Palacio de Velázquez – A Composition and Value Study
The inspiration
Yet another landmark that was on my list to do during our recent trip to Madrid. This exhibition place was erected in Buen Retiro Park in central Madrid to showcase Spain’s industrial achievements in 1883. Its original designer and architect, Ricardo Velázquez Bosco, envisioned it as a neoclassical building on an iron frame, with red brick and tile and a transparent, mostly glass rooftop. From above, the building resembles a butterfly drawn with squares, with two transparent wings covering exhibition halls on both sides. The Palace is located in close proximity to the Crystal Palace at the very centre of the Park.
From my point of view, the most impressive part of the building is the gate flanked by two griffins. The griffins are symbols of intelligence and power, combining earthly physical power and courage with a heavenly perspective, high vision, and intelligence. Placed in front of a Neo-Mudéjar gate, they help the visitor reflect on the building’s purpose. When it was constructed, the traditional and conservative Spain was in the process of industrializing. So cool to know about those times of economic growth.
As we walked by the building, I took my time to do a fast watercolour sketch of one of the griffins sitting on a bench nearby, not the one facing it, but the one located on the perpendicular walkway leading from the Park into the Gate.
It wasn’t particularly convenient to paint without an easel and my full plein air gear, and forcing my body to sit on the left. With all that, I would have added more details, but I ended up painting my shirt and gave up on my fun exercise.
Walking away from the building, I stopped at it South Western edge and took a few photos for future reference with the goal of painting a watercolour composition inspired by the Palacio’s Gate.
Here is my photo reference.
Preliminary sketching. A study of perspective
The photograph above appears to distort the two-point perspective of the Palacio’s facade as seen by a human eye. So, I did a preliminary sketch in pencil (6in x 8in), trying to straighten my composition before painting. And copied it onto 3 pieces of watercolour paper to create value studies and select the best one for my large work.
Value organization – a different approach
I am currently reading a nice book by William B. Laurence, Painting Light & Shadow in Watercolor and wanted to test his idea on “Value organization – a different approach”. His idea is to organize values in groups of 2 for the focal area against one for anything else.
For my current exercise, I don’t want to limit myself to only three tone as suggested by the author (light, mid, and dark tone) but four as shown in the image below
The value studies
The first selection is appropriate for a composition with bright daylight, where the sky is at the lightest tonal value.
The second selection is appropriate for a composition at night with a full moon shining over that building.
The third selection is appropriate for a composition at early morning.
Actual painting
A thumbnail image of the painting is next.
Here is the link to that