Venice canals / Shell Sherree

Venice canals

Showing posts with label Venice canals. Show all posts

Venerdi in Venice Fashion Illustration : Sweeping Gowns and Steeping Them

29.9.17

Venice fashion illustration: Sweeping Gown Steeping in Venice © Shell Sherree

Venice fashion illustration: Sweeping Gown Steeping in Venice © Shell Sherree

It's been too long ~ hello, Venice!

The grand tradition of fashion photoshoot theatre should not be reserved for photography. Equal rights for illustration, I say, when it comes to scandalously crazy treatment of gowns that probably cost more than a small crumbling palazzo to buy!

But thanks to the magic of drawing, no silk taffeta confections were harmed in the making of today's flight of fancy. No, we can steep that hem with its thousands of fairy handstitches in the Grand Canal - or even a piccolo one - and break not one single luminescent bead of anxious sweat over its possible demise.

So come, dangle your feet with mine if your derring shall do, and possibly even sit a while. And on that note ...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

PS: You'll find prints, cards and all kinds of Shell Sherree goodness via the menu at the top of the ShellSherree.com. I'm prone to moving the shop furniture around, so that's always the best way to find me! Merci, grazie, thank you.

Venerdi in Venice : Venetian View

19.5.17

Venice View Illustration, Fashion & Fluffballs © Shell Sherree

Venice View Illustration, Fashion & Fluffballs © Shell Sherree

Weekend in Venice, anyone? This watery-coloured scenery is long overdue Chez Shell. My apologies and pass the prosecco, per favore.

Today's Venice illustration sees us consulting a somewhat dubious source for a palm reading. I don't even know why, as I'll see your soothsayer and raise it by my naysayer. I'd rather be surprised with what each day unfurls than go through life wondering how to think ahead of every predicted contingency. I can't even plan my wardrobe the night ahead let alone the rest of it!

So come, let us hoik up our skirts or palazzo pants, perch ourselves at a Venetian vantage point and wave at the locals. You never know who might stop along. And on that note ...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

PS: Please click here to get in touch or check out the site menu to shop for made-to-order Shell Sherree prints, cards, totes to save the planet from plastic bags and cushions to cosy your world. Merci, grazie, thank you!

Venerdi in Venice : If the Boater Fits

28.10.16

Venice illustration: Venice Boaters and Kitty Gondolier © Shell-Sherree

Venice illustration: Venice Boaters and Kitty Gondolier © Shell-Sherree

I've been slow to hop on board the boater hat trend. In fact, I haven't. Being five foot two, I don't need to plant a bottle cap on my head thusly and thereby verily taking another couple of inches off the overall demeanour of my height. No, thank ye.

But ~ today's illustrated tour of Venice called for it, and while I don't believe in air-brushing, I'm not averse to adding a foot to my stature when paint-brushing. Boater Hat Crisis: averted.

So come, let us hitch a ride with yonder kitty gondolier who happens to be moonlighting as a florist. Or is he daylighting? No matter. I have it on good authority there's a galvanised bucket of ice with a bottle of Prosecco that has our name on it. And a few spare armfuls of blooms that fell off the back of another gondola. Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more. And on that note ...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you !

Venerdi in Venice: Flirting with Lilac Frills

17.8.14

{Lilac Frills in Venice : ink pen, pencil, watercolour illustration by Shell-Sherree}

Ciao! Patience is a virtue ~ and Saints preserve us, thank heavens I have some very virtuous Venice-loving souls amongst you. {Bless your fuzzy loyal hearts!}

It's a glorious day for lilac frills and the clink of glasses lending a splish-splash of prosecco to echo the lapping canal below. Let us twirl. And on that note ...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Illustration inspiration via Pinterest

Venerdi in Venice: If the Boat Fits

18.5.12

ink pen & watercolour illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm] BROWSE PRINTS

