Venice Canal Paintings
by Keiko Tanabe on 6/22/2010 6:42:57 PM
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Venice Canal X
I am on the road again... I hope to post new paintings that I'll make at my destination, after unpacking, settling into a new time zone and feeling free of jet lag.
Just prior to my departure, I was working on a commission of a Venice painting. My client asked me to create a special piece for her dear friend who is finishing his studies in this canal city. While doing some research for the commission, I became so inspired to make several more paintings. I don't really know why... just to be in the right mood for the commission piece, maybe. Or I could say it was the magic of Venice. Some of them appeared in my last blog post, and here are two more of Venice Canal paintings.
Venice Canal IX
Venice Canal IX and X
A larger image of any of these paintings is available on request.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 11.5 x 8.25 inches (29 x 21 cm)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Please send me an email for more information.
Visit my gallery at Daily Painters Gallery.
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Three Gondoliers, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 6/18/2010 2:13:21 AM
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Three Gondoliers, Venice, Italy
Voga alla veneziana, rowing Venetian style, is something anybody who wants to be a gondolier has to master.
According to Veniceworld.com, gondolas are eleven meters in length, 600 kilos in weight, and made with eight different kinds of wood in 280 pieces. They are flat on the bottom and asymmetric, the left side being larger than the right by 24 cm. This is the reason the gondola is inclined on one side.
We've all seen it - a gondolier slightly tilting his body and pushing a long oar to navigate a canal in Venice. Knowing the structure of a gondola helps us understand why a gondolier rows in a certain way.
Voga alla veneziana is something we painters of Venice have to understand, too, to make a scene with a gondolier rowing look believable.
Three Gondoliers, Venice, Italy
Click here for a larger view of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 inches (21 x 29 cm)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Please send me an email for more information.
Visit my gallery at Daily Painters Gallery.
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Rialto Bridge III, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 6/16/2010 2:24:28 AM
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Rialto Bridge, Venice III
"Avanti! Avanti! (Forward) " Did I just hear a battle cry from the past? As my waterbus approached the Rialto Bridge on the grand canal, I found myself thinking about the time in history when Venice was a maritime power (13th-15th century).
Rapidly expanding its territories in its heyday, Venetian Republic fought many wars. The area near the Rialto Bridge must have seen a lot of activities back then as merchants came to a market here from different corners of the world.
In this regard, nothing much has changed as many people are still visiting here from all over the world. And the nearby market is just as busy. In this peaceful time, if there's anything close to a war, that may be when one tries to board a very crowded vaporetto (waterbus).
"Avanti! Avanti!" goes the voice of a conductor telling passengers to move forward to make room for more passengers.
Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy III
Click here for a larger view of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 inches (21 x 29 cm)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Sold
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Venice Canal VIII, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 3/1/2010 2:07:11 AM
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Venice Canal VIII
Could the couple walking toward me be honeymooners? The sun was blinding me so I couldn't tell but I had a feeling they probably were.
According to Modern Bride magazine, the five most popular honeymoon cities are Paris, Venice, Honolulu, San Francisco and Sydney. In other similar surveys as well, Venice is almost always one of the top travel destinations for honeymooners. It comes as no surprise because Venice is such a romantic city no other places can be easily a match.
For an ultimate honeymoon experience in Venice, how about taking the Simplon Orient Express luxury train from London all the way to Venice and staying at the splendid Hotel Cipriani? A one-way train ticket $3,120 per person (overnight). A suite (the cheapest) with a lagoon view $3,300 per night. (Sigh…) Venice can also be very expensive.
Venice Canal VIII
Click here for a larger image of Venice Canal VIII painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Please
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San Marco II, Venice, Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 2/12/2010 1:50:15 AM
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San Marco, Venice II
As anyone who's been to Venice will tell you, you will never get lost there if you are heading to Piazza San Marco. All you have to do is look for a little yellow direction sign that says Per S. Marco. It can be found almost anywhere (you might even find two of those signs at the same spot, one pointing to the right and the other to the left).
