Montreal night painting lights and canal

Down near the Atwater market footbridge the light beam atop Place Ville Marie building could be seen over the Lachine canal. With a head lamp I could get the colours and contrasts correct, although the flying insects seemed to love the bright light around my neck. It was still hot and muggy despite the absence of sunlight. 

Beam canal, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, July 2025

Looking west from the same position gave this view of the canal with all the lights and condos in the background. These condos are actually converted factories, hence the occasional smoke stack. To get the reflected lights I applied the colours first, then painted around them wet-in-wet. It was a tricky effect to get right. The bismuth yellow (PY184) facilitated the signature. 

Colours on the canal, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, July 2025

I was down in Verdun to visit Cilei, who is dog-sitting Davidson, her sister lives right next to the station. Strangely enough, the station here is called Lasalle station despite it not being in Lasalle. One of my favorite/best paintings ever was done on this location on a fine Spring day in 2022. It was rather unpleasant here at night so I painted faster than usual. 

Lasalle station night, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, July 2025