Robie Benve Art

"Over the Italian Rooftops" 11"x14" Oil on Board Available Painting from a reference photo is not my first choice anymore. Since when I started painting on location, I find using reference photos more challenging than ever - how things change: I used to be scared of painting on location!!! The photo for this painting was taken at sundown, so the light resembled a cloudy day, with no direct sunlight, which made things hazy and with low contrast. Nevertheless I loved the landscape, so I really wanted to paint it. The photo at the top is the final version, below are phase 1 and 2 of this painting. The main change between phase 2 and 3 is that I deepened the color of the big roof. Over the Rooftops, Stage 1 I originally posted this painting a few months ago, but I was not sure if I was finished with it. Then I worked some more on it: I made the shadows more colorful. "Over the Rooftops"stage 2 I recently came across this notion...

Cypress and Olive Trees, 9" x 12", watercolor Three things I associate with Tuscany: lines of cypresses, bluish olive trees, and hills. This watercolor has all three, and kind of makes me home sick. I keep painting Tuscany, even though I'm actually from Venice, where the landscape is totally different, but Tuscany has always been a joy for my eyes and soul every time I visited, and I enjoy representing it with watercolors. The best part, I love how I learn something with each painting. :)

Cypress Shadows, Watercolor, 9"x12" One day I was in Google Street View, looking around the Italian Tuscan countryside, and I found so many great views. Besides making me a little homesick, it also inspired me to paint them, so I saved several images in a folder. This painting is from one of those photos, I don't remember exactly where it was, but surely in the neighborhoods of San Gimignano. I was inspired to start painting this particular view by the Daily Paint Work challenge of the week: The Shadow Challenge. It has been fan to play with watercolors again, I think I want to do another one. Hopefully soon. :) "Constant development is the law of life,  and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas  in order to appear consistent  drives himself into a false position."     - Mohandas K. Gandhi

"Vista sull'Uliveto" Acrylic on Canvas Panel 11" x 14" (27.9 x 35.6 cm) Finally my first painting posted for this year! I painted this entirely from imagination, without any reference photo. It has been such an interesting process; I had fun and I think I learned quite a bit.  The idea for the landscape came from memories of Tuscany, and the inspiration for the colors came from some new colors that I bought, very unusual for me - I usually mix my paint from the few basic colors, I did not own any fancy hues. Like a child I was super excited to try them all - you should have seen how psychedelic it looked after the first hour! Then, layer after layer, I toned it down.  Now I'm quite happy with it, I find it relaxing, despite the yellow sky. :)