Evening : Sperlonga

Hello Everyone
+This is a start-to-finish watercolor painting demonstration recorded in real-time. In this video, I emphasize ways of simplifying complex urban paintings. I also cover intention, composition, value design, atmosphere, and color scheme - as well as interpretation, formatting, narrative, drawing, sketching, perspective, etc. I've taken a slightly faster, more fluid approach than in some of my more formal paintings.
+The subject is an urban view - at night - of Spenlonga - a beautiful seaside southern Italian town.
Thanks for watching!
Tom
+This painting was done on Arches Watercolor Paper - rough surface - 300gsm :
+15x12 inches
+Pigments by Daniel Smith and Holbein
+Brushes by Escoda, Neef, DaVinci, and Tintoretto
( "Thomas W Schaller" Signature Brushes by NEEF available online at Senior Art; Melbourne)
+Palette by House of Hoffman
+Sketch pencils by Blackwing and Faber-Castell
+Sketchbook by Stillman + Birn
Thomas W Schaller AWS NWS TWSA ASAI
www.thomaswschaller.com
thomaswschaller
thomaswschaller
Thomas W Schaller - Artist, Architect, Author
New York City - 2024

[@carolannefisher1516]

Another video…so soon? How did we get so fortunate?!

[@thomaswschaller]

Heatwave - Stuck inside :) 🌞

[@judithtrail7079]

I had so much fun with this tutorial! I tend to be a bit of a photorealist (a self-taught beginner) and I lack confidence to go "loose," but this really was fun and helped me so much! Thank you!

[@BrianSwicegood]

Such enjoyment watching and listening to your commentary and your artistic work. Thx so much. I always look forward to your videos.

[@thomaswschaller]

thank you very kindly

[@gloriabrana44]

Thank you, I’m learning so much. 😊

[@chris197510]

Thank you so much for your demonstrations! I learn so much watching how you paint...

[@margaretmajewski545]

Thank you Thomas for your video. I love your work and have just discovered this video. I follow you on Instagram. I hope to learn soo much from your watercolors .. this is a new media for me. I paint with Acrylics. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@sylviaroan3265]

Thank you so much! It’s very inspiring and instrumental for me to watch your step by step painting from sketch to finish!

[@thomaswschaller]

thanks

[@coneyisland4568]

Stunning as always! I'm trying hard to paint in a looser style, but the perfectionist in me is difficult to appease and tends to lean towards realism. This is a wonderful combination of both styles.

[@thomaswschaller]

thank you

[@JVSwailesBoudicca]

You are spoiling us.......two paintings in one week ! I am doing a watercolour at the moment which is very similar in design to this one, but - obviously - I prefer yours !!! After watching you work I wish that I had set about mine in a different way so I will perhaps scrap my first effort and begin again !! Many thanks for this video, I learn something valuable from each one that you share with us.

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks. But hang in there - there's never just one way to get there

[@karinaleitethomas3048]

I am so so happy to have found this channel!! Your technique, your art is just amazing!! The perfect use of water and mix of colors (specially in the shadows) with the ability to preserve the white is incredible. Thanks you so very much for sharing your precious knowledge and ability!

[@thomaswschaller]

Thank you for watching

[@LiNa-cn6mu]

Hi Thomas, you've really mastered perspective! Those steps up and down would bamboozle me even with a reference pic. I experienced living in the12th century Umbrian city "Spoleto". It's ancient and modern too, in that there are escalators to take people up hills, of which there are quite a few. Many historical wonderful places to visit. Thank you for your tutelage ❤

[@thomaswschaller]

thanks!Spoleto - love it!

[@lizhopewell0507]

This was very useful thank you. I may even try the actual picture myself just to practice your techniques. It was really a picture of lines both vertical and horizontal and all the great blending of colours that you do, but with a few shadows here and there it suddenly became 3D, amazing.

[@thomaswschaller]

thanks so much

[@RossEdgin]

Thank you for doing this. I'm learning a ton from watching you and hearing your explanation and thought process. I have a question. I've heard you say that when picking colors for your palette you should ensure that they work with the other colors on your palette. How do I know if a color will work with what I have?

