Ponte Chiodo

This lovely bridge in Venice crosses the Rio di San Felice in Cannaregio. The Ponte Chiodo has no railings between it and the canal, so it seems to float ethereally above the water. It's funny how few railings there are separating you from the canals in Venice. The balconies that have railings are lovely delicate masterpieces of ironwork, more enhancing the balcony than protecting you from the water. After all, who'd want to be too far removed from the water in Venice?

This painting is about lovely bright colors and deep shadows shrouding the canal edges. The bright light sparkles on the buildings and dapples the reflected light under the bridge. The depth of the colors on the antique stucco is amazing. So many repairs over hundreds of years. The mouldings are beautiful, some intricately carved, some simple slabs of marble for thresholds that have been worn irregularly through time.

If you're interested in how this watercolor painting was painted, I have a video and other instructions tutorial.

I love the bright warm colors of this painting. It's a sunny day and I'm wandering and sketching the streets of Venice again! I can hear the clangs of the boat yard a few streets away, the constant chatter of so many languages in hidden courtyards and rooftops, and the soft beat of the tide through the city. Light and color dance through the city.