Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! If you have read the post title, you'd probably figured it's time for some art, that is, a new TRAVEL WITH MY ART posting. In this post, I'll share an acrylic painting inspired by a lighthouse that is to be found in Sućuraj on island Hvar, Croatia. This is not the first time I painted this lighthouse. I've painted it a couple of times before, sometimes from memory, and sometimes using a photograph as a reference. In fact, I'd shared one such art attempt in this art and destination travel series before. As always, in this post I'll share all my previous travel art postings, so you can find that lighthouse seascape as well. Furthermore, you can see other paintings that have specifically been inspired by Sućuraj village on island Hvar.
The painting I'm sharing today is done in a modest format, slightly smaller than typical than A4 dimensions. I used one of my own photographs as a reference for this painting. I'd taken the photograph I used as a reference last Summer, some time before I started this seascape sketch.
I haven't visited island Hvar at all this Summer and to be honest it feels odd. This is possibly only the third Summer I haven't been to Hvar in the thirty-nine years in my life. The first one was the year when I worked and lived in Italy, and the second the year my grandmother died and I'd a lot of my mind. This Summer I had work engagements, inner struggles and some other things on my mind, so I didn't make it to Hvar. However, I did visit Hvar back in April, and I hope to visit my island soon enough. The photograph you can see below was taken this Summer from Drvenik! Scroll down to see and read more.
MY PREVIOUS VISITS TO SUĆURAJ
While I didn't make it to island Hvar, I visited Drvenik twice this Summer. We stopped there for a swim twice this Summer and enjoyed our swims a lot. From Drvenik you can actually see this lighthouse on island Hvar that I'm sharing with you today. Moreover, on my painting you can basically see Drvenik as seen from the island, so there's a connection.
All my childhood, this lighthouse represented island Hvar for me. As we would usually take a ferry from Drvenik to Sućuraj, these two places just invoke magic to me. I always enjoyed ferry rides and the sense of freedom I would feel while sailing. I suppose that is why Drvenik has a special place in my heart- and why I'm posting photographs from my visit to Drvenik as well.
On the photographs below, you can see me shopping my closet again, wearing a white maxi floral dress that I often opt for in the Summer and tropical sandals that are simply perfect for travelling.
Have you ever been to Drvenik? If you're a reader of my blog, then you'd probably visited it at least virtually. I've actually taken you to Drvenik a couple of times in the past. For example, in this 2018 post I blogged about Drvenik. This small coastal Croatian village with only 500 inhabitants is located in vicinity of a better known Makarska cit. Makarska is an extremely popular touristic destination and as such needs no introduction, but this little village might escape your notice. First mentioned in the 13th century, Drvenik started its life as a settlement under Biokovo mountain.
The original village was actually located a pretty distance from the sea. Why you might ask? Because of the pirates. It was common practice in those days. You'll find many villages in the Mediterranean area (Spain, Italy, Portugal and so on) that are located miles from the sea. It is only in the recent centuries that smaller settlements started to be build so near the sea. Back in the day, if you were a coastal village or a city and you didn't have a big ass wall (like Dubrovnik for example) or a mighty army, you were sure to attract pirates. One of my ancestors from island Hvar managed to outsmart pirates and stop their attack using a clever trick but I'll tell you that story some other time. Anyhow, that original 'Drvenik' village was abandoned years ago but you can still visit it if you don't mind a bit of hiking. Alternatively, you can hang out in present day Drvenik, which is definitely a more touristic place.
I will also link up some other posts about Drvenik that you might enjoy.
BACK TO THE SUBJECT OF THIS ACYRILIC SEASCAPE SKETCH!
THE MAKING OF THIS PAINTING
Well, this painting was a pretty quick job. I did try to capture some details even if the format is small. There're a few elements I'm quite content with, such as the the mountains that are in the background and the sea in general. One of the things I adore about Croatian seaside is that contrast between the mountains and the sea.
I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR BEING CONSTANTLY SURROUNDED BY SUCH BEAUTY!
Honestly, I don't think I'll every get tired of these views. They're mighty inspiring. Below you can see the photographs of the lighthouse that I snapped. I used all of these photographs as an inspiration, for the reference I used the zoomed in one you can see in side by side comparison below.
The format of this painting is quite small, but I think it turned out fine. I mean, it's nothing special, just a sketch, but it did inspire me do a proper seascape with this lighthouse as a motif. I might even do another version of this painting on a canvas.