Venice. {"And about jolly time," I hear a small-yet-dedicated bunch of you cheering, waving your proseccos in the air.} See that little chink of light over on the far side? Under the archway? Guess who's waiting yonder. And this time, Hugh's brought his beautiful French bulldog Peaches along. {Everybody say, "Awwww!"} Her booties will come in handy in case of a very mild acqua alta this weekend. And so we don't feel left out... our apartment is stocked with plenty of these in every size. {Grazie to dear Danielle of VenetiaMicio for the glorious inspiration for today's illustration.} If we decide to take it easy, we can avail ourselves of the boat and Hugh can steer us in the right direction. And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Venerdi in Venice: Romance

10.2.12

pigment ink pen & watercolour illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm] BROWSE PRINTS

While I believe it's lovely to make every day Valentine's Day in simple and unassuming ways {a note with sweet nothings tucked in his pocket ... the outline of a heart magically appearing in the steam on the bathroom mirror ... remembering not to call him 'Hugh'}, I'm happy to have a formal excuse to stroll upon the romantic side of life. When I saw this old photo shoot in Venice by Mario Testino {with styling by Grace Coddington} for Vogue US 2005 not long ago, it was easy to slip into the picture and start dreaming ahead of time ... of Bellinis at Harry's Bar {where perhaps we can arrange something like this, but not indulge in too many of their signature champagne cocktails lest we end up looking like this}. And for dessert, dark chocolate gelato and moonlight lapping on the canals. And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Venerdi in Venice: Florist by a Whisker

6.1.12

ink & watercolour illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm] BROWSE PRINTS

Happy New Year! Special delivery for our weekend in Venice. Our little kitty is just applying one last fluff of the flowers before he pulls on a plump red satin hand-plaited and tasselled rope to ring the doorbell. No need to change out of your silk pyjamas. A cat always appreciates the value of such fineries. Thank you to dear Danielle of VenetiaMicio for the beautiful inspiration. We visited nearby another day, but views like this are worth returning to, and it's been a while since Venice graced us with her beguiling beauty. And it's not every day one's flowers are delivered via boat. Or a kitty cat. And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Venerdi in Venice: Gelati Palette

12.8.11

ink & watercolour illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm] ACQUIRE PRINTS

Pale turquoise doors with pistachio and raspberry accompaniments. Several colours of the gelati rainbow within a half-dozen paces. The gradual accrual of verdigris and moss thanks to the poetic drip of a languid drainpipe. An overhead cherub with modesty drape so we can retain our G-rating. Kitty cats admiring eternal bronze doorknockers cast in their likeness. {As one would.} Just another colourful day in Venice. Grazie mille, thanks to dear Danielle of VenetiaMicio for the gorgeous inspiration... This door ajar has saved us the trouble of lifting a finger to gently tap-tap-tap the knocker. Could it be a signal our Hugh has returned from his sabbatical? Well, what are we waiting for?! And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Venerdi in Venice: Morning Muneghete

8.7.11

ink & watercolour illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm] ACQUIRE PRINTS

Just another morning of quiet reflection in Venice. The weather's fine. The coffee is brewing on the stovetop. The tiny pussycat is wondering whether the boat is aqua with a pea green cover or pea green with an aqua bottom. The air is rich with the promise of an owl. Thanks to Danielle at VenetiaMicio for her gorgeous inspiration ~ I followed her lead and named the aqua pea green boat in her honour. This seems the perfect excuse for a magnum of champagne and the opinion of a man named Hugh. And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Venerdi in Venice: Shutters & Flowers

17.6.11

ink & watercolour illustration, 8.75" x 7" [22.5 x 18cm] ACQUIRE PRINTS

Last Friday, we soaked up the atmosphere of flowers and shutters in Paris, then made ourselves at home for the weekend. And the weekend became rather extended. I'm still trying to retrieve lampshades from the heads of some of our guests {not mentioning names ~ sometimes discretion really is the better part of valor}. To expedite our departure, it seemed prudent to simply exchange one royal flush of flowers and shutters for another... but with a change of city to keep us on our toes. Thank you to dear Catherine Hédouin via sweet Danielle's VenetiaMicio for the beautiful Venice inspiration. I'll continue to work on the lampshade removal while you open those shutters more widely and embrace the canal view. And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Venerdi in Venice: Hightail the Fluffy Tail

22.4.11

ink & watercolour illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm] ACQUIRE PRINTS

