Photoshop Revisions: Gatta! Assisi Italy

day 3: Creating the pre-painting composition (using Adobe Photoshop)
I've been running into walls and brightly-colored dragons on the city streets lately (i.e.: street art). You think our cat of Assisi would enjoy such entertainment too? Let's give her some big Koi, and since she's such a good kitty, let's also paint in a halo on the wall above her head. Can you still hear her purring...?

Gatta! Assisi Italy

day 2: Capturing the selected image
Yes, it's a cat. A cat against a blank wall. The cat, when close up, has very poor resolution. What to do?

Google Street Views: Gatta!

day 1: Planning the destination
...so I saw this cat ...in Italy ...I haven't left Assisi yet. I'm sure the cat was purring.

Resting Up, 5

day 5: A day (or more) of rest
When You Are Old by William Butler Yeats
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

Finished Painting: "Woman In Window, Assisi Italy"

day 4, the finished painting:
Hope you like it!

"Woman In Window, Assisi Italy" has been sold.

"Woman In Window, Assisi Italy"
 8x10" oil on prepared linen pad by puci

Photoshop Revisions: Woman in the Window, Assisi Italy

day 3: Creating the pre-painting composition (using Adobe Photoshop)
Not much modification needed here: just a quick crop and some color adjustments. Hated to lose that wonderful roof area though, but it demanded too much attention. Anyway, just look at the lights & shadows of those luscious blue shutters; the woman who--for this moment--has been captured by the morning sun; the intriguing shadow stripes & oval shapes against the textured wall. A feast for the eyes!

Woman in the Window, Assisi Italy

day 2: Capturing the selected image
While still in the region of Umbria Italy, specifically the town of Assisi, I spotted a woman in a window. Her far-away stare coupled with the angle of the magnificent Mediterranean light caught my attention. This will be the next painting.

Google Street Views: Still in Italy

day 1: Planning the destination
We have much more to see in bella Italia: at least one more for now, many more for later...

simple recipe to enhance virtual travel in Italy (the authentic smell):
uno: cut off top of garlic bulb
due: sprinkle with olive oil
tre: wrap with foil as if it were a bambino
quattro: bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes

photo courtesy: Chris Haines

Resting Up, 4

day 5: A day (or more) of rest

photo courtesy of Tomås Castelazo: http://www.tomascastelazo.com
quote courtesy: www.iquotesfamous.com

Finished Painting: "Crossing The Threshold"

day 4, the finished painting:
I love portals (doorways, staircases, windows...) as metaphor for a spiritual journey. I've been painting portals for awhile now: http://www.darlenepucilloart.com/Portals.html  This is the first with people.

"Crossing The Threshold" is for sale: www.etsy.com/listing/154212962

"Crossing The Threshold"
 8x10" oil on prepared linen pad by puci

Photoshop Revisions: Arch of Via Borgo Aretino, Assisi, Umbria, Italy

day 3: Creating the pre-painting composition (using Adobe Photoshop)
As you can see, I cropped out quite a bit from the original Goggle Street View. I also eliminated lots of the extraneous stuff that took away from what I want to accomplish with the painting. The tree is now on the other side, allowing that wonderful light to stream through uninhibited.

Google Street View: Via Borgo Aretino, Assisi, Umbria, Italy

day 2: Capturing the selected image
This lively piazza is filled with shops, restaurants and the Basilica de Santa Chiara. The exciting street views are many and varied with every turn of the Google "compass". I chose this scene in  particular because of the wonderful arched doorway with the light streaming through.

Google Street Views: It's Italia!

day 1: Planning the destination
My parents, both of Italian descent, were married over 70 years ago today ("Flag Day" here in America.)  So they will be with me in spirit as we move on … to Italy! Meet me at the Via Borgo Aretino in Assisi. Ciao!

Resting Up, 3

day 5: A day (or more) of rest

Well, that was fun. Google Street View #3 painted and... sold! ~such an encouraging start for this new project. Thanks again to Gloria, a true supporter-of-the-arts!

Finished Painting: "Sea-ing Sea-Shapes"

day 4, the finished painting:

My focus on the geographic triangular sea-shapes intuited into a bit of abstract expressionism. Bay Area artists such as Richard Diebenkorn & Wayne Thiebaud come to mind.

"Sea-ing Sea-Shapes" is for sale sold: www.etsy.com/listing/153784268

"Sea-ing Sea-Shapes" •
 8x10" oil on prepared linen pad by puci

Photoshop Revisions: Point Reyes, CA, USA

day 3: Creating the pre-painting composition (using Adobe Photoshop)
The horizon line is high; the coastline is long and angled. The repeating triangular shapes will unite this 8x10" composition nicely.

Google Street View: Point Reyes, California, USA

day 2: Capturing the selected image
This is a long stretch of the Point Reyes National Seashore near Inverness, California USA. This beautiful part of the Pacific coastline is rugged & wild, serene & pensive all at the same time.

Pt. Reyes: a slice of heaven, ABC news story

Google Street Views: California Coast USA

day 1: Planning the destination
OK, as long as we're in the beautiful state of California USA, let's venture over to the Pacific Coast, where the edge of the earth and the mighty Pacific Ocean converge. I'm thinkin' somewhere above San Francisco...

Resting up, 2

day 5: A day (or more) of rest

photo credit: http://hilariousbookbinder.blogspot.com/2012/10/of-solitude.html
direct link to iQuotesFamous: www.iQuotesFamous.com

Finished Painting, "It Hasta Be Shasta"

day 4: The finished painting
OK, so this painting turned out kinda "trippy" ... the force must be strong.

"It Hasta Be Shasta" is for sale:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/153411485/google-street-view-oil-painting-by-puci

"It Hasta Be Shasta"
8x10" oil on prepared canvas pad by puci

Photoshop Revisions: Mt. Shasta, CA, USA

day 3: Creating the pre-painting composition (using Adobe Photoshop)
I  decided not to fix the distortion of the trees, as it gives the compositon an other-worldly feel.
Also, I plan to add more color to the painting than I was able to achieve in this Photoshop re-vision.

Google Street View: Mt. Shasta, CA, USA

day 2: Capturing the selected image
The swirling cloud looks kind of like a vortex, don't you think?

Google Street Views: Shasta Is Calling

day 1: Planning the destination
Have you heard some of the buzz about Mt. Shasta's spiritual energy, such as the Lemurian connections, the UFO sightings, ley lines, the Shasta vortex? Well, I don't think that a virtual trip to Shasta (such as ours) will allow us to feel Shasta's Earth chakra, but I'll let you know if she whispers any secrets to me while I'm painting...

Resting Up

day 5: A day (or more) of rest
Now that we've successfully dusted off our traveling shoes, we'll rest up for a bit. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking of a 16 ounce blended iced coffee with caramel. It will also be a celebratory treat too, as the very first Google Street View A Day painting has already sold!!! (Thank you Gloria!)

Salute! ~puci