As anyone who's been to San Marco will tell you, there's hardly enough elbow room to turn around while standing in the middle of the Piazza. That may be only true at the height of the tourist season, but it takes a large-scale phenomenon like aqua alta (flooding caused by a high tide) to see the entire ground space sans people -- except a few daredevils like this person who water-skied from one end to the other (watch him on YouTube).
 San Marco direction sign
 Festival at San Marco
San Marco, Venice, Italy II
Click here for a larger image of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 11.5 x 8.25 in. (on 12 x 9 in. paper)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Sold
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Venice Canal VII, Venice, Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 2/11/2010 3:05:00 AM
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Venice Canal VII
Whenever I get an idea for a new painting, I become so excited and anxious I can't wait to put it down on a paper. So my drawing is pretty quick and simple. I draw, with a 4B or 6B pencil, all the main shapes and a few details, especially highlights where I want to preserve the white of a paper.
Then, I gaze at the paper in front of me for a moment, trying to visualize the painting I'd like to make happen. This is a small but very important step in my process because it makes me aware of the direction I will be focusing on. Am I still just as excited and determined as before about this painting idea? If I can honestly yes, I move on to the next step, painting. If I can't say yes, that's a red flag -- I need to ask myself why and find a remedy for it. Ignoring this red flag means I will most likely encounter many problems and end up spending more time problem-solving than painting happily and freely.
 Two parts, buildings and the water, make up this painting. I try to establish colors and tones of all the main shapes as much as possible, using a variety of edges.
 Time to put in more details, mainly using hard edges and lost-and-found edges here and there.
 Finish.
Venece Canal VII
Click here for a larger image of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Sold
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here
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Venezia VIII, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 2/10/2010 1:45:59 AM
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Venezia VIII
The moment I saw this lone gondolier disappear into the light, I realized I had been watching a silent play. I was the only person in the theater and the gondolier was a solo actor on this stage set in a narrow canal, away from where the crowd was.
Buildings on both sides were quite old and wall colors were faded and partially obscured by what naturally grew in the water. But at this moment, the high walls became colorful velvety veils. Thanks to a wonderful job of a lighting technician, light/dark effects created on the veils added a mysterious mood to the scene. How I wished there was a curtain call...
Venezia VIII
Click here for a larger image of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 11.5 x 8.25 in. (on 12 x 9 in. paper)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Sold
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here
to see other paintings in my Venice Italy Collection.
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Market Day V, Venice, Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 2/9/2010 2:31:07 AM
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Market Day, Venice, Italy V
This market is near the Rialto Bridge and is by far the largest and busiest in Venice. Strolling under canvas roofs, admiring colorful fresh fruits and vegetables, watching a vendor and an eager shopper talking (something about the produce, I think, but it could be about the weather)... it is a pleasant walk in the morning. I used quick dry brushstrokes on the buildings and the street to suggest things covered with sunlight.
To view other paintings of market scenes in Venice, go to Market Day, Venice IV, Market Day, Venice III, Market Day, Venice II.
Market Day, Venice, Italy V
Click here for a larger image of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 11.5 x 8.25 in. (on 12 x 9 in. paper)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Sold
Click here to see other paintings in my Venice Italy Collection.
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Venice Canal VI, Venice, Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 2/3/2010 1:34:02 AM
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Venice Canal VI
According to Truman Capote, "Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go." Not really meaning to prove him right, I happened to have a box of chocolate liqueurs sitting in my studio when I was thinking what to paint. Lo and behold, it sure put me in the mood for another piece of Venice canal.
I decided to use a photo I took (below) which shows an ordinary canal scene on a gray day. To me, reference photos are for just that, for reference only. How faithfully I paint to what's in it or how much further I deviate from it really depends on my muse. Sometimes, I use my earlier work as a source of inspiration (Click here to see how I painted "Venezia VII" as an example).
