More Night Paintings from Québec City

Since the conference ran from 8AM to 5PM, and there were some social things lined up, I used the remaining time to make night paintings around town. It was cool and pleasant and generally felt like a safe place to be all things considered. After the monumental painting of the Château, I felt pretty confident to try some more paintings at night. This scene is right in the heart of the old City, there was an entertainer singing folk songs and a group of people dancing up a storm. I studied the scene for some time, wanting to include the people singing and dancing, but settled for a less ambitious design of the illuminated building and surrounding environment. To give the illusion of night and artificial light, I played up the contrasts between the inky blue sky (PB60 with PBk6 and PO36), and the warm variations of orange-yellow and yellow of the plaster facade. It all looked rather weak until I added the dark green window frames and lamp details, then it popped. This one reminds me a bit of Van Gogh's famous night cafe painting, which I had in mind as I painted.  

Singing and Dancing Corner, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2023 (No. 3527)

Going straight from a dinner to paint, I did not have my head lamp for this one, instead relying on the amber lights. I knew from experience that yellow and orange tend to look grey under an amber light making it hard to judge chroma, and blue also gets neutralized. I like the finished product, it almost seems like the street is illuminated by old candle or kerosene lamps.With a curve in the road like this, which I spotted on one of my daytime walks, the composition was a guaranteed hit.

Illuminated Street, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2023 (No. 3528b)

Exhausted from a long day, I managed one last painting on this night, I had my head lamp this time. It shows the old wall, textured and eroded, with a brightly illuminated turret and a few stars. A hydrant and walking path carry the foreground. There are several light sources from my left and right which cast an eerie glow on the scene.

Old Wall and Turret, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2023 (No. 3529)