From the Artist: When I studied Whistler's nocturne paintings I found he had two types: 1) paintings which were quite saturated and 2) those having certain degree of contrast. I wanted to achieve the latter since they appealed to me better. I have tried to paint the cityscape of Venice within the tonal range provided and am quite happy with the outcome.

I've never worked with a limited palette before, and with this one, I can sense harmony in the painting.

I was trying not to make the painting look too saturated and hence not show the city lights well in the fading evening light. I could have darkened the buildings in order to show the lamps better, but then I would have had to darken the rooftops as well. I was constantly reminded of Goldilocks!

From the Painting Guide: Whistler was very fond of Venice, so your choice of subject is very apt! The limited colors and tones in your painting give it a lovely gentle feel to it, like a view down the Grand Canal on a slightly hazy evening.

I think one of the things this project highlights is how accustomed we get to working with a full range of tones, and how we do use darker tones to make lighter ones more prominent. It'll make one appreciate them more!