I don't know if I had too many of those tiny Anthon Berg chocolate bottles filled with spirits or if it was a Venice thing, but I did finish today's painting almost in one go.
 Reference photo for Venice Canal VI
Venice Canal VI
Click here for a larger image of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Sold
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Market Day IV, Venice, Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 2/1/2010 3:04:37 AM
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Market Day, Venice, Italy IV
If you can't get to a market, a market will come to you in Venice. I spotted a flat-bottomed boat carrying several different kinds of fruits and vegetables in one of the canals in a quiet neighborhood. For produce sellers and residents, this may be just a practical idea born out of necessity to meet their daily shopping needs. But it is quite an interesting sight for visitors. For someone like me who was sprinkled with dust of Venice magic, its appeal even evokes a bit of romanticism.
A realist in Venice, would become a romantic by mere faithfulness to what he saw before him. - Arthus Symons, British poet
 
Floating market, Venice
Market Day, Venice, Italy IV
Click here for a larger image of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Please
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Gondolier, Venice VIII, Italian Landscape Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 12/3/2009 11:57:44 PM
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Gondolier, Venice, Italy VIII
Sous Le Ciel de Paris (Edit Piaf), On An Evening in Roma (Dean Martin)... Songs inspired by cities like Paris and Rome instantly transport me to streets in these charming places. They make me miss all the wonderful things I enjoyed there. Choosing music that puts me in the right mood for a particular painting is often very important in my studio.
What would be perfect for a piece of Venice? How about Dalida's Gondolier? ... Tu chantais / Pour lui et moi / Lui et moi / Tu te rappelles / Lui et moi / C'était écrit / Pour la vie / La vie si belle / Gondolier / Quand tu chantais ... (Lyrics: "Gondolier" by Dalida)
Gondolier, Venice, Italy VIII
A larger image of this painting is available on request.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Please
send
me an email for more information.
Click here
to see other paintings in my Venice Italy Collection.
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Two Gondoliers, Venice I, Italian Landscape Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 12/3/2009 1:39:30 AM
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Two Gondoliers, Venice I
I don't know who designed it, but the gondolier's uniform makes them look good. They always wear black trousers and shoes. And they wear a polo or a T-shirt with stripes. I've seen two versions: red and white stripes or blue and white stripes. Sometimes they put on a straw hat with a ribbon in a matching color with a stripe.
In an old city like Venice where buildings and streets (and canals) look more weathered than starkly clean or bright, gondolier's dark-colored outfit from waist down often fades into the background. But it's the stripes of their shirt that sparkle. That's where I try to leave the white of the paper when I paint them in watercolor.
Two Gondoliers, Venice, Italy I
Click here for a larger image of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Please
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me an email for more information.
Click here to see other paintings in my Venice Italy Collection.
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Venice Reflections VIII, Italian Landscape Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 11/16/2009 2:07:37 AM
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Venice Reflections VIII
I don't even remember what else was there because I was so mesmerized by the light at sunset time in Venice. Its soft and magical quality was amazing. And the reflection on the water was spectacular. That's all I remember about this particular spot.
Using my photo and quick sketch, I did my first painting Venice Canal III-5. I think I was able to capture the atmosphere and the flavor of this magical moment. Based on this first painting, I made a few more pieces, including today's painting. For today's painting, I used a vertical format to give more attention to the reflection on the water.
Venice Reflections, Italy VIII
A larger image of this painting is available on request.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 11.5 x 6.5 in.
Mat/Frame: Yes/No
Mat Size: 18 x 12 in.
Purchase:
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Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy I, Italian Landscape Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 11/15/2009 2:22:32 AM
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Piazza San Marco, Venice I
Because "only a lazy guidebook about Italy doesn't quote a sentence said once by Napoleon," chances are many visitors are already familiar with his quote: San Marco is Europe's most elegant drawing room ( venice travel website). In general, I am not really interested in painting famous landmarks. Instead, I find myself attracted to more mundane scenes: smaller squares, backstreets, local markets, etc. where ordinary people live.
