Morning on the North Yuba

 

on 200# Saunders quarter sheet

Oh my I am so picky today! I am thinking that I need to stretch my creative muscles and go for a really loose painting. I keep picking the above painting to bits. I have a problem with all those rocks, maybe it is my picky mood. So I started another Yuba river painting but more loose and carefree.

 

layer number 1

I always love starting out a new painting, so exciting! I started out with wet on semi-wet here.

 

layer #2

I often will bring the background to a certain stage than move onto the middle or foreground. I don’t like to complete a background because often it takes a back and forth work to bring a painting to the correct feeling or value.

 

layer #3 or more

I started to move on those rocks and the back trees on the left and gradually brought the water up slowly. I used a wax crayon to protect the whites.

I do believe that those rocks were my enemy and yet I loved how a lot of them  presented that special glow that I saw that morning. In the final stage I did lump some sections of the rocks into a more concrete mass. All in all, not bad but I am missing my wild and loose and fancy free approach. I need to go bareback on that wild pony!

colors  used: Aureolin, Quin. Gold, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Tiger’s Eye Genuine, Prussian Blue, Cereluen Blue

 

This is the reference photo of that morning on the North Yuba….beautiful, don’t you think?

*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.

 

 

 

 

 

Early Morning on the North Yuba

 

on Arches 300# cp quarter sheet

Sorry about the paragraphs not having any space between them but WP is acting up for me and I can’t seem to correct it.

     This painting is from a photo from last year when the temperatures were dropping. The morning that I arrived, the sun was just creeping around the corner and the mist was so beautiful. Here is the same scene but in pastel and on en plein air:  Frosty November Morning

     I have painted this scene at least 5 times. Those bushes across the river is so darn difficult to capture correctly. I didn’t worry about trying to get it to look like the photo, what is the creative fun in that? None! I did the tree section in the background wet on wet and had to go back at least three times to darken and bring up what features I felt would give the scene the correct nuance.

Colors used:  Aureolin, Cobalt Blue, Prussian Blue, Quin. Gold, Ultramarine Blue

*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.

 

Painting Pretty

 

painting #1 on Bockingford eggshell 140# quarter sheet

I truly adore this colored paper. It is called eggshell though it is light blue compared to normal watercolor paper. I reserve it for paintings that are either warm such as a sunset or in this case, I chose it because the rocks in this particular painting were in shadow and I wanted to see how it would work.

I struggled with keeping those rocks on the right side in obscurity. After applying several washes of cobalt blue and adjusting the values, I hope I nailed it. I had to resist the strong urge to work on the various values within the rocks. I based this upon one of my photos but I had to take artistic license and make the center rocks the focus.

colors used: Daniel Smith Quin. Gold, Cobalt Blue, Hansa Yellow Med., Prussian Blue, Green Gold

 

painting #2 on Arches 140# quarter sheet

I wanted to dash out a quick painting of a hike from an area that I love to explore and paint. Right now it is under about 6 foot of snow and they are currently trying to plow the road going up to that area. This is a post from that little plein air trip last year: Bear Lakes Loop- World Watercolor Month #2  I wanted to practice not getting bogged down in detail and working on contrasts.

colors used: Quin. Gold, Aureolin, Moonstone, Ultramarine Blue, Prussian Blue, Indanthrone Blue (Daniel Smith)

 

Painting #3 on Bockingford eggshell 140# quarter sheet -reference photo provided by Mary Lee Davey (Thank you!!)

Bockingford rocks! I think that those trees look like people hoping to catch a cosmic ride to somewhere, don’t you think? I wanted to explore shapes, value contrasts and a wild sunset sky. You just have to go wild sometimes, let out that crazy, dare to be different artist that awaits in each of us.

Colors used: Quin. Red, Quin. Gold, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Indanthrone Blue (Daniel Smith)

I haven’t been doing a learning points list and I think that I will start doing that again.

Learning Points:

• Keep going wild! what is there to lose? Nada!
• Don’t treat watercolor like a delicate princess, get loose with that paint, paper and brush, you might be surprised with what you’ll discover.
• Push the values, go dark and play with contrasts, again, nothing to lose.
• Turn over and start another painting, there are two sides to a piece of paper.

