I'm doing this picture of a Victorian village at Christmas time. On one side of the street I have all kinds of shops all decorated up for Christmas, lots of snow, and streetlamps glistening off the wet road in front of the shops. The problem I have is the other side of the street is an empty lot... I am about as blocked as you can get, and I have no idea what to put there. I desperately need inspiration. Either links to victorian style village scenes like paintings, or photos. Or I need some clever ideas as to what I should put on the other side of the street. Any help would be most appreciated. I have looked at all the Thomas Kinkade paintings I care to look at, and nothing is helping. Anyone know any other artists that do these types of paintings?

A quaint Park, benches, trees all in a row, wrought iron fence.

there a artist I did not know his name but he is called "painter of light" I see his work in stores a lot sorry about that . I see in my head some poor children in a old broken down park thing looking across the street at the shops wishing for a good Christmas. but that just me. I dont think that be too victorian? not much of a help but hope it get the brain working I been there too

lol Jocko, That would be Thomas Kinkade :-) Those are all great ideas.

Message edited on: 12/06/2004 23:04

What about a church or a public house?

How about a Christmas tree lot?

http://www.greatbuildings.com/gbc/gbc_types/styles/victorian.html http://www.speel.demon.co.uk/ http://www.victorianstation.com/home2.html http://collage.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/arch/hvgothic.html http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/fa267/hvgothic.html (This one is Victorian America, but...)

If it's an English village street....there was always a village green that had a pond where poor people could bring their ducks and geese, far as I know. http://www.proweb.co.uk/~roymat/cgreen/cgreen.html

How about an orphanidge(sc) with a little boy or girl looking through the fence or a window at the shops with a tear in one eye.

How about just a group of figures huddled around a fire in that empty lot? And a bobby hurrying towards them?

Why don't you line both sides of the street with shops. I remember visiting the town of Chester, and both sides were full of shops. I know Chester is a Tudor style village, but I think its pretty much the same village. Otherwise I'd put a park with a pond where people can ice skate. Of course, where I come from they'd be playing hockey. Go to www.canadiantire.ca and click on "Christmas & Toys" and then on "Miniature Village Lanscapes", they have some pretty neat ideas, including a mill pond and a railway station, all decked out in snow.

How about an inn with an archway through to the stableyard, and a coach & horses standing in front, just about to load up all its Victorian passengers, off to their families in the country for Christmas? Got an name for the inn, even: "The Hollybush". Would make a nice seasonal sign.

The City of Salisbury, (England) very olde worlde if memory serves.

Thanks everyone all your ideas weere excellent. It all really got me moving again. I think I'll be using just about something from all of your ideas. Erlik I'm sorry for asking this, but what's a Bobby? Forgive my stupidity if I should know this. :-)

oops Never mind...lol I know what a bobby is ;-)

**I know what a bobby is ;-) ** Same thing as a peeler, and for the same reason ;^))

For those who don't know....a Peeler/bobby is a Cop. Both expressions come from the guy who invented policing, Sir Robert(bobby) Peel (Peeler.)