Gondola Repair Yard, Venice - An Easier Venice Scene?

Venice is always a favourite for artists, but I admit I do not paint Venice scenes very often. I think it might be all those fancy windows and endless details that hold me back. Many paintings of Venice can become tricky and time-consuming because of the complicated architecture. This scene, the gondola repair yard, is definitely much easier and more enjoyable for me.

What I really like about this scene is the simple shapes of the buildings. There is nothing too fussy here – just solid blocky forms, which help make painting more relaxed and fun. I focused on warm earth colours like burnt sienna and a bit of cool blue here and there for the shadows and reflections. The water reflections are always good fun and you can keep them loose, which adds a bit of sparkle to the scene.

Of course, no Venice painting is complete without a gondola. I have included one just coming into the view from the left to give a bit of life and balance to the picture. If you are a beginner or feel nervous about tackling Venice, something like this is perfect. You get the Venice atmosphere, but without the stress of little details.

If you are interested in this painting, it is for sale.