Recent Sketches

I have been doing some sketches lately. The sketches are of cranberry fields near Longbeach, Washington. These sketches were done from photos on my iPhone.

We spent a few days camping at Fort Stevens on the coast. Cool and overcast most of the time. I took my easel to Coffinbury Lake and did this little sketch.

We spent a few nights at little Cooper Spur Resort. I walked up to the ski resort and did this little painting of the ski runs. It was very quiet, almost spooky. No one else was around.

I am presenting these pieces as challenge to myself. A painting a day.

Watercolor sketches

I painted this from a photo, concentrating on large color patches and value. I tried to keep it loose with a limited palette. It ended up being really fun.

Limited palette

These watercolor sketches were from photos. I wanted to limit the palette and concentrate on value. The two groupings began with a palette consisting of Alizarin Crimson, Payne's Grey, Cadmium Yellow and the second group consisted of Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow and Cobalt Blue. I could not help but to use a few other colors as well. The lesson and success of focusing on the limited palette is creating the greens and depth of the forest without focusing on the local color.

Powell Butte

I attended the Johnson Creek paint out at Powell Butte. The sky was hazy from the Dollar Lake fire. The hills in the back were barely visible. I painted from the top of the butte in the shade of the orchard. Hot, sunny day with deep shadows and golden fields.

Watercolor / Pastel

I am having too much fun. I picked a couple of photos and started the paintings, jumping from watercolor to pastel. Since both studies require thought as to order and application of color and value, and are opposite in process, it was both challenging  and exciting. The photos are a little washed out, but reflect the spontaneity and the intensity of color.