I spent my Christmas Eve sketching the value study for the painting of St. Mark's Plaza in Venice that I will do today. It's from my collection of slides I took in Europe many years ago. The lacy quality of the buildings and the big shadow from the bell tower attracted my interest.
One more advantage of doing a value study before you paint is that it gives you a chance to think about color choices. Since the sun is behind the buildings, I decided that the sky should be a gradation of yellow. That choice leads me to think that the complement of yellow--violet--should be featured in the silhouette of the architecture. That contrast will enliven both colors.
I'll keep the details in the interior shape of the cathedral to a minimum. The abstract shapes of the piece are then emphasized and the color should further carry the day.
What a happy way to spend my Christmas day while the turkey is in the oven!
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