Description

Summer Stroll in Prague shows a fleeting moment in the heart of the Old Town Square. A tourist in a red dress walks confidently through the midday sun. She glances toward a group of cyclists and the crowd around her. Meanwhile, the spires of the Church of Our Lady rise proudly in the distance.

I used my slow shutter photographs as a reference. As I panned the camera, the woman remained more defined while the background blurred. This gave me the perfect excuse to play with distortion and atmosphere in paint. Loose, fluid brushstrokes carried the motion across the surface. As a result, the scene feels alive yet dreamlike.

Inspiration for Summer Stroll in Prague

Prague in summer is dazzling. The city buzzed with tourists, heat shimmered off the cobbles, and the architecture felt rich and varied. Because of this, I wanted to push beyond my usual night paintings and capture the vitality of the day.

It was fun to follow tourists through my lens. Often, the camera blurred their identity or smeared the background, leaving me with semi-abstract impressions. Therefore, I could translate those fleeting moments into paintings that hold both energy and mystery.

Techniques and Media Used

I worked in thin layers of oil paint, letting each layer dry slowly. To build movement, I exaggerated horizontal brushstrokes. These strokes mirrored the way the figure moved through the square. At the same time, I kept just enough foreground detail to create depth and perspective.

• Title: Summer Stroll in Prague
• Artist: Julie Swinsco
• Medium: Oil on board
• Frame: Black wooden tray frame
• Size (including frame): 59.4 × 42 cm
• Authenticity: Hand-signed, Certificate of Authenticity included

This original Prague cityscape oil painting captures a summer moment filled with light, colour, and the rhythm of the crowd.