Watercolours on a Rainy Day

The forecast called for no rain but there was a steady light drizzle all day. I made it out as far as the Old Port, and made a painting of a large cruise boat moored in the Port. Despite standing under a tree, the drips of rain came through and spattered the painting. It took another five or ten minutes of waiting before I could pack this one up because of the moisture. To paint the puddles on the sidewalk I used a trick I learned in Bolton painting geraniums on the deck, it involves a layer of pale neutral blue followed by greenish umber (PBr7). Most of the people's umbrellas were black, but I made them yellow and orange here to provide some pop in the foreground.

Cruise Boat on a Rainy Day, watercolour 8 x 10" cold press, October 2023 (No. 3615)

 

 

There was nothing to be found but a good view at the spot where Cirque du Soleil sets up their tents. Neither the circus nor the sun were here. I was looking across the rover, on the middle right is the tip of Dieppe Park where I have made paintings before. The rain drops made the sky a lot more interesting, it gave a tye-dyed kaleidoscope look to it. Some people fishing were standing on the breakwater wall where there is a walking path.

Parc de Dieppe River View, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, October 2023 (No. 3566b)

 

The rain seemed to have abated so I stood on a large viewing deck at the end of the Old Port and looked east to the Cartier bridge and train tracks. There was a steady drizzle the whole time which accumulated on the painting surface. In the end it created a neat effect, you can definitely get the feel of a rainy day, like looking through a car windshield. It's a pretty cool location, and the Molson building is on the left but not visible in the painting. Using the st Armand paper gave the extra texture to this classic industrial Montreal scene.

Train Tracks and Cartier Bridge Rainy Day, watercolour 8.5 x 11 3/4", rough press st Armand, October  2023 (No. 3640)