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks so much for the kind words. As for colors - I always work in complements - set of colors - not solo pigments. So yellow depends on violet - red on green, blue on orange. etc. But mostly it comes down to warm vs. cool tones . So if any one color (say a blue) is too dominant, you will not be able to achieve complementary harmonics unless its complement (say an orange) is equally aggressive. This may be what you want, but generally, it is not

[@grammiejones77]

I know what you mean…I try to get away from the illustration look but I can’t seem to stop doing it. It just comes out of my brain that way.

[@thomaswschaller]

The struggle is real :)

[@rosinelenoane779]

Another wonderful demo ! Thank you Thomas for your generosity :)

[@Belcih]

You are amazing, thank you for sharing your knowledge 🎉❤

Real inspiration!

[@viviennewilliams7510]

Thank you for a more loose style with not too much architectural detail, probably more within the grasp of my efforts! But, skill needed for the downward perspective ,so thanks for showing that . Where I live is hilly…and so lots of steps and rising roads so a helpful video. Could I ask if you might consider going back to your previous videoing format? It is helpful to see your palette and mixes of washes etc. plus ,with this new format we do get the top of your head rather than the painting at some points! Thanks for posting the two videos this week with two quite different approaches.

[@thomaswschaller]

I try very hard. to keep my head out of the shot but occasionally it happens. As for the palette, I had people complaining about that format as well - wanting me to zoom in on the painting more. So I can't win. I will likely do some of each

[@viviennewilliams7510]

As you say Thomas , you can’t win! I suppose we viewers of your videos , each want different things ! I enjoy all your postings though and learn something new each time so I’m very grateful to you however you video your teaching and philosophising ! So thank you .

[@juliemccormack8389]

Wow, we are so lucky to see you paint and learn so much. I love your techniques and composition sketches that you produce before you begin the painting. I need to be much more disciplined in my practice and do a tonal sketch before putting paint on the paper! Thank you -Julie from Western Australia 🎨👏

[@thomaswschaller]

thanks for watching

[@juliemccormack8389]

@@thomaswschallertoday I did the atonal sketch- this will be my new discipline

[@bl9531]

Your paintings capture the essence of what watercolour is IMO. You are so adept at capturing mood, sharp value changes, flawless mix of cool and warm colours .. and always with a focus on a well defined centre of interest. Something for amateurs like me to aspire to.

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks so much!

[@judithbarr3939]

Thank you for this video. Love the painterly approach❣️the painting is beautiful. May I ask if you wet the paper at all before you start painting? And also, what kind of brush is it that you use for painting foliage? Thanks again🙏🏻

[@thomaswschaller]

Thank you - I demonstrated the whole process in the video above and tried to explain every step of the way - No I did not wet the whole paper - If I did, it would be impossible to hold any edges whatsoever. And this would make saving light all but impossible to achieve .The brush for foliage is a DaVinci Caseneo Series liner brush -Series 5599

[@judithbarr3939]

@@thomaswschaller thank you!

[@scotttindol]

The wisdom shared between minutes 5:45-6:45 is pure gold.

[@dalekern9022]

Thank you another great demo! There is always something of value to learn from your work.🙏💙

[@krisztinacsosz6564]

Amazing as always. Thank you so much.

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks for watching

[@MyrriahJane]

Ooh, that spot of orange was perfect💙

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks

[@lidanaude8022]

Absolutely love your work! ❤

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks a million

[@Xyz19781i]

Truly one of the greats!!!!

[@thomaswschaller]

Thank ypu

[@davebroders2912]

And very talented hands I might add Thank you so much for sharing with all of us who aspire to be better painters one day

[@thomaswschaller]

thank you

[@jcline147]

Thanks for this…it definitely addresses my value question from yesterday. Most appreciated!

[@thomaswschaller]

Thanks

[@lidanaude8022]

Absolutely love your work! ❤

[@thomaswschaller]

thanks so much