Oil Painting DVD: A Vision of Venice in Oils by Ken Howard

Ken Howard's "A Vision of Venice in Oils" DVD works on three levels. The most fundamental is demonstrating his oil painting techniques, working plein air. Then the setting he's working in will show why so many painters go to Venice. And, lastly, if you've been to Venice it'll remind you of the joys of the city and its potential for paintings.

I was intrigued to see which scenes Royal Academician Ken Howard would paint in his "A Vision of Venice in Oils" DVD, having been to Venice (see pages from my Venice sketchbook, seen artists working in various locations in the city, and knowing how many possibilities there are. I wasn't disappointed with his choice: the Salute, San Giorgio Maggiore, a view looking up the Grand Canal in the evening light, and a view of a back canal on a quiet Sunday morning.

Howard in fact paints three versions of the Salute, working with the changing light from early morning to late afternoon. It's great to watch him painting, and listen to him talking about what he's doing, as the light is both part of the appeal and difficulty of painting in Venice.

One of the many tips Howard shares is how he sometimes tests the tone of a color in another part of the painting to see if he's got it right. Once you're aware he does this, you'll see him doing it as he's painting.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way Howard explains what he's looking at, how he's deciding what to do in the painting, what he thinks is working (or not), how he develops the painting. You really do feel as if you're standing in Venice next to the canal with him, watching over his shoulder as he paints, and listening to him chat.