August 18th, 2018

Cinque Terre is complete! This commissioned piece was a labor of love, and my clients do love it, as do I!

I started this piece with sketching in the levels of the landscape. Since this city is built on cliffs, there are many levels and details in the land area alone.  I added the sky and the water areas first to give me the perspective I needed. The buildings were held in place with just blocks of color. I added the terracing and the rocks and cliffs began to take shape with detail and shading. The grotto area and the secret stairs up to bridge area, made this painting come to life! Every time I added another detail, it was like a jigsaw puzzle! I felt so excited to find the next element to paint! My vision was unfolding with each step!

It was such a joy to paint this canvas and discover this beautiful place. Now I must plan a trip to Cinque Terre!

Next up: Another commissioned work due next week, I’m off to Italy again!