Standing in the middle of the San Marco Square among many other tourists and pigeons, and admiring the sights all around me, I indulged myself as a tourist. Because I didn't think I'd paint any of it, I was not really in a painter's mode. Otherwise, I would have been looking for an exciting perspective; I would have been seeing intriguing value patterns or negative shapes; I would have been trying to figure out what colors to use or mix for this building or that. But the mode shifted when I least expected it.
It had just stopped raining in Piazza San Marco. I dropped my folded umbrella, so I got down to the ground level to pick it up. And I saw this view, which put me in the painter's mode right away.
Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy I
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 9.5 x 7.5 in.
Mat/Frame: Yes/No
Mat Size: 14 x 11 in.
Purchase: Sold
Click here to see more Venice Italy paintings on my website.
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Trattoria, Venice, Italy III, Italian Landscape Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 11/14/2009 2:00:40 AM
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Trattoria, Venice III
There's nothing like eating a good meal in a friendly, family-run trattoria that local people also love to frequent. But today I read shocking news: Venetians may soon be extinct and Venice will be a ghost town by 2030. They say tourism has driven up prices too high for local residents to live there comfortably. Does this mean, in just 20 years, I won't be able to sit in a trattoria like this any more? (Please go to my previous post to read about this trattoria).
The number of permanent residents in Venice went from 145,000 in 1960 to 59,984 last month (source: The Times). It is now official that there are more tourists than locals on any given day. This is a fearful situation for remaining Venetians. Sorrowful, they are holding a " funeral" today, sending a red coffin down the canal with three gondolas as escorts.
Trattoria, Venice, Italy III
Click here for a larger image of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 10 x 6.25 in.
Mat/Frame: Yes/No
Mat Size: 15 x 10 in.
Purchase:
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Trattoria, Venice, Italy II, Italian Landscape Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 11/13/2009 1:56:58 AM
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Trattoria, Venice II
Travel experience could be ruined with just one disappointing meal in a wrong restaurant. Yet it is not easy to find a good place, especially in a foreign land, that we will remember fondly even years after the visit.
In a huge tourist destination like Venice, there are dozens of eateries that get recommended by travel gurus and popular guidebooks. But, then, there's always somebody who will refute the recommendation, based on his or her experience.
So what can we really rely on when looking for a great place to taste the local food? I'd say our own ears. When you hear only locals speaking and dining inside a restaurant, that's an indication of good food and reasonable prices. Whether this trattoria in the painting is an excellent choice or not, I don't know. It was a little too early for dinner and there was only one diner.
Trattoria, Venice, Italy II
A larger image of this painting is available on request.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 13 x 6 in.
Mat/Frame: Yes/No
Mat Size: 19 x 12 in.
Purchase: Sold
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Gondolier, Venice IX, Italian Landscape Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 10/1/2009 1:40:15 AM
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Gondolier, Venice IX
Anything that has gained huge popularity, or anybody who has attained an enormous success, usually finds a group of people who love to hate them. Venice is no exception. While many (including myself) fall in love with the place, some people scorn. They think it is just like Disneyland and is not worth spending their time and money there.
At an art show several months ago, I met a couple. The husband commented on my Venice painting and added that he loved Venice. The feeling was not mutual with his lovely wife. She said, "Oh, I hate Venice. It's dirty and smelly!" Well, in Venice, there is no Disney employees who would sweep up trash on a street as soon as they find it. Canals and buildings are old and real and may come with stain and smell. So, she was right, in a way, if she was saying Venice was no Disneyland.
Gondolier, Venice, Italy IX
Click here for a larger view of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Please send me an email for availability.
View other Venice Italy paintings.
