of the trip: In September 2007, we began our highly anticipated Italian adventure.   We had never been on an organized tour in the past and started looking at this tour on the recommendation of a friend. (Thanks Renee!)  

Beginning of the painting.
Canvas is rubbed with some
 Raw Umber and Cadmium Red.
 Then the drawing is sketched in.

Although we typically travel independently, we decided on a tour so that we could leave most of the planning to someone else.  

The Palette of colors for this painting

 We chose the Village Italy itinerary for several reasons.   We wanted to experience what I call “The Real Italy” in the back door villages.  We wanted to avoid the crowds in the major cities and the primary tourist destinations.  (We can leave those for another time.)We also liked the idea of a smaller, active tour group.  And of course, we had also seen many of Rick Steves’ adventures on public television.  As you’ll see on our web site the pages that follow, the tour kept us busy (which is how we like to travel) and exceeded our expectations.  The travelogue is about our specific tour.  No two tours are exactly alike, even if they have the same tour guide and same itinerary.   

The tour guides adjust as necessary for the weather, closings, availability, and the specific tour group.  So, if you want to find out more about our tour, grab a glass of Chianti (or two) and explore.

Dark colors are painted in first.

With the darks painted in, it's time for the sky and water. These are the big areas of the painting and get the painting moving when they are done.

Sky and water are added. I'm painting these paintings in a plein air style of painting. Which means that I'm painting as if I were standing right there. Which also means I'm on the clock and paintings as fast as I can. The light is a changing.

Getting there.  With the painting blocked in it is time for some details.

It's close now, just the poles to add. At this point I was a little nervous about putting them in. But I knew it needed them.

Done.

Details of the painting.

Framed and ready to go.

 

"Venetian Gondolas"

By James Swanson/ Traveler Jim M

11"x14" Oil on Canvas

Alright off to a good start on this virtual trip with Traveler Jim M. On Day 2 we will be moving just a short distance on down the road.

This is day One, of this 14 day painting journey of Northern Italy, here is the link to see the next day of the journey- Padua.

Or go to The Artist and the Traveler.org to see them all, and many more places and stories. New Travelers and stories are always welcome too! Until next time, Ciao!

Dog Day Afternoon

"A Dogs Life"

by James Swanson / Traveler David W.

12" x 18" Oil on Canvas

A funny thing happen to me 

on the way to the forum, my Painting went to the Dogs. 

I was on my way to start the painting of Italy this month, but I had a little time to kill before I started. So I decided to get to a painting that I've wanted to for a long while.

Traveler David W at Letchmore Heath. 

The photo that I'll be working with comes from an old traveler of this project David W. In January of 2009 David was in Letchmore Heath just North of London when the snow of the century hit.

  His short stay ended up being two weeks longer than he planned. Lucky for him the pub was still open.

Traveler Davids new best friend Hunter.

Traveler Painting " A Dogs Life." With my sights on Italy, I  found my self with an open afternoon to paint and thought about all the photos from Travelers that I still have to get too. But with just an afternoon I needed something that I thought would be fun and yet quick to knock out. And then I remembered this shot of Traveler David's of his new friend Hunter on a chair.

The sketch on canvas. After I sketch out the painting in my sketch book I rubbed some Burnt Umber and a oil mixture into a canvas. It's a really smooth canvas that I've had really good luck with before. I find that the plate like finish of the canvas holds my brush strokes really well.

Starting on the dark colors first to firm up the painting. There isn't a lot of real darks in this painting, but what darks there are they are everything to this painting.

For a white dog there sure is a ton of color in his coat. Hunter's fur reflex all the colors of the chairs cover. This is one of the things I didn't see until I delved unto this painting.

With the colors of Hunter blocked in it's time to define his space a little. I liked how Hunter was turning out at this point and didn't want to over power him with a complicated colorful chair. So I decided to let the original canvas wash show through and paint just enough to indicate the environment around him.

Done. I letting the brush strokes do all the work in this painting.  The only area that I detailed much was Hunters face. It was almost like painting a persons portrait., if it didn't look like Hunter it wouldn't work.

Details from the Painting.

I really like how thick I put on the paint in the light areas.

I let the strokes a lone to speak for the most part.

Detailing the head had to be done just right. 

To much here and I would have to detail out

the whole painting just as much.

Detailing the head had to be done just right. 

To much here and I would have to detail out 

the whole painting just as much.

Framed and ready to go.

 

"A Dogs Life"

by James Swanson / Traveler David W.

12" x 18" Oil on Canvas

My Dog Day Afternoon painting turned out rather well. Thanks goes out to Traveler David W. for his story and us of his photo. Hearing his story first hand really helped set the mood for this one.

Now it's time to start my virtual travels of Italy. I will kick it off with a painting a day trip following the trail of new Traveler Jim. M, It starts September 13th and will be a 14 day trip of Northern Italy following the route of  PBS Travel Guide Rick Steves. 

Join us for that special event it should be  a good time. Until then, so long.