Usually yuccas grow on hillsides here in SoCal. This was one I believe was deliberately planted on the hilltop of the botanical garden. They are amazing plants – beautiful and tall, but they die away each year, putting out new leaves and a new stalk. This time of year you can see them straight and bright on the green hills, all of which have low-lying vegetation. Rather like a candle . . .
More work this morning with thin washes and working wet-in-wet. Not as pleasing as yesterday’s work, but a good experience nonetheless. A limited palette, some work with glazes, and use of dry brush. Painted on Fluid paper, which was a new experience – rather different in handling than Arches, but similar to the Fabriano I used yesterday. DOF isn’t there – I think the water further in the distance should be lighter . . . something to think about.
I have been trying to paint daily – not happening! – in one of three media: watercolor, gouache, and pastels. Today I am just going to present a slide show of what I have done in watercolor this year. Like anything that is being measured, it goes up and down as far as “success”, and that is subjective. What I think is good may not be in another’s opinion, and vice versa. The thing is to keep doing it, sometimes spontaneously and other times with a bit, or a lot, of forethought.
I have no idea what this plant is, but the leaves are huge and pointy and grow like weeds. Nice weed, eh?
California is not all joyful sunshine and playing on the beaches. Fog is a large part of the coastal environment. It is known as “May grey” and “June gloom.” This morning I woke up to it . . . . inspiration for a foggy lake in the frozen (or not so frozen) north.
I’m still focused on water. Today I wanted fog and water and hoped to use very wet paint thinned to mostly water. I also wanted to work with wet-in-wet in the attempt to catch the softening of edges, increasingly more blurred and colorless, to denote distance. A dull, muted foreground with intense color to add to depth of field. I think it all worked out pretty good.
Fabirano 25% cotton paper, 9×12, neutral tint, sap green, Hooker’s green, phthalo green, Payne’s grey, quinacridone gold, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 