Shenanigan Flat-North Yuba River

On By Margaret Parker BrownIn art, Indian Valley Outpost, Landscape painting, nature, Northern California, plein air, Shenanigan Flat, Sierra Co. California, watercolor, Yuba River
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painting #1  on Arches 140# 7 x 9 inches

This scene was a difficult one because of the steep trail leading down to the river and the fact that I didn’t have sun on the river for the first 90 minutes, I painted basically in the shade.

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what my first scene looked like with sun
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painting #2 on Fabriano 300# 11 x 14 inches

I struggled with this painting because of having such a complex scene with no focal point (hoping for a light source) I was all over the place and couldn’t focus. In other words, I didn’t have a clear path to follow.

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my scene was beautiful but without sun, it was a bit dreary
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painting #3 on Saunders 200# 11 x 14 inches

I then spotted the sun shining further on down the river, all I had to do was scoot my butt a 3/4 turn and I had a new scene! The sun was glowing down the river! YAY!

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This scene was a bit darker in the trees in the canyon….beautiful lighting!

I used my spray bottle and did an interesting underpainting but I think that I got too carried away and should have planned out my painting a little more. All in all, I am pleased with this painting, always something to improve though plein air is not suppose to be perfect or tight.

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painting #4 on Arches 140# 7 x 9 inches
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my scene…..the lighting on these rocks were amazing

I wished I had done a better job on these rocks but I think that I was getting tired. I know that I probably push to paint more paintings than I am up for but I figure if I am going to venture out and hike, I might as well do as many paintings as I can.

I was thinking of not posting these paintings but decided why not? I have been a little picky and hard on myself lately. I did paint a few days ago and I have yet to upload those. I might do it as I know when I am picky, it is good for me to proceed as usual.

Learning Points:

  • Not all painting sessions are meant to be perfect and easy.
  • Keep my plan of action clear, stop and re-focus.
  • Continue to work on my values and saving my whites, I continue to struggle with this.
  • My color selections felt off today, don’t let this interfere with my enjoyment.
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47 thoughts on “Shenanigan Flat-North Yuba River”

  2. I wish you could see the beauty I see in these! Let go! Enjoy! At least I’m feeling that way today! I am amazed at what you are able to capture. So uniquely you too Margaret. How fun that all of us can look at the same thing, use the same materials, and create such uniquely different and individual and beautiful works of art! Wonderful!!!

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  4. Lola Colleen

    Beautiful paintings. I commend your bravery with plein air. I’m still too afraid to try it. Anyway, really loved 3 (your sun dappled watercolor) and 4. 🙂

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    1. thank you! believe it or not I was scared to death to paint with watercolors en plein air. I have painted for years with my pastels but now I prefer the watercolor to pastels out in the field. For one thing, it is so much easier and I can hike in to areas that I can’t manage to take my pastels. Give it a try one of these days, you’ll get hooked once you get over the jitters. 🙂

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  7. My oh my Margaret picture 3, wow I want to go to that place 😀 Magnificently painted…what is that blue? Those colours work so well together, this one really jumps out at me with a boom! Of and I too have big trouble with saving whites, that’s why I love ph Martin bleed proof white, it will cover areas I should have left so I can grab back my white, I know that the point is to retain the white in the first place, and I do need to persevere with this too, but it is a great painting saver 😀

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    1. oh thank you for that tip, I will look into that. Does it look chalky? or natural like virgin paper? The blues that I used were FUB and Cobalt Blue. I loved this scene and while I painted it, I felt it and built upon what I was looking at, so it worked!

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      1. It is just like watercolour but the colour stays hidden..I have tried other similar brands and they are not as good , I would not consider it to be chalky, and it mixes well with other colours, just very opaque, but better than white gouache in my opinion 😀

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  10. fantastic! what bliss. loveliness Margaret. really! it is so cool you are working on Different wc papers. trying them. feeling them. Good for you 🙂 yay! I think i’m in love with #1 and #3 they want to slip into my heart!
    Well done M.
    You “Felt” the river, and it spoke back to you. Brilliant. cheers, your river friend.

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    1. Aww….thank you Debi! I had to approve your message, how weird is that? I will have to keep my eyes open on this……I really felt it even though it was a struggle and I love trying out all kinds of paper. I need to find other brands just to shake it up! 🙂

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    1. lol…..I am tempted to chase them when I see one. There is a family story in which my mother chased a bear in Idaho when they first moved there, she was so excited seeing a bear that she took off after it. I guess it runs in the blood 🙂 yep, you got that one right!

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  13. Margaret! Stunning set right here. So hard to choose a favorite, I’ve now seen three times and still can’t choose. Possibly the last one because of all of the brilliant whites you left makes the rocks so strong and the sun, I can feel it on my face because the light is so bright! This set is probably my favorite set of yours after that grouping you did near the bridge or gorge or whatever my memory is so horrible I’m sorry but you’ll know what I mean. Wow!! These are stunning. I wish I could smash your inner critic, he really needs to go take a hike with lots of heavy pastels on his back and a boulder around his neck that will pull him into the river where he will sink from sight! Your work is gorgeous! Seriously. Never doubt it. 💜

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    1. Aren’t you a doll? I love hearing from you because I agree, my inner critic is very, very bad! I had to approve your comment, very weird…you had about three comments and so did Debi that I had to approve. I accidently ran into them. I’ll keep an eye on that. So fun to hear which paintings really speak to people. I truly loved the #3 and yes, the rocks even though I see problems with them…..but again that darn inner critic!

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  16. Wow Margaret these are all excellent. It is really interesting to see how you move to abstraction, or at least, how strong the abstract foundation is in some of then paintings. I think it is particularly challenging when the scene contains so much data. Great Work.

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  18. Pingback: Madrone Madness #8 – Yuba Gold

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