REFRENCE PHOTOGRAPH VS THE PAINTING
I like to make side to side comparisons and have a look at similarities and differences. If I ever decide to paint this seascape again, I'll probably do it in a larger format. Moreover, I think I'll focus more on getting the lighthouse right. This one was done quickly, so the lighthouse looks a bit too basic, it lacks dimension for sure. On the other hand, I'm pretty content with some other details on this acrylic sketch. For example, I really like the island itself and the sea. In general, I'm pretty happy with how the colours turned out. For such a quick sketch, this one turned out alright.
I MIGHT FOCUS MORE ON DOING MORE QUICK PAINTINGS AND SKETCHES IN THE FUTURE
You know I might focus more on doing quick paintings and sketches. Of course I love doing those realistic stunning canvases but they take a hundred hours to make on average. I think making quick portraits or landscapes can be excellent practice.
It's actually one of the art tips I embraced and that I sometimes give. I shared it with you when I wrote posts with my own art advice. Trying to paint something in a short time is very educating. In contrast, sometimes it's good to give ourselves lots of time and paint slowly. I think it's important to do both to develop as painters and illustrators.
4 SUPER QUICK ART LEARNING TIPS THAT CAN HELP YOU BE MORE CONFIDENT!
1 & 2 ) PRACTICE PAINTING BOTH SLOWLY AND QUICKLY
3& 4) PRACTICE PAINTING BOTH WITH AN WITHOUT A REFRENCE
...AND LET ME SHOW YOU THE VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE, FROM THE SEASIDE OPPOSITE HVAR AND BRAČ ISLANDS
Island Hvar runs parallelly with Brač island and behind it the gorgeous Croatian seaside. Another touristic spot near by is Makarska town. Makarska riviera is well known for its beauty.
These images were taken at the end of last Summer. In fact, I think that Autumn had already started when they were taken, but it was so warm we ended up going for a swim. They were taken on the same day we visited Omiš town and I wore a blue dress over these black leggings. Later on, I changed into this
olive green floral olive dress with yellow details (a second hand find) that you can see me wearing below. This dress is quite short, and I bought it to be worn as a tunics. First time I wore it was last Summer, when I also translated this poem by a Croatian writer Vesna Parun.
A DREAM , A POEM BY VESNA PARUN
My mother's hand, like a white sail, a wing of a tender oriole.
Do you remember a fairy tale about a golden apple, a moonlight's rainbow?
On a swing branch transparent to the (point of) snow, soft to the (point of) sorrow,
my eyes weave silent conversations, long lullabies.
Wells filled with heavy water travel into an unknown harbor.
My mother's song, a white daisy, is guiding me by the hand.
The reason why I'm including these photographs is to show you both the view of island Hvar. Here we stopped on a road stop to enjoy the view. Aren't they amazing views? Island Hvar is pure magic if you ask me.
SPEAKING OF MAGIC, I'LL SHARE WITH YOU A POEM BY VESNA PARUN THAT I HAVE TRANSLATED MYSELF!
THREE ISLANDS
There are three islands in the midst of this sea, one more rocky than another,
one more passionate than another in cricket song and pine soughing.
The first one is a snake curled into a bowl, the second a shiny sword unsheathed from scabbard,
The third one is an open dead man treasure chest rocking on the waves.
All three cursed. All three blessed.
All three abundant in deep caves, gravel and rocky capes-
Ancient treasures of experience in tired stones, that no one still
has solved the destiny of.
All three have bitten into my soul with its stone teeth!
All three have whipped me with salt, wounded me with green rosemary.
The first is known for angry battles and red wine tanks.
The second for the sunny vastness of winter where dolphins play.
The third one, chained in white marble, grows wild sheep and trembles before death.
There are three islands in the middle of this sea. One more cursed than another,
one from another more passionate in cricket song and pine soughing.
ISLAND HVAR HAS INSPIRED SO MANY OF MY PAINTINGS...SCROLL DOWN TO SEE WHAT OTHER DESTINATIONS I HAVE PAINTED AND ILLUSTRATED!
TRAVEL WITH MY ART!
This artistic feature on my blog enables me not only to share my paintings of places that inspire me, but to write about them as well! As you might know if you read my blog regularly, TRAVEL WITH MY ART is basically a regular feature on my blog where I post my art (paintings & illustration) inspired by different places. I will mostly illustrate and paint places I have visited, but sometimes I will paint based of a photograph a friend has sent me or one that caught my eye. Sometimes I will paint places I would like to visit as opposed to the those I visit regularly. However, the vast majority of these art pieces will be my renderings of my 'happy places'. Typically, I'd have a personal connection with the landscapes I choose to paint.
VISIT OTHER TRAVEL ART POSTS AND TRAVEL WITH MY ART!
There's a story behind every painting and there's certainly a story behind every art piece posted in this travelling art series.
