Tag: Monterey Cypress

Through the Trees

Another view of Lands End in the SF area – this time through the trunks of the cypress trees along the ridge line.

This was a day’s project using liquid acrylic paints on Strathmore 300 watercolor paper. Neither photographs or scans really did this painting justice as far as the colors go. That sometimes happens when there is purple in a painting it seems. I like the composition but not sure about the final colors. In real life it looks better. And, it may be, too, the acrylics just never quite sit well with me. Both acrylics and gouache tend to be a bit too bright for me. Maybe I’ll try it in oils.

Acrylic on Strathmore 300 watercolor paper; about 11×14.

California Coastal Cypress

Stuck at home for the most part because of my ankle, I need to find things to do. It turns out that my ankle, while a mess of historical injuries, has no tears in the soft tissues. That is good. However, my heel bone has “microfractures” from the hard landing dodging the car last month. This is a bone bruise, and it is painful! I finally got into see the orthopedist, got a walking boot, and return in a month. The boot makes a big difference though it does take some getting used to wearing and using. I have to be careful not to pitch forward or backward. And you can hear me coming a mile away – squish, squeak, squish, squeak.

Of course, painting is the first choice! I am still tired intermittently from Covid, but I don’t have brain fog (at least I don’t think so), and look for things to enjoy but not be a source of frustration. Thus, ink and watercolor.

The Monterey Cypress is a tree that is common along the northern central coast of California. It is shaped by the environment as it moves with the wind and seems to grow away from the prevailing winds. To me, this quality is what makes it so beautiful and eye-catching. The coast is also subject to foggy days, damp and dreary, even in the height of summer.

Carbon ink, watercolor, Koi pan paints, about 8×10.