Conversation in the Rain

Copy of John Yardley painting by Dennis Pendleton. John Yardley is one of my favorite artists and when I saw his watercolor, "Conversation In The Rain," I decided to reproduce it to see what I could learn. Mr. Yardley is notorious for using a large number 12 round watercolor brush which is one of the reasons his work has a nice loose quality. Along with my number 12, I also used a number 8 and number 6 brushes. I know exactly where this is in Venice and, by choosing to paint a rainy day, John Yardley created a mood with a distinctive charm. I can't help wondering what the characters are talking about. This is an example of how a title can become an important part of a painting's story.

As I painted this, I was struck by how many ways the viewer is led to the figures under the umbrella which are the focal point. If you follow the white marble shape with the pillars and the cable it zigzags through the painting and ends up at the feet of the figures. The red bridge crosses the canal and points to the same people. Also, the white marble shape on the corner of the building drops down onto the same trio and the white bottom of the same building also directs you to the same place. The feeling of a wet rainy day was captured by using dry brush to create rough edges and then painting soft edges for the reflections on the cement. I also used spattering and softened some edges with a wet brush. The umbrella of course tells you that it is raining.

The buildings were painted with different combinations of cobalt violet, yellow ochre and mineral violet while the bridge was painted with cadmium red and alizarin crimson. The cement walkway and the canal water were painted with the same gray mixed with cerulean blue and brilliant orange then a light wash of olive green was added to the canal. The darkest colors in the windows, doorways and the woman's raincoat are a mixture of burnt sienna and French ultramarine blue. You can also see how a liberal use of unpainted white paper is important to the composition. Copying a painting like this always gives me a better understanding of some ideas and techniques that I can use in my own art work. Happy Painting! Dennis Pendleton