Life beside the klong in Thailand was a typical scene in former days, especially in Bangkok, once known as 'The Venice of Asia'. But today the image has changed due to modernization, with the result that the old Thai ways of life beside the klong are rarely seen. But in Damnern Saduak Floating Market, in Ratchaburi Province, about 100km south of Bangkok, this typical scene can be found everywhere. The one I captured in my painting caught my eye as I was starting my adventure along the canal. This is my favorite painting in the book. It is a simple painting but full of complexity within that simplicity. The subject matter and some elements contained within this painting - the disorderly placed goods, antiques and unwanted stuff along the walkway and in front of the house - is typical of life in the olden days. The interesting footbridge cutting across in front of the house runs all the way through into the background of the painting. In the foreground a boat was placed diagonally into the middle of the space provided. The direction of the boat is intended to lead the eye from the empty foreground to the footbridge and house, then to follow the footbridge into the background in one continuous movement. The bushes and trees at the far end were painted using a mixture of tinted yellow ochre and tinted cerulean blue, with a slight touch of a little tinted cadmium orange in some areas. I added a little viridian green for the foliage closer to the house. The flag and other advertising signs are among the most eye-catching elements in this painting. I used cobalt blue and tinted permanent red deep for the flag, and a mixture of cadmium orange with a bit of permanent red deep for the soft drink sign. Some of the other signs were created using these same colors but tinted to get a lower key colors. I left some little white spaces of the paper for the ropes that hook onto the steps of the walkway in order to give the final stage of this painting a more lively feeling. |
