Damnern Saduak Floating Market is the largest and most famous floating market in Thailand. It's also one of the most interesting markets to observe. Some visitors are content to just sit on the bank and watch the action between the vendors and their customers for the whole morning.

Almost anything you want to buy can be found at the market. There are hundreds of vendors floating back and forth along the klong and each individual seller has their own technique for attracting customers. Shouting, calling, smiling or even waving their hands are all methods used to catch the attention of potential buyers. The buyers only need to bargain, and keep on bargaining to get the lowest price possible!

I painted a small corner of the market throng I discovered while standing on a bridge looking down at the busy klong. The most interesting part of this painting are the four vendors arranged horizontally across the painting, leading the eyes to the buyer on the right bank. Each of the vendors is looking in a different direction adding a sense of excitement and action to the painting.

I toned down the background and middle by using lower-key colors leaving the foreground to be the focal point. The boats were painted with burnt sienna and burnt umber. For the plants and leaves on the boats I used a mixture of new gamboge and tinted cobalt blue. I used this same combination to paint the canal water and to indicate the shadows of the boats. I added a little viridian green for the watermelons, bamboo poles lining the concrete bank, and for other objects in the background as well.

For the buyer in the foreground I dampened the figure and used a little cerulean blue with a drop of ruby red for the purple cloth of her shirt and added a little burnt umber for the hair. The baskets in front of the buyer were painted with tinted new gamboge with a little touch of yellow ochre for the shadow.