Italy Watercolor Series 2007

After the NYSS Drawing Marathon in Orvieto, I spent a week in a small house outside of Todi, Italy. Every morning I painted the sunrise, along with my friend and professor. As watercolor is a new medium for me, as is waking up at 4am, and I hadn't painted from nature in over a year, it is needless to say that I struggled during the process of painting these sunrises. I felt like a child when I painted the first sunrise; clumsily, freely and unaware of my materials. By the end of the week, however, I was able to create miniature compositions with bold, clear color choices. The dates below the pieces demonstrate the progress (I hope!) that I made during the week. Enjoy!

Domenica (Sunday)

Todi in Darkness before Sunrise
10" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.22.2007

Todi Before Sunrise
10" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.22.2007


Before Sunrise over Todi
4" x 6" watercolor on paper
7.22.2007


Red Egg-Yolk Sun
10" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.22.2007


Yellow Egg-Yolk Sun
4" x 6" watercolor on paper
7.22.2007

Todi Domenica Sera, alle Otto (Sunday Evening, 8pm)
7.5" x 11" watercolor on paper
7.22.2007


Lunedi (Monday)

Todi alle quattro e mezzo della mattina (4:30am)
7.5" x 11" watercolor on paper
7.23.2007


Todi prima dell'alba
10" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.23.2007


Todi prima dell'alba (with red dots)
4" x 6" watercolor on paper
7.23.2007


Todi cerca l'alba: Un cielo grandissimo!
(Todi near dawn: a grand sky!)
10" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.23.2007

L'alba di Todi
10" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.23.2007

Martedi (Tuesday)

Purple Todi before Sunrise
8" x 8" watercolor on paper
7.24.2007

Todi, Pale Sky Before Sunrise
4" x 6" watercolor on paper
7.24.2007

Todi Tuesday before Sunrise
10" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.24.2007


Todi Sunrise in Red Sky
10" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.24.2007

Todi Tuesday Afternoon
4" x 6" watercolor on paper
7.24.2007


Mercoledi (Wednesday)

Todi before Sunrise
10" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.25.2007


Rainbow Sky before Sunrise
4" x 6" watercolor on paper
7.25.2007


Dark Todi, Rainbow Sky before Sunrise
8" x 8" watercolor on paper
7.25.2007


Todi Sun Peeking over Mountains
4" x 8" watercolor on paper
7.25.2007


Todi Sunrise on a Clear Day
4" x 8" watercolor on paper

7.25.2007

Todi Sunset
(alternative titles: Todi as toad, Todi as pizza)
4" x 6" watercolor on paper
7.25.2007


Giovedi (Thursday)

Todi Flying Clouds before Sunset
4" x 6" watercolor on paper
7.26.2007

Todi Purple Clouds before Sunrise (panoramic)
4.5" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.26.2007


Todi Red Sunrise (panoramic)
4.5" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.26.2007


Todi White Sunrise
4" x 6" watercolor on paper
7.26.2007



Venerdi (Friday)

Todi Purple Mountains before Sunrise
4" x 6" watercolor on paper
7.27.2007



Todi Before Sunrise (panoramic)
4.5" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.27.2007


Todi Orange Sunrise (panoramic)
4.5" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.27.2007


Todi Red Sunrise Surprise
4" x 6" watercolor on paper
7.27.2007


L'ultima notte a Todi: La Luna
(The last night in Todi: The moon)
10" x 14" watercolor on paper
7.27.2007

La Luna e gli Arboli
4" x 6" watercolor on paper
7.27.2007


Sabato (Saturday)

Todi Morning Mist
4" x 6" watercolor on paper
7.28.2007



Finally...some oil pastel drawings

Orvieto Landscape
8" x 11" oil pastel on paper


Orvieto Haystacks
8" x 11" oil pastel on paper

Todi Still Life with Fruit and Flowers
11" x 8" oil pastel on paper

Todi Dawn
8" x 11" oil pastel on paper