It isn't easy keeping one's fluffy tail high and dry when visiting Venice. This well-travelled little Easter Bunny has excelled. The welcoming committee is in the apartment upstairs, plumping up pillows, scrubbing the finest of carrots and washing freshly plucked leaves. {Grazie mille to dear Danielle of VenetiaMicio for the beautiful photo inspiration.} I've just finished whipping up some dark chocolate truffles for our turndown service. {Mind the cocoa dust on your linen pillowcase.} Your vaporetto driver is tapping his foot impatiently... please mind your step and keep your own tail high and dry as you make your way through the canals to our weekend destination. And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice and a safe and peaceful Easter to you!

Venerdi in Venice: All Weather Campo

5.11.10

ink & watercolour weensy meep miniature, 3.5 x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm ] ACQUIRE A MEEP

I know several people ~ unrelated to each other ~ who coincidentally planned on going camping this weekend. {Until the heavens opened yet again, causing a quandary of risk assessment increasing in direct proportion to the quagmiry likelihood.}

My idea of camping is setting up house in a campo in Venice. How about this one? {Thanks to Danielle of VenetiaMicio for the beautiful inspiration!} Several levels of luxury, black kitty cat included at no extra charge. If we encounter any flooding and need to evacuate, we can easily shimmy down from the windows on 600 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets, directly into our on-call gondola, and have Hugh whisk us away to safety. Perhaps I'm being fussy, but that's my idea of roughing it. {1000 thread count would be so much softer.} And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Venerdi in Venice: Gondola of Mystery

22.10.10

ink & watercolour illustration, 8.75" x 7" [22.5 x 18cm], private commission

I've been blessed to create some lovely commissions as mementos of holidays and special occasions, and today, I thought I'd show you another one. This delightful client has engaged me more than once, and after some Paris illustrations several months ago, we recently travelled over to Venice to even up the balance.

Now, you know I'm the soul of discretion, so I've protected the anonymity of my subjects by placing large sunhats on their heads. Yes, that's the kind of privacy you can rely on when engaging me. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out that the gondolier was not my client and has to make do with his traditional straw number. {And seems singularly unimpressed.} As you can see, this unhappy chappy is not Hugh, who was entertaining us at the time if you can recall. Smiles all around. And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Venerdi in Venice: Miaou Micio

1.10.10

ink & watercolour illustration, 8.75" x 7" [22.5 x 18cm]

Lately, I've been seeing a lot of our Hugh in a TV commercial. And while I'm thoroughly enjoying the viewing pleasure, between you and me, I think he has too much time on his hands. Far better that we keep him fully occupied, steering our gondola tea party around Venice and scattering us with rose petals. So our mission this weekend, should you choose to accept it, is to ensure that drinking iced tea is far from his mind. Unless it's in our company, of course. Micio is amused by our antics just out of sight in the canal below. Thanks to dear Danielle of VenetiaMicio for graciously allowing me to use her gorgeous photos for inspiration. If you haven't ventured over to her place yet, I whole-heartedly recommend it. It's a wonderful opportunity to exercise your French language muscles as well if you're so inclined. The best of both worlds. And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Psst: You only have until noon Brisbane time Thursday 7th October to enter the giveaway draw to celebrate my 2nd blogoversary. Just pop over here to enter...

Venerdi in Venice: A Weensy Stroll

16.7.10

ink & watercolour ACEO weensy, 3.5" x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm]

Let's stroll into the weekend, dropping our cares into this canal in Venice, in a serene and quiet location near San Martino Vescova, away from the madding crowds. Grazie mille to Pierre of Venice Daily Photo for his constant inspiration. {Happy holidays, Pierre!}

We can vote on where we'll stay based on the colour of our favourite gelato. If no pets are allowed, someone may need to take a trip to the local Hotel for Dogs. But this puppy only barks "Meep, meep," so I'm thinking we can smuggle him in and no-one will be the wiser. And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Venerdi in Venice: We are Lions, Hear Us Meep

25.6.10

ink & watercolour ACEO weensy, 3.5" x 2.5" [9 x 6.5cm]
Acquire this original Meep Miniature here.

