Another study of an Oregon coastline. Morning fog with a bit of sun breaking through.
I must admit, I am really pleased with how this painting turned out. It seems that returning to the scene (of the crime?) is helpful, as well as working in different media. I did this same scene in watercolor a bit ago, and I plan to do it in pastels as well.
Done on Arches 7×10 inch hot press 140# watercolor paper. Hot pressed paper seems to be the best choice for gouache. Time to order some more!
The local botanical garden is open at last! It has been closed since Ventura County closed trails, stores, and such, as well as issued a shelter-in-place order to keep the spread of the coronavirus at a minimum. Some places are beginning to open up, though the shelter-in-place order is on until the end of May.
It was such a treat – a real slice of heaven – to be able to walk around the garden again. Many of the spring flowers have gone, like the poppies, but many of the flowering trees are in bloom. The palo verde tree at the top of the hill has leafed out in all its delicate bright yellow-green glory. It is so graceful and lovely in spring that it could not be overlooked – here it is for today’s painting.
You would think that a pair of cherries would be easy . . . uncomplicated . . . a breeze!
Not!
But now that I have begun to focus on simplifying everything, and moving into detail, it actually got easier. So, rather pleased with the final result. I took my time and find the results worthwhile.
This is a pretty small painting – but most gouache paintings are as the medium almost seems to demand it. After the disastrous flowers of the other day, the feeling of overworking my paints, I decided to simplify. Yesterday’s beach scene is a good example of simplification. And today is a bit more complex of a painting, but it is still simplified.
To simplify things, I looked at the big areas. This meant the sand in the foreground, the sky, and the masses which make up the middle ground, both light and dark. Those were laid in first. From there, more details in a middle stage, and final details – the small stuff – were done. This also matched the brushes I used – big to medium to small. “The Three Bears” and the Goldilocks effect.
I also was a lot calmer when I did this painting, and I was in the studio, not in 85F weather with a steady breeze to dry out my paints and raise my temper! Lesson learned there.
Spring is moving toward summer, and the beaches are heaven in 90F plus weather. Of course, social distancing is necessary. The seagulls may behaving, but I can’t tell about the people.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 