*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.

 

 

 

 

River Study and Sierra Buttes

Interesting that WP continues to mess with me. Sorry I am not able to size my photos correctly. All I see is the code for the photo and I have to trust they get uploaded once I post this.

This painting was more of a study of values and shapes. I didn’t want to spend a lot of time on detail or rendering. I think that it gives an abstract feel to the painting.

I whacked this one out in a day and didn’t want to spend too much time on it. I rendered it more than I probably liked but I have found that it exercises my patience and observance of a subject. I think that I will take back a value on that section of the mountain on the right, the shadow is too dark.

This is a painting that I have been working on for over a month little by little and I haven’t taken the time to post the finished (I think) painting. I come back to this subject often because it is such a beautiful area of my world. I chose not to bring the trees to a more detailed finish because the Sierra Buttes is the subject of interest. They are simply applauding.

Hey, I did it! I wrote this whole thing within 10 minutes! I can’t do squat with my photos but at least I was able to type without WP freezing up.

River Intrigue

Not sure about what is going on with WP but I have tried all day to upload this post. Of course I had difficulty composing it because of all the glitches, once again I am driven to the point of no return with this blog!

This is a studio piece using some reference photos from a recent plein air painting trip to an old haunt of mine. I tried to include a few posts of this same location but I am not able to link up to them. Sigh!!

I started the painting below of this simi waterfall as a plein air and I finished it up in the studio. I was freezing by the time I had several studies started. I have never attempted to paint this before because I am always passing it by to go paint at the river.

The painting above is a little plein air, nothing special but while I painted it, I had a wonderful sense of knowing how to paint it. Once I got it home it seemed a bit lack luster. I hiked a total of about 5 miles to one of my favorite areas along the river. I have to get a different set-up because my back and neck was in pain which continued into Mother’s Day, believe me, no fun.

This painting was a quick fun painting, loose and fancy free using one of my photos taken while hiking out to the river.

I couldn’t re-size these paintings or caption them because that option was no where in sight. Finally getting this up!

Old River Haunts

 

painting #1 on Canson Heritage 140# quarter sheet  

On this painting I wanted to practice a little detail work rather than full blast “see what happens”. I enjoyed it though I would like to make that right bank of rocks not appear so mushy and yet I do have a desire to detail an entire painting. I might give it more definition where needed. My favorite area is perhaps the bold light and the distant rocks in the background, love that area! I am going to make notes on how I painted them and the colors that I used. Here are several posts about painting this same spot: Revisit to A Yuba River Scene and A Look Back .

 

painting #2 wip on Canson Heritage 140# on half sheet

Of course I just have to tackle the Sierra Buttes yet again, imagine that! Obviously I am not finished but wanted to show my progress. I am really loving this paper because it has such a wonderful texture in that it is scratchy which makes dry brush so fun. Also I have discovered that this paper is very forgiving and you can lift paint quite well, right back to white, always a plus!

*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.

 

 

Watercolor Mayhem

painting # 1 wip on Canson Heritage 140# quarter sheet

Up to no good today working on at least 4 paintings today. The first one that I am showing you is a wip and I am not so sure that I like the “dirty” look to it. Perhaps the word is muddy then again I am thinking that perhaps it is because I had worked wet on wet and I tried too hard to get the look I wanted. Good luck with that, right? The bushes are not quite what I wanted and the rocks are iffy, not defined well enough. Then again, I haven’t put on my finishing touches or brought back some of my whites. We’ll see what I will do with this one. Perhaps turn it over and try another painting or set it aside to work on it later.

I decided a few days later after posting this to show my pastel painting from a couple years ago of this same area, here is that post: Who is Afraid of the Dark?

painting #2 wip on Arches 140# quarter sheet

Interesting how soft and muted this painting came out. The spots of blue are not as intense in reality, so keep that in mind. I actually washed off about 50% of the paint and once dried, I re-worked it. Perhaps this is not the conventional way to work in watercolors but I like to push the boundaries now and then.