This was a nice scene to paint. I'm not sure have I done these gorgeous colours justice with my painting but I tried.
This is the only place in my travelling art series that I have painted my haven't actually visited. In my third post, I shared this a watercolour pencil sketch of a place I never visited: a church of Our Lady of Kazan located in Irkutsk, Siberia (Russia).
The fourth painting I shared is one of a location in my hometown. This watercolour pencil landscape was inspired by Split city, Croatia. More specifically, it was inspired by one of my favourite sights in Split city and that would be these absolutely gorgeous historical stone houses in immediate vicinity of Matejuška port.
For my fifth post in this series, I illustrated a historical Franciscan monastery on island Hvar with watercolours. As some of you might remember, I lived on island Hvar. Having had enough time to study this beautiful island, now I feel confident in illustrating it.
Every painting is a different memory. For my sixth painting in the series, I illustrated a scene from my hometown and once again it's all about the boats. I distinctly remembering sketching this one.
The seventh post in this series was my personal favourite. I love how I captured sea in this post. I still often revisit this painting to admire it. It was also gifted, so it's not available for sale.
In the eight post in this series, I shared a canvas painting of Sucuraj. As usual, I used one of my own photographs as a reference for this acrylic painting.
For the the ninth post in the series, I repeated a location. It must be a special location, you might be thinking and you'd be right. I'd already illustrated bay Mala Stiniva on island Hvar once, when I decided to paint it again. Can you blame me for wanting to paint this magnificent bay again?
My tenth painting in the series saw me returning to magical island Hvar. In the centre of this painting there is a 12.5 meters long traditional wooden fishing boat and in the background you can see Hvar town (where we first spotted this boat about a year ago). I invested a lot of time and effort into this painting.
In my eleventh post in the series, I returned to Jelsa on island Hvar to paint a nightscape. The medium was acrylic paintings on canvas. This painting was also gifted, so it's not available for sale any more (even if the original post implies it is). This is the second night seascape I made (you can see the first one here).
For my the twelfth post in my series, I returned to Zavala to paint another acrylic seascape canvas. I typically invest more time into my canvases, as opposed to landscapes painted in my sketchbooks.
The thirteenth painting in the series is more of a sketch. I wasn't completely happy with it and wasn't sure where I went wrong. Maybe it was the number 13 that brought me bad luck.
In the fourteenth painting in the series, I depicted island Hvar again and this time a bay that is not widely known.
In my fifteenth post in the series, I illustrated bay Lozna on island Hvar. Another sketchbook seascape painting that turned out very satisfactory. I worked on this painting for about two days.
Another attempt at capturing the sea in the small frame with acrylic paints on paper.
In my seventeenth post, I illustrated island Brač and more precisely to- Bol.
Planinica hill in Bosnia and Herzegovina. You might remember this place from my numerous posts about it. Like Goranci, Planinica is only a short drive away from Mostar. If you are lucky, you might even come across semi-wild horses. I've been meaning to paint Planinica for a long time.
The nineteenth painting in the series was an ambitious acrylic canvas that was again all about island Hvar. This time I painted boats in a harbour.
Sometimes nothing beats a quick painting. In the twentieth post in my travelling art series, I shared a quick painting of Soline beach in Vrbovska.
This painting was inspired by photographs taken in April a few years ago near hotel Arkada, Stari Grad city (island Hvar). Like the last painting in my series, this acrylic painting was done on mixed media paper in A4 format is. Therefore, it's neither a large painting nor a very detailed one.
I have put so much effort into this painting but I think it paid off.
This Žnjan painting was painted on plain air which was a fun experience. I remember one lady approached me to talk to me. I painted it on beach Žnjan in Split city, Croatia. I don't do a lot of painting in the open but sometimes I do venture outdoors, for example HERE.
I used one of my own photographs as a reference. The medium was acrylic paints on mixed media paper.
This was a super quick oil pastel sketch and I liked how it turned out.
This one is a little different because it's more a drawing than a painting.
This watercolour painting can perhaps be categorized as both destination and fashion illustration. It depicts a certain location- Basina bay on island Hvar, so you could call it a landscape or a location painting.
In the twenty- ninth post in this destination art series, I painted bay Torac using acrylic paints on canvas. As far as the making of this painting, it was a pretty standard affair.
In my thirtieth post in my travel and destination art series, I shared an illustration that I made for and gifted to a friend of mine who lives in Malta. The medium is water pastels on paper.
This was a commission painting. This is a big painting!
This super quick painting was another painting inspired by Zavala on island Hvar (Croatia). It is not nearly as elaborative or challenging as the last piece I shared in my destination art series.
