Côte d'Ivoire, located in West Africa, is a great expanse savanna with rolling hills and sparse forests. There are a few major national parks, and a very large number of animals, in fact the country has one of the largest concentrations of wildlife in the region. It was under French colonial rule for a long time until about 1960 when it declared independence and has enjoyed relative stability compared to some of the neighboring countries. In researching the landscape I found pictures of incredible beaches and lush jungles. The savanna seemed to be the defining feature, there were pictures of it during dry season and during rainy season as seen in the painting.
Painting a rainbow is no easy feat. Rainbows do not actually have bands of colour, they are made up of a continuous colour gradation going from the outside in: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, violet, magenta. On the first attempt I used a dry brush technique but the rainbow looked like a paper cut-out. In the above version I applied the entire blue/grey sky first, then painted in the rainbow arcs at the perfect moisture level. I gauged the moisture level by holding the painting on an angle under the lamp and seeing the sheen turn slightly matte. The remainder of the painting was a Van Gogh-inspired field of grass and sparse trees. I composed it so that the rainbow seemed to be emanating an ethereal light.
World Inspired Landscapes: Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, February 2022 (No. 3067a)
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