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Venice Twilight I, Italian Landscape Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 8/18/2009 1:12:24 AM
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Venice Twilight I
What attracts many landscape artists must be, first and foremost, the light in a scenery. Dealing with all kinds of light conditions to paint requires a certain level of skill to make it work in a painting. But that is something we all have to do and also greatly benefit from for our artistic growth.
Brief moments before and after sunset are really magical. I think we are all moved to see last rays of direct sunlight or those reflected by the upper atmosphere onto the land's surface. But it is interesting that our emotional reaction to it really varies, depending on our state of mind, the setting or location, the season, whether we are alone or in somebody else's company, etc.
This painting is my emotional response to the twilight in Venice on a particular day. So if I paint another on the theme, it'll never be the same. Another time, another interpretation.
Here's Claude Monet's "Venice Twilight." 
Venice Twilight I
Click here for a larger view of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper)
Purchase: Please send me an email for availability.
Visit my gallery page at Dailypainters.com.
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Market Day, Venice, Italy II, Italian Landscape Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 8/15/2009 1:38:59 AM
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Market Day, Venice, Italy II
Following the theme of my daily painting from yesterday, I am showing another piece that depicts a market scene. What I aimed at in this particular piece was to see if I could tell a story without saying too much. I wanted to create a somewhat mysterious picture with suggestions of elements strewn around.
Some of the elements needed for this story were: cooler and moist air giving way to a hot summer day; a feel of a morning market in an outdoor setting with merchants busily moving about; local people starting their daily routine in a residential neighborhood in Venice. I also challenged myself to see if a maximum effect could be achieved by using a limited palette and a wider range of tonal values.
This is one of my paintings that are featured in the current American Artist/Watercolor magazine (summer, 2009). Click on this link to read an online version of the article.
Market Day, Venice, Italy II
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper)
Purchase: Private Collection
Visit my gallery page at Dailypainters.com.
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Venezia II, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 5/22/2009 1:37:11 AM
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Venezia, Italy II
Venice cannot be Venice without its canals and lagoons. Venice depends on the water that surrounds and cuts through it.
The huge Venetian lagoon is especially important not just for transportation but also as a unique ecosystem. When fresh water from rivers and salt water from the Adriatic Sea meet here, interesting things happen. One example is an abundance of fish that makes Venice one of the best places for fresh seafood.
Underneath these gondolas and far out near the horizon, there could be sea bass, mullet, eel, cod, squid, octopus, clams, crabs, just to name a few. Mullet cooked in red wine is one of the regional dishes, but why do they use red wine? Isn't it normally white for fish? It's the lagoon. It gives the fish a distinct (heavier and stronger) flavor that goes better with red. Here are recipes of some of the popular Venetian dishes.
Venezia, Italy II
Click here for a larger image of "Venezia II" painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 9.5 x 7.5 in.
Mat Size 14 x 11 in. (color: off-white)
Purchase: Sold
Visit my gallery page at Dailypainters.com.
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Trattoria IV, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 5/9/2009 1:27:00 AM
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Trattoria, Venice IV
This trattoria is a couple of doors down the alley from another one I painted (See another painting of Trattoria I posted a few days ago).
There is something about al fresco (outdoor) dining that makes it a different experience from indoor dining. And people seem to love it. It is true that eating outdoors is not always perfect (For example, I had to put up with at least one annoying mosquito at an outdoor pizzeria in Venice and I hate mosquitoes!) but whatever that makes it a little unpleasant is usually a small price to pay.
Al fresco dining means the smell of air, the sound (or noise), the weather, the temperature, and everything that can be seen directly affect our senses while eating. They all come in a package.
Sitting at an outdoor table of a trattoria, I enjoyed the cooling air after a sweltering day; I watched families enjoying an evening stroll; I heard neighbors talking; I saw a man from a grocery store pass by with a cartload of stuff... and the sound and smell of somebody making dinner inside one of nearby houses... All this made my dinner that night unforgettable.
