Sketching in San Gimignano Italy
For more than a decade, I have been building up a collection of limited edition prints taken from some of my of Italy . Before embalming on the finished watercolour of The Towers in San Gimignano, I like to spend time in the chosen location (who wouldn’t?). I make at least one small watercolour on the spot. This triggers off memories of the mood and feel of the place. The painting of the Towers in San Gimignano above. I wanted to capture the famous towers bathed in the warmth and clarity of late afternoon sunlight. This will evoke happy memories for those fortunate people who have spent lazy days under the Tuscan sun.
Painting on Location
I spent a day and a half in San Gimignano driving about the surrounding countryside with Susan my wife. We wandered in and out of the medieval town, enjoying the occasional glass of wine. Occasionally enjoying a bear with samples of wild boar salami in-between painting and taking reference photographs. However, it was not until we left San Gimignano that the sky turned a wonderful pink. Creating a beautiful golden hue on the various buildings and in particular the famous Towers in San Gimignano. I took some photographs from the car and logged the colours in my mind. This is the mood I wanted to capture as I began the finished piece that has been a successful limited edition print. Since then, I have painted the scene again as an original watercolour of the Towers in San Gimignano which you can see online or at my Studio & Gallery in Ponteland.
The Town of Fine Towers
Known as the Town of Fine Towers, San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls, form “an unforgettable skyline”.