Valley Splendor

On By Margaret Parker BrownIn art, California North Valley, Landscape painting, watercolor

 

P1160555.JPG
on Arches 300# rough 15.5 x 20 inches

I usually don’t paint on Sundays but I couldn’t resist that creative call. Those dark areas are not as dark as they appear, there is dimension present but my camera didn’t pick it up. I am thinking that this is finished for now. I might try it again because I lost something in the grasses, perhaps a clear vision?

What is fun is that at some point I noticed that I was holding three brushes in my hand and alternating between them. I have been using up to 6 brushes now in a painting session. Also this painting is the second largest painting to date for me. It didn’t seem to be any different than working smaller, so I think that might be a good sign.

Colors used: Cerulean Blue, Quin. Gold, Burnt Sienna, Indanthrone Blue, Fr. Ultra. Blue, Hematite Genuine

*A word about photos. The photos on my blog are mine, taken by me and copying them would be stealing from me. If you find a photo that you would like to copy or use, I request that you ask me for permission and I expect you to give me full credit for my own photo. Thank you so very much.

 

 

25 thoughts on “Valley Splendor”

  4. When you take a photo take three. One cropped the way you want it to be, one exposed for the highlights and one exposed for the shadows. You won’t always need them but sometimes you will like the shadow detail. I typically take a dozen then put them all together.

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    1. Well, the past several months I have been working exclusively in the studio because of our unprecedented weather. I do plein air work (on site) throughout the year as long as it doesn’t rain or snow on me. But with this record breaking weather we have been having, it has kept me inside. I often will finish a painting on site but lately I have realized there is nothing wrong with finishing up a painting in the studio, perhaps the last 10-20% is finished later. In the studio I use my own photos to paint from but lately I am using them for inspiration only and I take it from there. I prefer that because it allows wiggle room and creativity. I also will use my plein air studies (paintings) for a reference for paintings. Now to answer your question, which is harder….hmm….I would say that plein can be harder because there is a pressure of capturing what you see and hoping that you do it justice. I love the hiking out to my area to paint and that always makes it more exciting and fun. In the studio it can be a little hard because I don’t want to get caught up into detail or endless rendering. I am more of an impressionistic painter and not into super realism. I also miss the “on the edge of my seat” experience that I get with plein air work. Thank you for your interest and questions 🙂

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      3. I think when we go out into the bush,our senses increase in sensitivity. When we were hunter gatherers,we were constantly on the watch for danger.So when we go out into the bush,our primordial instincts kick in.Thats why food tastes better outside.All out senses get turned up.
        So your visual sense is running on 8 cylinders instead of 4 or 6.
        The bush reminds us of where we came from.

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      4. Exactly…..you nailed it….that is what I feel when I go outdoors. The more I painted this summer (at least 2-3 x a week) I was very much in tune with the birds, the wind, the lighting, everything seem to come alive for me. I have always been a nature girl but with my intense looking and capturing what I was experiencing, my senses have increased in its acuity. You are right on the money about why food taste better when cooked outdoors. I think that you are a very perceptive person, I really appreciate that. 🙂

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      5. than you’ll love this……we each have 5 senses right,when a person becomes blind,their other senses step up & become more acute.The brain doesn’t have 5 inputs anymore.By having only 4,the brain can afford to increase the power to each.
        Take a pair of noise eliminating ear muffs with you next time.See if you can perceive visually better by reducing the audio input? Let me know what happens please.
        Oh……I suspect that you cannot have anyone else’s energy near you to be able to feel a diffrence? Just a hunch.

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      6. I think that your hunch is probably correct. I will give that a try just because I am inquisitive. I might borrow my daughter’s ear muffs that they use for target practice. I’ll let you know once I do this experiment. Have you tried something like this?

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