Flowers on very absorbant paper

here are two versions of a painting I made on a very thin japanese batic paper I found in Florence. The second image is of it with light shining through it after I put it on a window. the first one is it laying on a white paper. The paper is incredibly absorbant and near totally see through - a very interesting surface to explore more. I relaly enjoyed the effects that can be created with this paper. The ink is from chinese ink stick grounded on my new proper ink stone.

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

One of the things I always visit when I am abroad is old churces. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore was definately among the most beautiful ones I have seen. Here is a link to wikipedias article on it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Cathedral

Of course I took lots and lots of photos but to really do great photos inside these big buildings you need better cameras than my travel one.

Well one thing I kept reminding me was that I do need to buy those binoculars so that I can see properly the great paintings high high up on walls and on the ceilings like this part of the fresco in the ceiling of the building next to the duomo..

Outside the duomo as well as most places in Florence you see these groups of watercolourists painting on the street and selling the painting.