Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre 01 - by Miki

In April 2011, on our way to Tuscany, we spent almost a week in the National Parl of Cinque Terre by the Italian Riviera. It has been been very difficult to reach with the Boomobile, our “Tour Bus” because of the very narrow steep roads. I guess we even went through roads who were prohibited tp such big vehicles, but well, we were not caught… but more than one time I thought it was the end of us: I was scared to death on these roads!!!

I painted the scenery above from a place where we spent the night, by the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere… it was VERY dark there in the night, but at least one could see from there the  lights of the famous villages from Cinque Terre, which we would visit in the next days. I will show some sketches of these villages in later posts (if I don’t forget…)

I tried to paint some impressions from Cinque Terre , out of my fantasy. The mountains,, the high narrow houses, the seagulls…

Cinque Terre 03 - by Miki

Cinque Terre 05 - by Miki

All paintings available are Giclee prints (on paper and canvas, in many different sizes) or as greeting cards directly online at my FAA gallery.

And more generally you can see all the stuff I paint by going to my gallery “Miki’s Enchanted World”

The Tour de France 01

Tour de France 01 - by Miki

In homage to the Tour de France I started a new series of cycling paintings. As often in the last years, they will be done in a mixed technique including classical art (watercolour, pastel, ink) and digital art. The digital part being to increase the vibrancy of the colours and sometimes to create special effects of movement which I find especially adequate in sports art.

Le Tour de France 02 - by Miki

But these paintings won’t all be exactly in the same style, I want to try different stuff, different ways of abstractions and drawings.

In the painting below for example I tried to minimalise the drawing. Juts some principal lines, and then loads of bold colours as a contrast to the thick black lines.

Le Tour de France 03 – by Miki

The last one is an impression of the third stage of the race yesterday. In the TV coverage they were often showing that church and town from the air. That gave me the idea of that composition. Not quite easy to realise, but great fun! And I like the result, makes me want to do some more in that style!

Le Tour de France 04 – by Miki

And if you like them too, you can purchase a print (on paper or canvas) in many different sizes, or a greeting card, in my online gallery. Just click on the widget below

Loneliness in Old Age in Italy

Old and Lonely in Italy 02 - by Miki

 

Seen and painted in Cortona, Tuscany, Italy at the entrance of a wine shop. Watercolour and ink.

Old and Lonely in Italy 04 - by Miki

 

Seen and painted in the medieval town Montepulciano Tuscan. Watercolour and some ink.

Old and Lonely in Italy 05 - by Miki

 

Seen and painted in Colle d’Val d’Elsa in Tuscany, Italy. To tell the whole truth, the olf guy was not really sitting alone at that cafe table… and the bottle of wine was not THAT big!  But fits well into the series.

 

Camogli in italy

Camogli in Italy 02 - by Miki

Travel sketch in ink and watercolour, painted on the site

The sea town Camogli by the Riviera was one of the places we visited in the first part of our Italy trip. It had been very difficult to reach  with our Boomobile, in fact the first time we were there was a Sunday and we had to escape again, much too many people were there and it was impossible to find a parking place, even very far away from the town. All Italy seemed to be there that day! A pity as  the town, seen from the road above, seemed spectacular. It hurt in the soul to go away without being able to make even one sketch. But we came back days later, as we had to trace back our steps, Kevin having to take a plane in Genova for a gig in the UK. And eventually the town turned out to be a great place for me to sketch, I loved it! It was also the first time we tried some Focaccio bread, my God: to die for!

Camogli in italy 11 - by Miki

When  I look at this painting, I can’t help to think that the church seems a little big too big.. but who cares… I don’t! Anyway, perhaps it was so, and certainly in my artist;s perception. In any case to look at the painting makes want to go back there, and this is the most important!

Camogli in Italy 03 - by Miki

A typical street in Camogli. A delight for my artist’s eyes and hand!

I have painted much more there. If you want to see all my sketches from Camogli, please go to my FAA gallery. All the paintings and sketches are available as Giclee prints, in different sizes on paper or canvas, and as greeting cards. Just click on the widget below.