What I Used for This Painting
Watercolour on 140-lb paper, 9 inches by 12 inches.
Why This Painting is My Favorite
This is my favourite because until then I had only painted one or two originals, which were so-so. The other paintings were exercises or assignments from instructors.
I painted Saint John Window from a photo of a real Saint John (New Brunswick) window that I took when I used to spend some time there. I was going to photograph all the interesting architectural elements of Canada's oldest city, but I never finished that project.
When it came to filling in the reflection in the glass, I immediately thought of a cruise ship. The port of Saint John is a stopover included in many summer cruises, and I never stopped marvelling at the humongous size of those vessels, which moored a mere block or two from where I lived. They reminded me of the ocean liner scene in the movie Amarcord, one of my all-time favourites. If my house had faced the port, this scene would have been a very likely one.
There's a lot about it that I like -- especially the concept, the sky, the colours and the humour in the ambiguity (is the viewer inside looking out or is he outside and is the ship a reflection?) -- and I certainly had a lot of fun painting it.
Lessons Learned
- Don't be afraid to use your imagination
- Keep practicing -- it pays off!
Your Blog/Website
http://watercolor-journey.blogspot.com/
