Another place

While rootling in my workroom I came across some sketches that I had made for a mural commissioned by the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. My neighbours are going on a cruise tomorrow, how sensible of them!

I haven't been to Venice for ages, it's my favourite city. I have visited a number of times, both for work and on holiday and it is always a delight.

The commission was good fun as I was given a very open brief and a generous deadline. It meant that I could spend a week in Venice and collect all the reference material that I might need. It is a luxury for an illustrator to be given plenty of time and it made the whole experience very pleasurable.

I stayed in a nice little flat on the Fondamenta de la Pescaria - at least it was nice once I had climbed up all three flights of stairs to get there! These sketchbook studies are of the view from my window.

I took site photographs for reference

and drew from a display of period clothes at the Palazzo Mocenigo, San Sae.

I visited art galleries and museums and bought postcards that would be useful.

Museo Correr, 'Due Dame Venezia' by Vittore Carpaccio,

c. 1490-1495

Back at home my daughters were useful models.

Costume reference for my central figure, from the commedia del'arte character, Arlecchina.

Here I am on the lawn with the finished canvas. Just the ends are off camera.

"Ball in Venice" 1x7 metres. Commissioned for 'Splendour of the Seas.'

I'm hiding by the lion on the extreme right of the canvas.