Trattoria, Venice, Italy IV
Click here for a larger image of "Trattoria, Venice, Italy IV" painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 11.5 x 8.25 in. (on 12 x 9 in. paper)
Purchase: Sold
Visit my gallery page at Dailypainters.com.
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Trattoria III, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 5/6/2009 1:28:48 AM
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Trattoria, Venice III
To the east of the crowded San Marco square, we wandered into narrow streets that looked ordinary. There were visibly fewer tourists and more locals; there was no souvenir shop but hanging laundry above our heads.
We found a small family-run trattoria on a quiet alley. With simple white tablecloths and plastic patio chairs, this was a no-frills eating place. Menu was hung on the outside wall and written - you guessed it - only in Italian on a paper that had buckled and yellowed. A husband and wife who seemed to be running this place sat at a table to chat with neighbors when not busy.
We wanted to eat light so looked at pasta and pizza choices: Margherita, carciofi, prosciutto, alle cozze, alle vongole, 4 stagioni... and del Nonno (Grandpa's). We tried a Margherita pizza and spaghetti with clams and it was remarkably satisfying. Yes, the food was good but the coziness of the trattoria really made us feel like eating at home.
I heard many times that, when Italians want Mamma's pasta so badly, they are feeling homesick. On an upcoming Mother's Day, many people will think of their mother... and all the fond memories with her that would most likely include their own version of "Mamma's pasta." Happy Mother's Day to you all!
Trattoria, Venice, Italy III
Click here for a larger image of "Trattoria, Venice, Italy III" painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 10 x 6.25 in.
Mat/Frame: Yes/No
Mat Size: 15 x 10 in. (color: off-white)
Purchase: Please send me an email for more details.
Visit my gallery page at Dailypainters.com.
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Venice Canal IV, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 4/18/2009 12:36:46 AM
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Venice Canal IV
Just how many different kinds of artist's palettes are being sold is anybody's guess. Speaking for watercolor artists, at an art store or art supply online site, there is a wide variety of palettes available. One with lots of wells, one with open wells, plastic, porcelain, butcher tray, round, rectangular, large and small... Choices are so many it's overwhelming. It must be especially so for beginners (I've been there!).
Being able to make a choice is nice, but the problem is, you never know which type works best for you until you actually use it. After trying several kinds, I decided an open-well type should be ideal for my painting style because it is so easy to pick up paints from wells onto a large mixing area as I paint quite fast.
This is a picture of my palette as I was painting "Venice Canal IV."
Venice Canal IV
Click here for a larger image of "Venice Canal IV" painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x11.5 in.
Mat/Frame: Available/No
Mat Size: 14 x 18 in. (color: off-white)
Purchase: Sold
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Venezia VII, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 4/15/2009 1:34:02 AM
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Venezia VII
In painting this canal scene in Venice, I used one of my old paintings from 3 years ago as a reference source (shown below). I painted "Venetian Holiday II-4" right after my visit to Venice in 2006. While my memory was still fresh, I used a couple of photos and a sketch to make the painting.
Three years later, traveling down memory lane, I find myself still remembering some but not all the things that my senses had captured during the trip. The older our memory gets, the fuzzier and simpler (or forgotten!) it becomes. Good memories may come back as glorified images and bad memories as nightmares.
I thought, for today's painting, it would be interesting to revive my 3-year-old travel memory and see what I'll come up with. So, I spent a few minutes gazing at "Venetian Holiday II-4" painting and try to remember the feel of the place...
 "Venetian Holiday II-4" (2006) as reference
And, this is how I made a new painting:
 Compositionally, I didn't make a big change but decided to take a more close-up look.
 I painted all the buildings in one go.
 Then I brought the colors of buildings down to the water, and then added finishing touches.
 I ended up with a more abstract painting with a different mood in it. It's more romantic, if I may say so.
