Spice Market Magic

Just as "luck" is where preparation meets opportunity,

painting "magic" is where persistence meets inspiration.

Why is that old work ethic such a vital ingredient...

and why do we expect we can be the lone exception?

Back to the souks (markets) in the medina (walled city) of Marrakech: color! shadow! light! all tempt the artist in me.  With such over-the-top visuals it 'should' be easy to replicate the feeling one gets in the narrow dark labyrinth of shops displaying their wares. Right? Right?

This image was so clearly burned into my minds eye that I doubted I would need the photo for reference.  I began in watercolor....not very successfully I judged.

But I took the time to do something all my instructors have urged: evaluate. I made notes, I drew lines, I pretended to be the teacher.

I made another pass, slowly this time, taking care to refer to my notes. Watercolor is (have I said this before?) so unforgiving.  But I liked the light cast.

Now to try a different medium.  Since it dries quickly I decided to do an underpainting in acrylic paint.  This would serve as a guide for my light and shadows and let me get into the guts sooner.  Like warming up with musical scales or stretches before a run.

The Spice Trade

8x 6 oil, available framed,  $50

And I began to work with the oil.  So clearly now I can see where it needs loosening up and reigning in.  I am just now beginning to understand how I really want to execute this scene.  I don't think we

are finished with this yet.....but I feel the "magic" starting to bubble.

Back to the easel,

Cindy