The Duomo in Florence

You can see the Duomo from almost anywhere in the city of Florence. Its size commands your attention. While I have not painted it with the detail it actually has, I wanted to capture the command it has over you to see it.

Cello Player in Florence...

There are many people in and around the city who are trying to share talents, and make money on which to live. Not so different from America cities and probably true around the world.

Along the Arno River...

We walked along this river several times. Each time, I had to take pictures. It was irresistible.

The Ponte Vecchio in Florence Italy...

No matter what view you choose, this bridge is unmistakable.

The Baptistery of San Giovanni

You can see the gollden doors opened only every twenty-five years by the Pope.

The Leather Seller...

My approach was much faster with this painting, as a result, there is a sketchlike quality about it. Seeing all of the venders' wares is nearly overwhelming, so focusing on the overall was good for me.

Piazza Santa Croce

Florence Italy

This is a very wide open sauare. It felt old - a feeling of history.

My First Caffe in Florence...

I learned that if you stood to drink your cup of coffee or whatever, you paid what it cost, but if you were to sit, the cost went up. Made sense. I stood. I drank. It was good. A real boost in the afternoon!

First View of Florence Italy

Our first evening in Florence the Pietra, our bus driver, took us to where we could see the magnificent view of the city from the hill where one of the David sculptures now stands. His timing was just at sunset when the colors were quite simply amazing.

Doorway in Assisi Italy...

One of the things I loved about Italy was the old buildings and passages throughout the town we visited. There is a feeling of hisotry everywhere and just being there helps one to feel as though you are a part of that richness. Tucked away in the corner of the medival town I found this spot.

In Florence Italy

In Italy, they have these shutters that swing open from the bottom, and they hang wet wash to dry out the window. Everywhere we went I saw this.

The Narrow Streets in Florence Italy.

These streets would not take an American car, well most of the older streets would not. And in most places in Florence, they would not allow them. This was from our first night in Florence.

Gelato Shop in Assisi Italy.

Gelato is the biggest thing in Italy next to pasta, especially in the summer.

I loved the way they stacked the cones in creative ways right out in the open.

Out Tour Guide Simone in Assisi Italy.

After completing the basic washes, I have gone back into the painting to find my darks and shadows and leave the highlights alone. The last touch is in the ink definitions I add with pen and ink.

The Umbrian Valley, Italy.

I caught a glimpse of the valley while walking up to the town of Assisi proper. The view was simply breathtaking. The detail on buildings varied greatly.

Hotel Castello in Assisi, Italy.

Here is the completed painting of the first hotel we stayed in. Just up the hill from here we walked to St. Francis. It is had to paint things in order of how our trip went. So things will skip around from here. My goal is to cocmplete this little sktechbook of watercolors as my personal visual reminder of the beautiful trip we had.