California Landscape: En Plein Air

This is a 9"x 12" plein air California landscape in oil on a mahogany luan panel that I finished yesterday. The location is McClellan Park Ranch in Cupertino, California. I used a varnish wash as the first layer and the following palette: ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, pthalo green, carbozole violet, transparent red oxide, cadmium orange, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium green light, and titanium white. There are passages of transparency alternating with opacity.

"The Willows" California plein air landscape

This 9" x 12" plein air landscape was painted two days ago at McClellan Ranch in Cupertino. The golden and russet fields, so typical of California landscapes, was so beautifully lit by the mid morning sun and such a pleasure to paint! Colors in the palette were: transparent red oxide, cadmium orange, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, Naples' yellow, cadmium green, pthalo green, cobalt blue, carbazole violet, quinacridone violet, and titanium white. A varnish wash was employed in the first layer.

"Wind And Sea At Shell Beach"

On my painting trip to Gualala/Sea Ranch two weeks ago, I started this painting but ran out of time to finish it while there. This is called a 'start'. I finally got to it in the last two days and finished it!

I used the same palette as in the painting: "Wind And Sea (Gualala)". This palette is: pthalo green, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, carbazole violet, transparent red oxide, fire red, cadmium orange, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium yellow, cadmium green, yellow ochre, and titanium white. A transparent varnish wash was used in the first layer, using local color.

"McClellan Ranch Reverie"

It was another incredible day painting with the Northern California Academy of Painters! We met in Cupertino at McClellan Ranch Park and painted for hours! I was there from 9:30am to 2:30pm! This is the first of two paintings that are variations on the same theme. The drama of the foreground tree with the background trees lent itself to a vertical format.

I sketched quick thumbnails to explore the division of space as well as to study the values. I used Payne's gray/carbazole violet mixture to locate the trees, path, foreground, background and sky. I massed in the shapes with varnish washes, using local color. Lastly, I applied thicker paint to finish up the painting. The color palette used was: Payne's gray, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, carbazole violet, transparent red oxide, fire red, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium medium, cadmium green, and titanium white.

"Golden Path" California Plein Air Landscape

Today I painted with the California Academy of Painters at McClellan Park in Cupertino. This scene with the golden path and golden field captured my eye. A varnish wash was used in the first layer, then thicker layers of opaque paint were applied. The color palette was: phthalo green, carbazole violet, transparent red oxide, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium yellow medium, Naples yellow, and titanium white. It was a beautiful, clear sunny day and very hot!

California Plein Air Landscape: Ten of Forty

I painted another landscape today; this was a variation on the theme of yesterday's painting: "Warm Reflections". This is a 9"x12" oil painting on mahogany luan panel. I used a varnish underpainting, then the following palette: carbazole violet, ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, cobalt blue, transparent red oxide, cadmium orange, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium yellow medium, and titanium white.

California Plein Air Landscape: Nine of Forty

I painted this 9"x12" oil painting over the course of three hours this morning. I started with a varnish wash underpainting, then continued with thicker layers, alternating with the transparent underpainting. I was particularly interested in warm versus cool colors, transparency versus opacity, and lost and found edges. I was drawn to the tree and it's reflection in the water.

Alla prima plein air California landscape

I just finished this little (6"x8") plein air landscape this morning. It was painted alla prima (in one sitting/all at once). Colors employed in this painting are: ultramarine blue, carbazole violet, transparent red oxide, cadmium orange, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium green, and titanium white.

Plein Air California Landscape

I painted this landscape today on a 9"x12" mahogany luan panel; it's called : "Reflecting Pool Revisited". I was particularly fascinated by the tree's reflection in the water and the edges between the tree's reflection and the water.

I started with a varnish wash, then proceeded to apply thicker paint, alternating transparency and opacity.

The colors used were: Prussian blue, carbazole violet, ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, cadmium green, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium orange, transparent red oxide, cadmium yellow medium, cadmium yellow light, and titanium white.