Daily Painting

This was with the SCVWS plein air group. This was a huge bustling place, with so much to see, and so much to be inspired by! Too many choices.... I love wheelies. This tractor was a bright orange color, and parked by a drab building. I changed the color of the building to set off the orange of the tractor. I drew the front of the tractor, then the building, then the back of the tractor. Oops! It’s a limousine tractor. The middle is elongated so has extra “machinery” to fill up the space. That's why they say to not lift the pen off the paper. Despite the claim above that there was a lot to be inspired by, I walked around, hunting for material for my second painting. Finally, this struck me - these stalks and shadows. So lovely. The crate boxes anchor the painting, but I think the foliage at the top [in the photo] would have too. I only painted stalks.   

This is a little fresh produce market near our house, vibrant with colors and fruit and vegetables spilling over. It begged to be painted! I planted myself on the median on a busy avenue, and painted this to the sound of traffic on either side of me.

I joined the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society paint-out group last Thursday to paint at the stunning Hayes Mansion in San Jose. Being drawn to the palm tree-framed view of the polygonal shape of sunlight hitting the building, I knew I needed to focus on JUST that [after the Bay Bridge/crane experience]. Here is that painting. Then I wanted to be looser, so focused on broader brush techniques and a quick impression. Finally, I wanted to be very loose so kept the building to a minimum and focused on just the foliage.

I love colors that work well together. I like to pre-choose any combination of colors that I think will go well, and apply them to a composition. It amazes me to think that scene could be made up of other colors entirely! I am learning to do this slowly. I am only just beginning to realize I can.

I love funky vehicles. While I am driving, I stare at concrete mixer trucks, the light falling on a simple sedan [the F of light, as I explained to my son], cranes, and how the lace of their trusses in the sky seems so delicate and elegant. There is so much to see, and so much more when I focus on how the light hits all the surfaces, where the shadows are, and where the whites are. And it changes so quickly depending on viewing angle, and as the sun movies across the sky. Constant drama provided by nature.

This is from a photograph of Udaipur. It was done a bit quickly. I need to slow down... and I find myself choosing blues and purples for all water scenes :-(

Value is more important than color. I am finally beginning to understand. This is my first watercolor portrait -- of Kabir as a baby at less than a year old. I am encouraged by this [even though the nose is a bit high!], and will continue my hand at portraits.