Castle of Ouguela

First try on Meeden paper which is more affordable but still 100% cotton. I am not good enough to get a decent painting on cellulose paper.

Watercolor 23x31cm on Meeden paper, rough

The Village of Monsaraz

This was an exercise in rapid painting (about 35 minutes). Results are mixed - main buildings too distorted, conflicting shadows, and maybe too many hard edges. Valuable experience in loose painting though.

Village of Monsaraz, watercolor 30x45cm, Fabriano paper cp.

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Isto foi um exercício em pintura rápida (35 minutos). O resultado foi duvidoso – muita distorção nos edificios principais, sombras inconsistentes, e tavez muitas margens secas. No entanto ganhei alguma experiência no caminho da pintura solta.

Ouguela Castle, Alto Alentejo Portugal

After a number of painting assignments over the last several weeks, I had my first chance to go loose today.

Depois de vários trabalhos de comissão nas últimas semanas, hoje tive oportunidade de pintar mais ao acaso.

Watercolor 23x31cm Saunders paper, rough

The walled town of Monsaraz

 Watercolor 23x31cm, Arches paper, rough

Heights of Monsaraz

Watercolor 10x14" (25x35cm)

Blick paper cp

The Eagle's Nest - Marvão from a distance.

Watercolor, 23x31cm, Saunders Waterford paper, rough

A House in Marvão, Portugal

Watercolor 9x12", Saunders paper, rough

Alentejo - Alandroal

Watercolor 23x31cm, Saunders Waterford paper, rough

Timeless Monsaraz

Geez, yet another watercolor of Monsaraz. It will not be the last either.

Ainda mais outra aguarela de Monsaraz. E não deve ser a última.

30x40cm, W&N paper cp

Monsaraz Castle Tower - Torre de Menagem

               Stabilo point 88/65 pen, 0.4mm, Crazy Ideas sketchbook, page 49

Monsaraz Corner

Some day I will stop painting things of Monsaraz. Today is obviously not that day

Um dia eu vou parar de pintar coisas de Monsaraz. Óbviamente que hoje não é esse dia.

 Watercolor 20x25cm, Arches paper, rough

Monsaraz III

Watercolor 12x16” (31x41cm) on W&N paper, CP

I almost never paint the same scene more than once, but this is my third try of this view of Monsaraz, a beautifully preserved medieval village in Portugal. That’s because the other two no longer belong to me, and I want my own version, which I tried to make a little looser. In any case, I always seem to end up with more detail than my good intentions.

Quase nunca pinto a mesma cena mais que uma vez, mas esta é a terceira tentativa desta vista de Monsaraz. Isso é porque os dois trabalhos anteriores já não me pertencem e eu queria a minha própria versão, que procurei fazer um pouco mais solta, com menos detalhes. De qualquer maneira, parece que sempre acabo com mais detalhes do que as minhas boas intenções.

Castelo de Juromenha

Watercolor, 12x16" (31x41cm) W&N paper cp

Portas de Monsaraz - Gates of Monsaraz

Monsaraz, like some other villages in the Alentejo Province of Portugal, is a place apart, a time machine that assaults the senses at every corner. Looking at my photos from a year ago,  I heavily cropped this scene from a wide view of a side street and used it as a reference for the painting.

Watercolor 23x31cm, Winsor & Newton paper, rough

Castle of Noudar, Alentejo Portugal

Watercolor 12x16" (30x40cm), Winsor&Newton paper cp

Walls of Mourão

Watercolor 10x14" (25x35cm), Arches paper, rough

Heights of Monsaraz

I don’t usually paint the same scene more than once, but my first painting of Monsaraz was sold, and it left a void. Because I made it my mission last Summer to travel here only because of this view of this magical village in the Alentejo province. So, I had to paint another one, and I used a slightly different viewpoint. And I also made it bigger at 36x54cm, on heavy 300lb Arches paper.

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Normalmente eu não pinto a mesma cena mais do que uma vez, mas a minha primeira aguarela foi vendida, e eu senti a falta dela. Porque eu vim aqui de propósito no Verão passado só por ter visto fotos desta vila mágica no Alentejo.

Então fiz uma segunda aguarela usando uma perspetiva um pouco differente da primeira. E usei um tamanho maior, 36x54cm em papel Arches mais espesso de 300lb.

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Heights of Monsaraz - Cumes de Monsaraz

Watercolor 14x21" (36x54cm), Arches paper

Monsaraz Inn - Estalagem de Monsaraz

Watercolor 23x31cm, W&N paper, rough

 

Roman Temple of Diana

 Évora, Portugal

Watercolor 18x25cm, Arches paper, rough

Monsaraz at a distance

 Watercolor 23x31cm, W&N paper, rough