Venezia VII
Click here for a larger image of "Venezia VII" painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper)
Purchase: Sold
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Four Gondoliers, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 4/6/2009 12:25:56 AM
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Four Gondoliers, Venice
Venice -- the only place where you can get seasick by crossing the street. (Anonymous)
Water buses, barges, fast-speed boats and of course, gondolas... Canal Grande looked so busy sometimes every boat seemed to be going in a different direction. Then, I was amused when I saw this: I caught a moment when four gondoliers made this formation as if they were rowing side by side.
Volume of traffic on major waterways in Venice can be pretty high during rush hours. It always amazes me how well they maneuver their vessel to avoid accidents. But as on any street, there are people who tend to speed to the point of breaking traffic rules. To make the situation better, they now have an innovative system (called ARGOS) installed to monitor traffic on Canal Grande. It is quite fun to see real-time traffic on the ARGOS website.
Four Gondoliers, Venice, Italy
Click here for a larger image of "Four Gondoliers, Venice, Italy" painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8 x 6 in.
Mat/Frame: Yes/No
Mat Size: 12 x 10 in. (color: off-white)
Purchase: Sold
View my gallery at Daily Painters - Contemporary original art for sale.
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Venezia VI, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 4/3/2009 12:14:41 AM
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Venezia VI
Wearing a starkly white mariner's jacket, black trousers and a straw hat, they proudly do their job of rowing a sleek gondola along the canals of Venice, Italy. There are reasons why they look so proud, one of which may be because becoming a gondolier is not an easy thing to do ( read related post).
Here's how I painted the 6th of my Venezia series. Sometimes people ask me if I use masking fluid. My answer is no; I don't even have any. I try to leave the white of the paper for highlights, but if I lose it, that's fine. I gently scrub the paint off or use white paint later!
 First, I work the part above the horizon line, and then on the foreground.
 Colors look a lot lighter when the first wash is dry.
 Paint in all the gondolas by trying not to look at them individually.
Venezia VI
Click here for a larger image of "Venezia VI" painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in.
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Please send me an email for more information.
View my gallery at Daily Painters - Contemporary original art for sale.
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Venezia III, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 3/27/2009 12:38:15 AM
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Venezia III
As the night falls, the air is rapidly cooling off and the calmness returns to the lagoon. Gondoliers cover up their boats to hurry home for dinner.
A gondolier near the bottom-left corner is the only person in this scene. In fact, there was nobody when I was drawing to make this painting. I accidentally left a tiny spot of the white of the paper when I was laying down the first wash. My mind's eyes immediately saw a gondolier in his traditional uniform right there. Using thick pigment of blue, I painted in stripes, and voila, there he is.
 (detail of gondolier)
It is often said that watercolor is a very unforgiving medium; therefore, it is important to plan ahead. It is also important, however, not to be too preoccupied with the "plan" so we can allow improvisation like this.
In the background is the majestic Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute. The contrast between soft background and sharp vertical lines of wooden posts adds depth into this scene.
Venezia III
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 5.25 x 11.25 in.
Mat Size: 11 x 17 in.
Purchase: Please send me an email for availability.
View my gallery at Daily Painters - Contemporary original art for sale.
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Venezia I, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 3/25/2009 1:02:05 AM
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Venezia I
As I was sitting on the pier, another gondola came back to be moored. All the other boats already parked for the night, this must be the last one. A gondolier maneuvered his shiny, slender black boat, using only a long oar through tall posts and other boats. Seeing up close, I never realized a silver ornament called ferro on the bow was so huge. It must be heavy, too, as it works as a counterbalance to a gondolier's weight. After he left, the clucking sound of the boats hitting choppy water echoed this side of the Venetian lagoon.
Everything in this painting was designed around the gondolier. With him in the middle (a little to the upper left), I placed the boats, posts and the bell tower and the church of San Giorgio Maggiore, ripples of the water, all around him.
