TRAVEL WITH MY ART #17: BOL, ISLAND BRAČ (CROATIA)

 Hello and welcome to the 17th post in the category: TRAVEL WITH MY ART.  This is a regular feature on my blog where I share my paintings and illustrations of different destinations and locations. I tend to illustrate and paint places I visited and photographed myself, but sometimes they are exceptions, for example when I paint those places I want to visit. Generally speaking, I illustrate places I know well and I use my own photographs as a reference for these paintings. As the title TRAVEL WITH MY ART would imply, I started this series on my blog in order to share places I love with all of you. It's basically a way to take you places with the help of my art (paintings and photographs). Sharing photographs is a wonderful thing, but since I'm now kind of a painter as well, it makes sense to create and share more art.  So, what will I be sharing today?

If you guessed another seascape, you're right. I simply love painting the sea and the coast. Croatian seaside is a great inspiration for me. My last post was inspired by island Hvar but today I painted another Croatian island. Today I'm taking you to island Brač and more precisely to- Bol. Being a popular tourist destination, Bol is quite well known. Its famous beach Zlatni rat (Golden Horn) is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, sometimes nicknamed 'Symbol of Adriatic'. What makes this sand beach so special is that it changes its shape depending on the wind and the waves. The tip of this sand beach often changes the direction in which it is tipped. Isn't that fabulous? There are quite a few stunning beaches in Bol. However, even if you're not a beach person, Bol itself is worth a visit. It's the oldest settlement on the island, lying bellow the highest mountain top of any Croatian island.  Its picturesque stone houses are so inviting and from what I heard, there are some great restaurants there. Scroll down and let's talk about Bol and my painting some more. 

MEDIUM: ACRYLIC PAINTS ON MIXED MEDIA SKETCHBOOK PAPER (BOTH BY ROYAL TALENS)

FRAME: LIGHT GREY WOOD FRAME, FORMAT  A4

I finished and framed this painting two days ago. I selected one of the wooden picture frames I bought in the store a couple of days ago. I think it's better to frame my acrylic paintings that were painted on paper in the same kind of frames I use for watercolours. So, basically I opted for your typical wooden picture frame.  A wooden frame is always a good choice. I bought quite a few of them. When it comes to canvas paintings, I normally take them to an art gallery to be framed, but with paper ones I can do it myself. I might change the frame for this one. Moreover, I might sell of gift it. At the moment this frame will do. I do have some canvas paintings I'm working on, but sketchbooks are often my choice as well. I sometimes paint directly in the sketchbook and sometimes I take the paper out and secure it on a work surface while I'm painting (and frame it afterwards).

WHY BOL? 

So, I actually wanted to paint Bol for quite some time. Every time that I take the catamaran from Split to Jelsa on island Hvar, the catamaran docks in Bol (it's a regular route) and there is a little pause so you could say that I had plenty of opportunities to admire its pretty historical port. You know that I love historical buildings, right? This building you can see on my illustration is historical as well. There are a number of interesting sights to see in Bol including a baroque summer resistance, a Renaissance palace and so on. You can visit the official site here for more info (link neither sponsored nor affiliated). 

I visited Bol in the past, I didn't just admire it from catamaran. Many years ago, I spend a whole day there with my cousin and we had a blast. I remember the famous Gold Horn beach quite vividly, it truly is one of the most stunning beaches I have ever seen. I also enjoyed strolling the Bol and admiring its stone houses. The whole area is so green and relaxing. I'd love to visit it again. 

PHOTO REFERENCES I USED ARE MY OWN

I took these photographs earlier this summer. I haven't been to Croatia in a while and I'm not sure when I will be able to travel again as both me and my husband are experiencing health problems. Anyhow, on the day I took these photographs, the weather was odd. One second it was cloudy, the other the sun would come out but there seemed to be some kind of shadow over things. It made for interesting light effect in the photographs. Had sun been as direct as usual, I doubt the photographs would have been as interesting. I remember coming out and looking at Bol as the clouds started to clear. I couldn't resist snapping a few photographs. I wasn't necessarily planning on using them as reference, but the thought was probably at the back of my head since I've been wanting to paint Bol for such a long time. The sea was this gorgeous mix of green, blue and grey that really drew me in and the reflections were so pretty. So, no wonder I couldn't resist painting this scene. The wooden boats are another motif I love. I liked the idea of this composition with the sea taking such a big part of the painting and then the sky and the mountain the background setting it in balance. 

WORK IN PROGRESS - AN ACRYLIC PAINTING IN FEW STEPS

I didn't really make a detailed sketch before I started applying colour. Sometimes I do make a pretty accurate sketch, sometimes I work with paints directly. It all depends on what I'm trying to do and achieve. At times, I also go with the flow. If you scroll bellow, you'll see the different stages of this painting, from the initial few acrylic layers that just determine the general outline to more and more details. 

Honestly, it took me a while to finish this painting. I have spent hours doing the sea, trying to get the tonalities of the green and blue right. I'm still not sure I succeeded, but I definitely put it effort. On the other hand, Bol itself (a part of the port that is visible that is) wasn't hard to paint. I added a bit more acrylic colour to the historical houses than I originally planned, but I liked the result. Trying to find the right colours for the mountain the background was the only tricky part about the upper part of the painting. I didn't struggle with boats even if they are quite small (this is an A4 format so the boats are only a few centimetres big). I've had enough practice with painting boats in all shapes and sizes that I don't really need to struggle or be very careful, or so it seems. The sea always remains a challenge, though.

THE FINISHED PAINTING

The finished painting is alright by me. It looks like the place it's supposed to be and the sea looks interesting. I think the reason why I struggled with the sea was the reference itself. The colours of the sea were a bit peculiar on the photo reference- and they were the same in real life. I explained it was a cloudy day and that effected the colours. The peculiarity of the colours drew me to this painting but it is also what made me struggle.The final painting isn't perfect but it is interesting enough.  I do like this motif, I might give it another go, maybe try a bigger frame and go for more details.

MORE TRAVEL WITH MY ART POSTS (LINKS BELLOW): 

#1 PALERMO ISLAND SICILY (ITALY)

#2 BAY MALA STINIVA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#3 IRKUTSK, SIBERIA (RUSSIA)

#4  MATEJUŠKA, SPLIT CITY (CROATIA)

#5 HVAR CITY, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#6 ZENTA MARINE, SPLIT CITY (CROATIA)

#7 ZAVALA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#8 SUCURAJ, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#9 MALA STINIVA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#10 HVAR TOWN, ISLAND HVAR ( CROATIA)

#11 JELSA TOWN, DANCE O THE SAILS (CROATIA)

#12 ZAVALA, ISLAND HVAR, (CROATIA)

#13: SUCURAJ, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#14: BAY BRIZENICA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) + original visit HERE

#15 BAY LOZNA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#16 BAY VEPRINOVA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

That would be all for today. If you have any inquiries about my art, you may send me an email. Thank you for reading, visiting and/or commenting. Take care.