Oak on a Gaviota Ridge, again

I returned to the same tree (as seen in the previous post) the next day, but give it a completely different treatment still combining the schematic nature of my sketches with the more interesting coloring that a proper painting allows.  For this one, I started with the outline, then brought in water and other colors to blur the line and bring in many more colors.  This particular paper (Fabriano Artistico) grabs the colors a bit more than I wanted.  I really have to do a few more like this, but I'll use another paper brand that I was basing my expectations on (Daler-Rowney Langton Prestige).

Outline of an Oak on a Gaviota Ridge
watercolor on 100% cotton, rough watercolor paper
12" x 9", $68

Oak on a Gaviota Ridge

Heading back to Gaviota for some watercolor of an oak on the ridge, from a photo taken back in October and painted in the middle of August.  This was fun, combining some quick, bold painting and the schematic nature of the sketches I do.  I actually rather liked the initial painting and it was hard to carry through with the plan.  Here it is, in progress:

Oak on a Gaviota Ridge
watercolor on 100% cotton, rough watercolor paper
20" x 14", $175

Franklin Pass, passing into the interior

Something a little more recent: this is the view from Franklin Pass as one comes over the Great Western Divide into the interior where there are no roads.  That is the popular direction for hitting this spot, but we were finishing our hike.  Stretched out below was a bit of the last two days.  To the left of the central ridge, we could see the wall of Big Arroyo which we had climbed out from the day before.  Coming up Soda Creek on the left, we eventually climbed the central ridge and dropped slightly down to Forester Lake in the center.  On this day, we had lost a little more elevation before starting the climb up the pass.  The far mountains contain hints of places we were the year before.

Franklin Pass panorama
acrylic on stretched canvas
36" x 12" x 3/4", $540

fencing on the edge

Another one referencing my trip along Piru Creek from Hardluck and completed yesterday.  Once in Hungry Valley, the land is dry and affected by human use.  The difference in vegetation in the areas fenced off, the open area, and the fenced in trail caught my eye at the time.  The peek of cliff that is otherwise hidden makes me oddly happy.

At the Edge of Hungry Valley
acrylic on stretched canvas
20" x 16" x 3/4", $400

sunset at the beach

One last bit of wet color in the form of a sunset at the beach during a low tide.  The dark rocks, the bright edges to the clouds... not sure I quite managed it.  The reference is taken from a December 2012 day.  The painting was completed on the 5th of this month.

Clouds of Sunset
watercolor on rough, 100% cotton paper
12" x 9", $68

twilight over Los Angeles

Some more darkened land in the twilight.  This one comes from Inspiration Point.  Every community seems to have at least one of these, and this is the one above Altadena.  The day, way back in January 2009, was pristine and the hike lovely, even when I found out the batteries had finished in everything that might give me light on the way down.  Okay, there was one annoyance, but it got replaced more cheaply than the batteries.  This painting was completed on the 4th of this month.

Los Angeles Twilight
watercolor on 100% cotton, rough paper
12" x 9"
$68

twilight at Whitaker Peak

Trying out my new watercolors with a wet technique on some rough paper.  First, a bit of twilight from Whitaker Peak while the sky is still red and the burned branches of the chaparral are still stark against the colorful backdrop and the little bit of hint of storm moving in is lit from the bottom.  I'll probably have more of the light show from that day in November 2012 later.  The painting was completed on the 3rd of this month.

Whitaker Peak Twilight
watercolor on rough, 100% cotton
12" x 9"
$68

alder

My 17th tree in the month of trees last November were a stand of alder.  This one has a crafty aspect to it in that I was playing with a bit of technique and came to mind because it is similar to some used on that cliff from a few days ago.  I like the way the trunks came out and I found that I rather like the rough paper.  It takes paint a little differently and for me, there's just a certain "rightness" to the way it does.

Alders Standing
watercolor on rough 100% cotton watercolor paper
14" x 20"
$175