French Townscape, a Fun Exercise

French Townscape, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"

This French townscape is the second of Allan Kirk's free tutorials. It was quite a bit more challenging than the window one I did last week, but I really enjoyed doing it.

I was feeling guilty for all the copying, but then I remembered that all the great painters started out by copying the great masters. The important thing is to only copy good stuff, I feel, and so I'm going to stay away from overly simplified beginners' lessons, lest I acquire bad habits.

Yesterday, I ordered a mat, just to have it around when I look at my finished paintings. It makes such a difference, don't you think? The only problem is that I can't scan the pictures, I have to photograph them. But that's okay, I've been having trouble getting the scanner to render the colours and the sharpness, lately.

The fellow cut the mat too big, so he made me a second one, and threw the first one in for free. He charged me $5. It seemed like a lot for just one, just right for two I think.

When I get good enough to show my paintings, I'll get a mat cutter and cut my own mats. A big sheet of mat board costs $14 and you get six single mats of this size out of it.