Cats big and small love to laze, stretch, slumber in the sun ~ and to indulge in the occasional Faux-Doze for the benefit of potential prey. These stately lions watching over the Canal Grande in Venice are no exception, except that they tend to stay still for the sake of a regal photo or sketching opportunity, and all they're likely to catch is the odd irreverent pigeon thought. Thanks so very much to Pierre's Venice Daily Photo for generously allowing me its exquisite inspiration, and especially to Alain Hamon for this particular one. Grazie mille!!!

[Post Update 29th June: Dear Alain has kindly posted my little illo together with his photo at his own blog, and it's lovely seeing them side by side. Thank you so very much!]

It's a gorgeous fine winter's day here, the kind I'd be happy with all season long ~ mild in temps, a sun that's fully present but mellow rather than roaring, and a few benign little tufts of lazy vanilla fairy floss. I might even follow the lions' lead and climb out onto the roof to survey the landscape. And on that potentially perilous note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Venerdi in Venice: It's All About Me-ep

4.6.10

ink & watercolour ACEO weensy, 2.5" x 3.5" [6.5 x 9cm]

Let's go for a tiny stroll. A very tiny stroll, across a very tiny bridge in Venice where we can gaze at our reflections in the canal and wonder at our collective beauty. I don't see anyone else around, so we can stay as long as we like. One can't rush narcissism, after all. Yes, that's a fluffy tu-tu, so it's not just about me-me, and to spot the kitty in this one, you may need one of these. And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

PS: Just heard that the charming old Shingle Inn, long-since dismantled and stored, has finally been given a new home, and will be re-built in the foyer of our City Hall, currently under renovations. Great article here with a photo of the original. I am delighted. Delighted.

Venerdi in Venice: Ponte Storto

30.4.10

ink & watercolour illustration, 8.75" x 7" [22.5 x 18cm]

Perhaps I could engage someone to build a pond in my yard so that I could have a purpose for a bridge like this. Imagine the fun the geese would have.

Grazie mille to Pierre at Venice Daily Photo for allowing me to use his glorious photo as inspiration! If you're wondering why there's no-one standing on the bridge in my version, I took so long to draw it, they'd gone by the time I was ready for them. One simply can't get good help nowadays. And on that note...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Venerdi in Venice: Shutter-Eye for Siesta

29.1.10

ink & watercolour illustration, 10" x 8" [25.5 x 20.5cm]

Venetians are so practical in our steamy summers. I love how they filter the light while allowing for ventilation and cross-breezes. Speaking of Venetians... {yes, we were ~ how coincidental...}

I thought I'd illustrated all of my own snaps of Venice, but as I mopped the humidity from my brow late this morning and searched for inspiration and one of those magical cross-breezes, I found this old photo of mine. Judging by the way everything's closed on the street, I'm guessing I took this during the afternoon siesta. And now, I'll shutter-up so that you can have one, too.

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

Venerdi in Venice: Pierre's Boating Reflections

8.1.10

ink & watercolour illustration, 10" x 7.5" [25 x 19cm]

The New Year is often a time of reflection. In Venice, every day is a time of reflection. Warning: this one might make your eyes go funny if you gaze at it for long enough ~ even more so for the captivating photo taken by Pierre at Venice Daily Photo, on which I based today's illustration. {Thank you so very much, Pierre ~ just another one of the countless beauties over at your place ~ grazie mille!}

I'm not sure of its construction materials {this should come as no surprise}, but most likely, this little motor boat would be called a "tinny" in Australia, and taken out for weekend fishing trips with the mates ~ an outing that would bear no resemblance whatsoever to this Venetian scene {for a start, I'm guessing there's no beer under that canopy} ~ so I don't even know why I mentioned it. That aside ...

Happy Venerdi in Venice to you!

PS: Just ONE WEEK and a day to go with our fund raising drive to help animals in RSPCA Victoria's shelters. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to those who've already dug deep and helped out ~ your donations are tremendously valued. Ready to join us? Just click the ChipIn button on the top right to provide some comfort to all creatures great and small who desperately need it. Here's the background info... and Thank You!

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