Fun with Gouache

Posted on by Laura
18 Jul

{Agapanthus at Villa del Sol}

I’ve been having a lot of fun lately doing small paintings in gouache,
inspired by James Gurney’s recent posts and videos.

I can fit everything I need into a little bag and can complete a little sketch in whatever time I have, whether it’s 20 minutes or two hours.

My watercolor kit includes a travel set of transparent watercolors, tubes of gouache (lemon yellow, cad yellow, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, viridian, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and permanent white), a few paintbrushes, a homemade palette, watercolor pencils, a pen, and a moleskine watercolor sketchbook. (Just add water!)

{Summer Reading}

I can pull out my things and be set up in minutes. I’m loving the way the opaque color gives me flexibility in how I build the painting. In this small format I can experiment and play around with different subject matter and different combinations of media.

{Classic Hume Lake}

(right detail)

(left detail)

{Keeping Watch}

{Boats at Rest}

I highly recommend checking out James Gurney’s blog, Gurney Journey. He has all kinds of clever and inspirational ideas for those who want to take their painting and sketching outside and work from life. So much fun!

A Disruption of Distraction {Painting up the California Coast}

Posted on by Laura
17 Jun

I recently returned from a beautiful trip up the California coast to Cambria, a quaint town just off Highway 1. Beautiful rolling hills, dramatic cliffs, and wonderful light provided plenty of inspiration for painting. Here are a few of my sketches from the trip.

 {North side of Morro Rock}

8×10

oil on linen

{Evening Light at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, Cambria}

12×12

oil on linen

(Sold)

I’m still working (as I suppose I always will) to get better, to practice, practice, practice, and thinking about why I paint. There is something crucial about capturing the world truthfully, about communicating that arresting moment of seeing something that causes one

to stop,

to focus,

and to appreciate the beauty of the world.

Some scenes are more naturally picturesque than others, but it’s not about recording the postcard views. I’m trying to share my experience of the feeling of a place, to bring that home and into my life and hopefully others’ lives too.

Painting as a disruption of our distraction.

Beauty to counteract our busyness.

Grand Canyon Views

Posted on by Laura
18 May

 Over Spring Break, our family took a trip out to Arizona. We spent a few days exploring the beautiful landscapes of Northern California from the Grand Canyon and Slide Rock in Sedona to the Cliff Dwellings called Motezuma’s Castle.

 And I had the chance to set up my gear and paint a few of the glorious views.

{View from my easel.}

I could spend months painting the light and shadow on those red rocks–so beautiful.

{The finished painting.}

Summer’s almost here and I’m looking forward to more painting adventures up and down the coast. I’m so thankful to live so near to wide open spaces–the atmospheric light of the the West is so inspiring!

Spring in the Eastern Sierras {Painting with Frank Serrano}

Posted on by Laura
15 May

This spring I traveled to the Alabama Hills in the Eastern Sierras for a painting adventure with
master plein air painter Frank Serrano.

 

{The view of sunrise on Mt. Whitney from my hotel parking lot.}

Frank demonstrated painting the backlit mountains, horses, and hay bales,

focusing on seeing correct values–something I’m eager to learn!

{Frank finishing up his demo.}

Later he added a horse and figure in the studio.

Below is the finished piece which he will use as an idea for a larger painting. It was such a valuable experience to see his process moving from plein air sketch to studio.

 {Frank Serrano’s finished sketch.}

{My first painting of the weekend.}

{Late afternoon light on the Sierras}

 {View from my easel.}

The Alabama Hills are a beautiful, austere place and the weekend was filled with good company and great instruction. Thanks Frank!