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Michelle
A Weekend in Tunisia, Painted in Light
I got back from Tunisia yesterday at 2am, thanks to a flight delay, for my sister’s upcoming 50th birthday. It was just me, my mum, my two sisters, a family friend and my niece. A small group, a lovely few days, and a camera that barely left my hand.
I always take a lot of photos on trips like this. I can’t help it. And this one has already given me so much to paint.
Mum in the Sea
My mum’s favourite place in the world is the sea. She got in the water wearing her hat and the light caught it in a way that I just knew I’d have to paint. I ran straight out to grab my camera. What I loved most was the sparkle scattered across the water, that kind of detail is easy to overlook but it’s often the thing that makes a painting sing.
The Girl in the Pink Dress
This one is of a little girl waiting patiently for her mum and sister to come back from the water. What caught my eye was the contrast between her pink dress and all that blue and turquoise around her. Sometimes a painting is really about one colour relationship, and this was one of those times.
An Evening in the Old Town
One evening we visited the old town and arrived just as the light turned beautiful. The sky was full of oranges and reds, and the artificial street lights made the sand seem to glow.
Here’s a quick tip from that evening. Always pay attention to how light affects what’s around it. Look at the mountains in the distance in that scene, there’s a glow sitting on them, and that’s from the lights beneath. Light doesn’t stay where you put it. It spreads, it bounces, it colours everything nearby. Once you start looking for that, you’ll see it everywhere.
Back Home at the Beach
We’ve been having some wonderfully hot weather here in the UK, so I’ve made the most of it with a few trips to the beach. I painted my two daughters and their cousin sat right at the water’s edge, playing in the sand.
Like my mum, I’m drawn to the sea. There’s something calming about it. I play wave sounds when I’m working sometimes, it settles me and puts me in the right frame of mind to paint.
Take the Photo
If you’re heading to the sea this summer, take your camera. Take the obvious shots, the sunsets and the water, but take the discreet ones too, people going about their day. Those are often the ones that end up being the most fascinating to paint.
I’ve got plenty more from this trip still to work through, so I’ll be sharing more soon.
Happy painting,
Michelle
16 thoughts on “A Weekend in Tunisia, Painted in Light”
All of these are gorgeous, simple, and inspiring. The brushstrokes and the colors are magical.
Thank you so much. I appreciate that.
Hi Michelle,
Thank you for sending your blog and showing us the lovely water scenes you’ve just painted. If I were your mom, I’d be thrilled! I love how you capture light on the water and the way you make everyday scenes come to life. You’ve made me want to visit Tunisia — and paint!
Thank you Jo. She was pleased. When I was taking loads of photos she said she felt like a celebrity lol!
It was a lovely holiday, not the prettiest of places but some really lovely moments I’m going to paint.
I love these paintings Michelle, so inspiring. I also love to study your brushstrokes. Colors are gorgeous.
Thank you Karen.
I love the painting of your Mum in the sea,the colours and light are beautiful, very special!
Thank you so much Angela.
Thank you for sharing. Lovely colors, great brushwork.
Thank you Sylvia.
Hi Michelle!
I just wrote a long comment and it disappeared…
I love your paintings, and your blog.
I am an older 75 year old artist that restarted painting in Covid-times.
I love studying your brush strokes in your paintings, and look forward to the next blog!
A fan forever!
Aww thank you. I do have your other comment and will read now.
Hi Michelle!
I just love and adore your paintings!
They are so colorful and lively…inviting, interesting and adventurous..showing places I would love to go to and see.
Your weekly blog is great for me.
You teach, remind, and inspire me and I love studying the brush strokes in your paintings…
I am an older artist (75), who “restarted” painting during Covid-time and I am finally working on developing my own personal style. It will be colorful, abstract, loose.
Looking forward to your next blog.
A fan forever !
Irene Hynes
Thank you so much Irene, you’re very kind. I’m so glad you discovered paintings, it’s a wonderful thing to explore.
These beach scenes are wonderful. I would love to paint some.
Thank you. They were certainly fun to do.