I ended up feeling very picky and my perfectionism came out to wreck some mayhem in my creative life. Thank goodness tomorrow is Sunday, my day for rest from painting.

I am currently working on a more detailed piece and I haven’t been so nervous in a long time working on a painting! I am discovering that it is easier for me to be loose, wild and free when I am not having to worry about staying within the lines or being precise. Not my cup of tea but I am making myself to go the opposite direction in order not to get too comfortable.

*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.

The Weary Paints On!

 

painting #1 wip on Arches 140# 11 x 14 inches

I have been struggling with an intense cold but I still manage to paint. No holding back now! This abstract is one that I keep visible while I work on other paintings. I keep painting on it in increments but only adding what I feel it needs and no more. In a way it is an artistic muscle builder.

 

painting #2 on Arches 140# cp  11 x 14 inches

I am not sure if I like this one, and yet when I am working on it, I love it. The critic in me wants to jump all over it. This is based on my trip over to remote Bear Valley in Glenn Co.

 

painting #3 on Canson Heritage cp 140# 11 x 14 inches

I practiced my wet on wet on this paper hoping to go very impressionistic. I pulled out shapes as I saw them. I over-worked the left side and basically lost my focal point. No matter, there are more paintings waiting and more lessons to be learned.

 

painting #4 on Canson Heritage cp 140# 11 x 14 inches

I again decided to paint wet on wet and I really love how you can work on a painting for over 2 hours non-stop. My photo made that area behind the sun-lit trees too blue, it is actually a grayed down purple/blue and green color. There is a point that you know that you have to wait for it to dry before proceeding to add your calligraphy  marks or to correct. This paper is perfect for this technique and it dries extremely flat which I really like.

*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.

 

 

 

 

 

North Valley to the Mountains

 

painting #1 on Fabriano soft press 300# 11 x 14 inches

I have painted this a few times before Busy with Landscapes and this one I like the best: Glory Be!  I have been going through a general dislike of my paintings but I know that I go through this cycle every month or so and it will pass, thank goodness!

 

painting #2 on Arches  140# rough 11 x 14 inches

This painting was from a reference photo that I took from my adventure with my brother to go see Bear Valley in Glenn County in the north valley here in Northern California. This place was amazing because of all the rain we received, the land breathed with moisture. I have never seen green as I did on that trip. Most of the roads were dirt or gravel and ranches were everywhere.

 

Bear Valley in Glenn Co. California

I saw something that I have never seen before and my brother had to point it out to me. Along the fence were two coyotes who had been shot and strung up, apparently this is suppose to be a deterrent to other coyotes. My husband told me that he remembers seeing this as a youngster on the school bus passing a ranch in Nevada County.

 

Acid green hills!

 

painting #3 on Arches 140# rough 11 x 14 inches

Last but not least, a view of the North Yuba river in Sierra County. Now onto other paintings and hopefully I’ll get into a better frame of mind with the next paintings.

*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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

River and Marshland Here We Come!

 

wip painting #1 on Lanaquarelle 140# 11 x 14 inches

I had to return to the river and have some fun with my favorite subject for now. I needed to really “feel” it and this is always what makes me feel like I have come home.

 

painting #2 photo reference was Maria Jansson beautiful photo on Canson Heritage 140# 15 x 18 inches

I had a wonderful experience of translating Maria Jansson’s beautiful photo Maria’s photo but when I tried to depict the icy berry brambles then I started to fret but why try to depict a photo of such quality to the exact replica? Silly me! I do need to bring out the cattails more but other than that, I think I’ll call it finished. I could bring out more of the foreground but the star is the pond/marsh and the background.

Canson L’Aquarelle Héritage watercolor paper is new to me and I have to admit it I was a little leery because I HATE Canson, even their pastel paper. After viewing a youtube video describing the paper, I decided to give it a try and guess what? I love the paper and will buy more of it in the future.

 

painting #3 on Soft Press Fabriano 11 x 14 inches

I think that I love this and yet at the same time feel that it needs more and yet, I am wanting to take a painting to the edge of just done, not over-done. I want to depict as minimal as I can and I will leave it alone for now.

*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.