A Hidden Canal in Venice

You’ve most likely heard me say this before but here goes again, “Venice is one of the most romantic places in the world.” We love all of the hidden canals you can wander alongside or float down in a gondola. In the early evening after the hustle and bustle of the day has calmed down you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time. The picture I’m using for reference was taken by dear friends of ours, Jennifer Young and Dave Webb. Jennifer is a wonderful artist and shared the photos they took on their last trip to Venice. CLICK HERE to see her paintings. We love Dave too, even if he is a Redskins fan. GO COWBOYS!

I make a pencil sketch to get my ideas down. The proportions are not exactly right in the drawing, I’ll make those corrections on the canvas.

The first step in drawing the scene on canvas is to establish the horizon line and vanishing points for the buildings. I use a thin oil wash of MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) + a lot of Liguin. We prime the canvas with white acrylic which makes the surface a tiny bit slicker than a coat of gesso. It’s a lot easier to wipe off lines and make corrections.

The open sidewalk to the right of the canal just seemed to be a perfect place for an outdoor cafe. Flower pots, table, chairs and umbrella make a spot to sit and enjoy the view.

After drawing in the gondola moored on the opposite side of the canal work continues on the buildings.

WHEW! The basic plan is all sketched up and I’m excited to get painting. Hope you’ll come watch. Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

Website: www.senkarik.com