Venezia I
Click here for a larger image.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 9.5 x 7.5 in. (24x 19 cm)
Mat Size: 14 x 11 in
Purchase: Sold
View my gallery at Daily Painters - Contemporary original art for sale.
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Cavalletto II, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 2/22/2009 11:41:44 PM
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Cavalletto, Venice II
The carnival in Venice that started on February 14 is about to end. Party-goers will leave town soon and Venice will be just for its residents for a short while before travelers flock again to this famed canal city in spring. But no matter when you visit, you almost always find a moment like the one in this painting and understand Venice does live up to its name - La Serenissima (the most serene).
One of the traditional sweets for the carnival in Venice is Frittelle and Galani. Click here for recipes.
Cavalletto, Venice, Italy II
Click here for a larger image of "Caballetto, Venice II" painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 11.5 x 8.25 in (on 12 x 9 in. paper)
Mat Size: 18 x 14 in.
Purchase: Sold
View my gallery at Daily Painters - Contemporary original art for sale.
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Market Day II, Venice, Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 2/5/2009 3:28:02 PM
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Market Day, Venice II
Talk about culture shock...
Long ago on my first visit to Venice, I was a student backpacking in Europe on a tight budget. I couldn't afford a meal in a restaurant, so I headed to an outdoor produce market. It was crowded with locals and tourists. I thought I was doing a busy vendor a favor when I started helping myself like I would back home, but was I wrong!
As soon as I picked up my first piece of fruit to inspect it, my hand was slapped (well, gently) by a lady who seemed like a vendor's wife. Here in Italy, you don't touch the produce; that's rude. I should have waited for my turn to tell them what I wanted.
Market Day, Venice, Italy II
Click here for a larger image of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in (on 9 x 12 in. paper)
Mat/Frame: No
Purchase: Private Collection
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Gondolier III, Venice Italy Painting
by Keiko Tanabe on 1/31/2009 10:12:52 PM
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Gondolier, Venice, Italy III
I heard becoming a gondolier in Venice is a serious business. According to eHow careers, first you have to (1) find a mentor willing to tutor you, then (2) attend a school to learn how to maneuver the gondola, and (3) practice, practice, practice! When you think you're ready, (4) you take the exam offered by the Gondolier Association. If you pass this very difficult exam, (5) you finally get your license to be an official gondolier. The competition is fierce and there are only 400 licensed gondoliers in Venice. Wow, it sounds very serious. But one thing maybe I'd like to see change in exam rules is the "singing is not required" part. Wouldn't it be nice if we know our gondolier can serenade for us?
Gondolier, Venice, Italy III
Click here for a large view of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on paper
Image Size: 6 x 8 in (15.2 x 20.3 cm)
Mat Size: 11 x 14 in
Mat Color: White
Purchase: Sold
Click to see more Venice Italy paintings on Keiko Tanabe website.
View my gallery at Daily Painters - Contemporary original art for sale.
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It's Happening Again - Acqua Alta in Venice
by Keiko Tanabe on 12/4/2008 12:05:31 PM
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Venice Canal II
Since December 1, Venice has been hit with acqua alta, high tide that is the worst in last twenty years. News report said that "the tide peaked at 61 inches (156 centimeters), well past the 40-inch (110-centimeter) flood mark, as strong winds pushed the sea into the city." YouTube has some videos that show how bad it has been (key words: high tide or acqua alta in venice).
Given the preparedness of the city’s residents, I cannot help feeling sorry for them for businesses lost, things damaged and daily lives ruined. Thinking how Venice is built, I don’t really agree this is entirely a natural disaster and I certainly hope I can walk (and paint!) on dry streets the next time I visit. As I talked previously in my blog ( Venice and Mickey Mouse and Venice Magic), I believe Venice is one of the most beautiful and inspiring places in the world for artists. May its magic live long!
Click here to see more Venice Italy paintings.
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