Another Baylands Experiment!

Today was really fun!  I tried some new techniques and was happy with what I learned.  Pretty abstract and perhaps a bit "fantasyland", but colorful and fun nonetheless.....................I'm enjoying the journey =)

The weather was just glorious, the pickleweed was bright and the mud was shining!!!  Reflections were just amazing.

Experimenting and Learning

 Some 9 x 12 pochades from the Palo Alto Baylands and the Mission San Juan Bautista using a new painting style.  I'm experimenting with different underpainting techniques, color schemes, brush and palette knife methods...............Fun!!

Winter on the Bay

San Francisco Bay, winter 2006, 12 x 24".  Sorry about the glare on the right side of the canvas - window light.  I tried to capture the characteristic bay water of that time of the year, with the swift but sure movement of the boat and the dense, crisp city behind.............

From the Faultline

Wow - lovely warm winter (??) day painting at one of California's beautiful missions!  This piece was done standing on the historic El Camino and only feet away from the San Andreas earthquake fault.

What I Learned................

Things I've learned during my first "walk" through the pastel box:

Gloves would be good.
Gloves only work if they are ON your hands, BOTH hands ;-)
Perhaps finger painting is overrated.
That look and polite laugh from the manicurist only goes so far.
A magic cloth is a good addition to the setup.
Family criticism can hurt (but not too much, heck it's my first time!)

I think I might even try this again!  The self-engineered pastel setup for my guerilla box is working out great.
 

A Start - for the Virtual Paintout - What FUN??!!

TOOOO much fun, if not talent!  This is an image taken from google maps street view as inspired by the Virtual Paintout website for plein aire painters willing to work from google maps images. 

September's site is Manhattan Island and I chose this fairly monochrome image for it's composition of darks and lights and as my son said "it's all about the white van!!!!"

I think it's just plain fun and this ultramarine underpainting was just a kick to do.  Forgive me if I'm a bit off in my drawing or value - sometimes... "good enough is perfect "  WINK!!  Stay tuned for where this one goes!

Picchetti Winery

Very pedestrian painting - awful, really - but a fun and beautiful day at the Picchetti Winery!  So - I experimented with some fun underpainting colors and techniques.  It was all about the colors today - and no, I didn't achieve anything terrific for which I strived. 

Family noted that the barn roof looked like "snow", ugh.  What color is tin in fall light, anyway???  So - later I added some warmth to settle it down.  Not worth showing you, really, trust  me.