Hall’s Ranch on the North Yuba

On By Margaret Parker BrownIn art, Landscape painting, plein air, watercolor, Yuba River

 

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Painting #1 on Arches 140# rough 7 x 9 inches

I have painted at this spot once before but with pastels and I have fished here a few times as well.

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My scene on the North Yuba
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Painting #2 on Arches 140# rough 7 x 9 inches
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Painting #3 on Saunders 200# 7 x 9 inches

Wow…..I love Saunders! I have painted several times before but I think it really hit me how much I love this paper, especially with granulating colors. It is pure magic.

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Painting #4 on Saunders 200# 11 x 14 inches

By the time I was almost finished with my fourth painting, I was feeling rain drops and I was so involved with painting that I didn’t realize that it had quickly clouded up and was now threatening to get serious. I decided to wrap it up.

Learning Points:

  • Paint with different papers, change it up often, it is fun and you’ll discover your favorite kind of paper, Saunders and Fabriano are my favorites to date.
  • Pave your way through a painting, don’t allow the fear of the unknown to direct your hand, it all works out better if you just relax and follow your brush and paint.
  • Keep at it, watercolor is demanding, yes but it will teach you a few lessons on how to let go and stop trying to control every aspect of this wonderful medium.
  • Granulating paints are fun! Give them a try.

 

 

23 thoughts on “Hall’s Ranch on the North Yuba”

  6. Great paintings Margaret – lovely purity of colour. Are you masking out the whites or managing to paint ‘around’ the white space? Either way it’s making these paintings sparkle! As for the Saunders, I’ve been using the rough version of it for a while now and, like you, am really enjoying it!

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    1. Thank you John, coming from you, that says a lot 🙂 No masking at all, I think that the time, thought and energy spent trying to mask out can be used instead trying to figure out how to save those whites! lol all in the perspective, I suppose. I love Saunders and I haven’t tried the rough, now I need to especially for plein air. I’ll look into that.

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      1. I think you’re right about the masking. I wouldn’t rule it out but I personally try to avoid it. Even more power to you then for such an accomplished set of paintings – not easy to plan or to resist the temptation to add more paint!

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      3. Haha I know that battle well! Sadly I’m having to work this weekend but will endeavour to squeeze a little creativity in somewhere! Look forward to seeing your next instalment

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  8. Wow! this was a really productive day for you. I love how you are using the white of the paper to create shapes and outlines – it gives your paintings a good flow and energy, I think. It is always interesting to see how you focus on some of the intimate spots – looking at your photo it is a middle focus sort of scene, but you often like to go to an intimate nook within the scene/photo.

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    1. You are correct. This time around I used only one photo to give you all a sense of my scene that I worked with and I do like to pick and choose a portion of that scene to bring in a more intimate focus. You are on a roll with being sensitive and keen, very important for an artist such as yourself. I see that so much in your own paintings which in turn inspires me. 🙂

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