#33:TRAVEL WITH MY ART LOZNA COMISSIONED, ISLAND HVAR
This seascape was another commissioned painting of bay Lozna (the second bay next to cape Kabal) on island Hvar. Some of you might remember I have already painted this gorgeous seascape location with acrylics on a A4 mixed media paper.
In the thirty-forth post in this series, I painted a beautiful spot in Vrboska. I was really happy with how this one turned out. The medium was acrylic paints on paper.
Today I'm sharing with you an A4 acrylic seascape inspired by a photograph taken by my husband. It's a typical quick 'Ivana' seascape. Painted pretty quickly, it is not very detailed.
This painting took me about three months to finish for multiple reasons.
I used my old photographs as a reference. I took these two photograph last year while I was walking trough this park.
....AND FINALLY A FEW OF MY MOST RECENT ONES....
Thank you for visiting! Have a great weekend!
In one word - fantastic! Your pictures are so beautiful, true deep art. I already praised your pictures of the waves and the magical Adriatic Sea, but here I am even more fascinated by your depiction of the mountains and the forest in the background... Simply great, you gave such depth and relief to such a small picture! Miraculously. Thank you for another instructive and interesting post 👍🫶👏
ReplyDeleteIt gives me to joy to hear you enjoy it so much.
DeleteSo stunning! Your art and of course that first outfit is so amazing! Love what you did to create such a wonderful landscape. So beautiful. Love your hard work. You do such details! So great to see your your art. All the best to to everything you create!
ReplyDeleteThank you Ellie!
DeleteIn love with your art and your vision. Such amazing work! So happy to see it. Wishing you all the best in your art, health and career. A really fantastic post! Thanks so much! 💛💛💛💛💛💛
ReplyDeleteThank you !
DeleteM;e gustan tus pinturas. Te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteUn beso! Gracias ! Thank you :)
DeleteIvana, I adore your travelling and paintings!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Irina.
DeleteGreat art Ivana and loving the photos. That dress looks super amazing :-D
ReplyDeleteThank you !
DeleteI've got a weakness for lighthouses, and the one at Sućuraj looks pretty unusual. Your painting of it is absolutely stunning! xxx
ReplyDeleteMost lighthouses in Croatia look like this one. White stone, red roof...an example of classical Mediterranean architecture.
Delete
ReplyDeleteYour creativity is great, I celebrate your work and you!
Thanks!
DeleteVery well done. You are a beacon of light.
ReplyDeletewww.rsrue.blogspot.com
Thank you very much! That's such a sweet thing to say.
DeleteHave a wonderful weekend!
I love the idea of combining travel with art! I would like to travel like this myself, but my paintings take too long to reconcile everything, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteThank you !
DeleteBom dia e uma excelente terça-feira com muita paz e saúde. Viagem maravilhosa minha querida amiga Ivana.
ReplyDeleteThank you Luiz!
DeleteBeautiful painting and I love your dress as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you Hena!
DeleteWhat a wonderful post! Your passion for painting and the connection to the lighthouse in Sućuraj is truly inspiring. It’s interesting to hear how you’ve captured the same subject multiple times; it must be rewarding to see your evolution as an artist. I can understand how not visiting Hvar this summer feels odd after so many years, but it’s great that you have memories and references to keep that connection alive. I hope you get to visit soon! By the way, I just shared a new post on my blog. I’d be thrilled if you checked it https://www.melodyjacob.com/2024/09/how-to-choose-unique-bespoke-engagement-rings.html
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Melody! It can be very interesting coming back to the same topic.
DeleteDrvenik looks lovely during the summer. I really like how you commemorate your travels through your art.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rowena.
DeleteIt's amazing how your all travels inspire you to create this all beautiful paintings - I like them so so much. You are very talented person Ivana - lots of hugs KAro
ReplyDeleteThank you Carolyna!
DeleteNice post. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI invite you to visit my last post. Have a good week
Thank you very much! Have a nice day!
DeleteHi Ivana, great post, amazing art! You are a great writer, a great painter. I love your posts and descriptions of places you have been. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your writing a lot, too. Hugs!
DeleteOh, I forgot to add that you look gorgeous in that long white floral dress!
ReplyDeleteThank you dear JoAnna!
DeleteHello, Ivana,
ReplyDeleteOnce again I loved traveling with your art! I liked the way you contrasted the photo of the lighthouse with your painting! The photos are really wonderful and the places and angles you chose for the photos are very good, the landscape is breathtaking. No wonder you have a strong connection to those places and that they inspire you in your art! Hugs!
I'm glad you enjoyed the contrast.
DeleteThis place will forever inspire me!
Thank you!