This is for Virtual Paintout May 2011 challenge, Cote d'Azur, France. It's oil on 10x12 canvas board.
We visited the French Riviera a few years ago and were just so charmed by the places we visited: Eze, Cap Ferrat, and Nice. So I started by looking in Eze and Cap Ferrat. I came upon this little cafe in Cap Ferrat and thought the scene reminded me of some of the paintings by Edward Hopper. I could either do mountain and ocean, or this scene, and I chose this scene. (ref photo)
I changed outdoor view to be pure harbor scene, as opposed to harbor behind the parking lot, and I also tried to lighten up the room just a tiny bit. This scene is not the easiest composition-wise especially when deciding what elements to keep and what to change. Hopefully I made this ordinary scene semi interesting.
I changed outdoor view to be pure harbor scene, as opposed to harbor behind the parking lot, and I also tried to lighten up the room just a tiny bit. This scene is not the easiest composition-wise especially when deciding what elements to keep and what to change. Hopefully I made this ordinary scene semi interesting.
Your "morning paper" is very nice. Great find from the street!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! You've depicted what it must be like to live there. And I totally agree with your choice to skip the parking lot. The harbor out the window seals the deal. Way to go!
ReplyDeleteI've noticed in all the Google street views I've seen, what appears to be a peculiarity of the quality of light in this area. In the sunlight anyway, everything seems bathed in a cool, bright blue-white. I know the camera distorts, but I'm comparing to street views of other parts of the world, and was struck by this quality of the light in Cote d'Azur. Since you've been there, I wanted to ask (especially since I see it in your painting as well), am I 'seeing things' or is it really like that?
ReplyDeleteYou made this scene very interesting! There is so much to see and I feel like I am actually there. The subtle things get me - the sun on the floor, the small bit of shadow in that piece of sun. And the chair's shadow on the back wall. Wonderful!
ReplyDeletewonderful choose - great painting!
ReplyDeleteI saw E. Hopper here too.
Congratulations!!
Love it Rebecca....all the contrasts of shadow and slivers of light ....yep, love it!!
ReplyDeleteThank you all! To A. Decker: from what I remember and also from looking back at the pictures we took, the light around the French Riviera does seem cold much of the time (with the exception of sunrise and sunset of course) given the sky is so blue there and the sun is very strong and the Mediterranean is of a even deeper blue. In this painting, I tried to counter the cold light with warm shadows inside the room. Very good observation!
ReplyDeleteGreat piece of work and lucky you to find such a good scene.
ReplyDelete