First for the year

So, it's the new year...quite freaky when you stop to think about it for a second that it's been 19 YEARS SINCE THE TURN OF THE MILLENNIUM!!!! A child born then would now be old enough to drive, drink legally, probably voted already at least once, in his second (?) year in College, etc., etc....it's best to stop thinking about the passage of time this way, so here's the reason for my post. 

Decided to do a watercolor exercise, mostly because I think I've worked so much in oils in 2018 that I'm still de-briefing and watercolor is my go-to medium to "relax". So here....

This is an older theme of the Plaza de Platerias in Santiago de Compostela. I did this in oil some time ago, I think it's in an old post here on this blog, but I like the facade here so much that I decided to render this in watercolor. Rainy day urban scenes are so fascinating to interpret in watercolor (or in oils), just as much as a sunny urban scene with all its cast shadows...

...and this is a primary value study I did in my notebook since I wanted to break the scene down and see where all the values should lie, more or less.

I hope to do more of these watercolors in the coming days, preferably on site, but also from my own photo references if necessary...