Painting Studies Of The Same Subject

I am still analyzing and painting.an ocean scene that I like. This time, I painted it larger. I like the rocks much better and I pushed color into the foreground. I will compile what I learned from all the studies and see what happens with the next piece.

8X10" Ocean Study On Board

Whaleshead Watercolor

 I need to practice my watercolor so I pulled out my supplies and went to work. Here is a mid-value painting of Whaleshead. I used  a limited palette with a large brush.  The whites were scratched into the paper with a sharp blade.

"Whaleshead Waits"  9x12 Watercolor on 90 lb paper

Big Forms, Fewer Strokes, Better Values

My goal today was to practice painting large shape with their correct values. I also wanted to limit my brushstrokes and ensure the forms were successfully described using directional brush work.  The pieces were both painted with limited palettes and I used different palettes for each study.
They are both painted from the same photo except I edited them differently.
I am not sure which one I prefer. I like the rocks in the first painting but the second painting has strong brush strokes. Good exercise.

Painted with phalo blue, lemon yellow, cad. yellow, perm. rose, burnt umber and white.

Painted with ultramarine blue, cad yellow, trans. red oxide, magenta, burnt umber and white. 

Color Stages And A Palette Knife

Stage 1 With Pure Color

Stage 2 and progressing to 3

Stage 4 needs refinement.  The bottle has a drawing issue so I will fix it in the morning. 

Fair Oaks' Bicycle Bridge Over The American River

"Bridge Over American River" 8"x10" Oil On Board With Brush

I enjoyed painting this piece on site at the American River in Fair Oaks, CA. First, I blocked in the large shapes and values. Next, I painted the background trees and then painted the bridge on top of the trees. 

Moving In A Different Direction

After studying various methods, I am trying to decide where I should go with my art. I am not sure about this style but I am having fun.

First painting early morning 8:30. I stopped when the light changed too much at 10:00. 

Unfinished second attempt  with two interruptions. One was a cat who wanted to sit on my lap and another was a wonderful conversation about children.  I stopped painting at 11:45. 

Too Hot To Paint Outdoors

It was too hot to finish this painting - 102 in the shade is my limit.

Unfinished

Paint, Paint, and More Paint

I have painted the last two weeks while trying to process new techniques. Very frustrating but fun.

Tanned and Tired

I painted outdoors every day last week - Monday through Sunday. I am tanned and tired. Here is one paintings I will complete today in the studio from a weekend workshop.  I will adjust the color and finish describing the moss on the surface.