The Provence area of France is chock full of tiny little towns perched high on a hill and surrounded by a wall for fortification. One such village we explored was Roussillon. We actually set out on a mission to find me authentic hand made pastels which come from the sands of the surrounding red-ocre mountains. ( Most of these small villages have very few sustainable businesses and are threatening to die out simply because the young flock to jobs in the city.) As quaint as the towns are it was the approach, or the distant view, that I loved seeing the most. So on Day #13 I decided to paint Roussillon.
5 x 5 watercolor, Roussillon
7" x 5" watercolor Roussillon Redux
Almost a pleasant hour later here it is. No attempt at realism...just the memory of lots of squarish buildings, all ochre and gold, tumbling down a hill til they are stopped by a wall. There is a lot of clustered greenery in those reddish scenes as everything that is not paved is planted. warm and cool. done. Day 13 to bed.
Does one appeal to you over the other? Funny how similar they are, and no doubt because they were done on the same day with the same color palette. Vote for your favorite in the comments section. If you receive this by email just double click on the blog title and it will take you to the blog. Scroll down and at the bottom you will see the word "comments." enter your choice there....by doing it this way you can also see what others prefer. Personally the jury is out....they will look different to me tomorrow!
Thanks for sharing the challenge.
I love both! I just love a colorful cityscape and both are terrific! I suppose if I was forced to pick, I'd lean toward the first one with the richer color, and those pastel hills are a really lovely complement. But I do like the line work on the last one, and it does feel more relaxed.
ReplyDeleteThey are both gorgeous. I think I like the second one better because the lines are clearer, but the first one has a warmth about it. It's like seeing the same place at different times of day where the sun shines on one thing one time and another thing a few hours later. Beautiful work!
ReplyDeletethank you Lillian and Cindy, such thoughtful comments...I appreciate your input. And I like your thought Lillian of different times of day...that would be another wonderful intention exercise to tackle some time. So far the darker, richer colors are winning in the "popular" vote!
ReplyDeleteI like the second one. It is freer, looser, brighter. Even the background is much improved. Great job.
ReplyDeleteCindy... I like them both and would enjoy seeing each if not shown as a comparison. I guess, with them side by side, I would choose the first one because the colors are a bit more vibrant and I lean toward the vibrant.... Lou
ReplyDeleteCindy... I like them both and would enjoy seeing each if not shown as a comparison. I guess, with them side by side, I would choose the first one because the colors are a bit more vibrant and I lean toward the vibrant.... Lou
ReplyDeleteThey are both charming, but I have to go with #2. Your description of painting it alone convinced me it's the one.
ReplyDeleteOh boy... add these votes to the FB tally and we are in a dead heat; which goes to show that beauty is in the eye....and yes, Lou, I have often read that it is baaaad form to show two versions of same subject side by side! But this is an inside job... Thanks for the input ladies.
ReplyDeleteI like the first one better - maybe because it reminds me of some scenes on volcanic islands in the Caribbean, but I like them both.
ReplyDelete