Had a rare opportunity to really put some time into a plein aire painting today. I spent most of the day working on this, from a very careful base sketch to laying in all the paint. The house really is shaped like a paralellogram! It’s old, it’s built right on the beach and it has obviously settled over the decades. To be honest, I’d love to live in it. That third floor has a window looking over the sea – guess which room would be my studio?
Sketches
Sketchbook entries. All media, largely watercolor.
Sunset Evening
Ah, the tankers at sunset. Spent a lovely hour or two sketching while the sun went down. We were there late enough for the tankers’ lights to come on, so I dabbed those in with a bit of Bleedproof White. Otherwise, that’s cobalt, PO62, and a dash of PO73.
Tankers were not the only thing in view this evening – in addition to the usual birds and porpoises, I made friends with a beetle.
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Behold the Sunbird
Had a color fit this week, painted across the spread in my sketchbook. The black lines are freehand drawn with a permanent brush pen, with watercolor and a few touches of white gouache.
On Winsor and Newton 90lb hot press, about 8″ x 10″. Paints used? Oh, goodness.
Spider Sketch
Wanna see a BIG spider? Take a look after the jump!
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A Banner Day – Osprey En Plein Aire
This was an unforgettable trip to the park – I was painting a fairly nondescript landscape of the pond when a man passed by, and asked if I had seen the osprey. I hadn’t, and of course asked him where it was. He pointed – maybe 20 feet away and practically over my head! All that time there was a fabulous bird of prey right out in the open, and I missed him completely!
A Quick Killdeer
Just found out it’s #DrawABirdDay on Twitter. Since “today” didn’t have much time left, I decided to Draw A Bird with my brush – no base sketch! About 20 minutes in my sketch book, from a Wikipedia ref.
I’ve always loved Killdeer, they have enchanted my summer nights since I was little. Didn’t find out for sure what birds they are until last month! They fly and call in the dark and you can’t see them. They never sound the same on the wetlands during the daytime.
6″ x 9″ on Fabriano Cold Press 140lbs. Bird: Raw Umber, Sicklerite, Jane’s Gray, and PO71 for the eye ring. For the background, a little Raw Sienna and premixed Hooker’s Green (PB27 and PY150).
Originally posted on WetCanvas.com.
Beads and Wire
I’m designing a small case, like a mini messenger bag, for my sketch kit. It needs something cool to close it though. Thought about that for a while and came up with a solution based on a little thing that’s been sitting around on my bead board.
Once I had the idea, I painted it out at lunch today just for fun. The original bead design is on the sketchbook page, but it was at home – I did the sketch from memory.
About 6 x 6 on Fabriano CP 140lb.
Originally posted on WetCanvas.com
Seashells
Spent several hours this morning at the beach. Some kids were playing jump rope with a piece of giant kelp that washed up, meanwhile I was doing this.
Port of Los Angeles and Palos Verdes
We had a little cool weather this week, and it blew out all the September smog. The Port is back, and so is Palos Verdes!
Not trying to be cheesy with the porpoises, there was a large pod swimming back and forth all morning. One stand-up paddleboarder was surrounded for a while, he must have been pretty stoked.
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Childhood Friend
This is the last page in my sketchbook, finished today. I painted an imaginary door on the first page and I kind of like to end a sketchbook with a reprise. This time, I painted the front porch of the house I grew up in. Not sure it’s my best work ever, especially the cast shadows from the rosebush. Still, good times, good memories of a place that only exists in my mind now. (The building still stands, but it’s been remodeled, new owners and it’s just not home anymore.)