A Patch of Sand

'Dog Patch' 8" x 10" Oil on Board.

This work is named for the surf break called Dog Patch at San Onofre State Beach in southern California. This is the part of the beach where dog owners walk their dogs. It is the surf break for surfers using stand-up paddle boards plus sit down wave skis (which my husband named butt boards).

Sketchy Work

Sometimes I get focused on one medium and forget to work in the other areas that I also enjoy. In an effort not to do this, I have written little notes telling myself to work on all kinds of projects concurrently. 

One such project is to work in one of my sketchbooks in watercolour. To help me along I am also taking a short creative course with summer as its inspiration.

This particular sketchbook started life as a novel. I bought the book for $1 at a local library and use it for drawings, collage projects, and watercolour sketches such as this. To provide an interesting and plain base for painting, I covered the pages first in gesso (although white acrylic paint would also work). The gesso doesn't allow the watercolour to absorb into the paper so the finished effect is different.

The Low Down

Here is my latest painting. I have just realised that I don't have a title for it yet. It is of the jetty on the ocean side of Dana Point Harbour. It is at low tide which is why you can see a portion of the beach on the left-hand side. 

Gullible

After constantly telling myself that I would get working on my seagull drawing this day or that, today I finally did. I worked mostly on the bird although it is not finished yet. 

However, I feel I have overcome whatever it was that was blocking me from working on this drawing. Instead of feeling frustrated and dwelling on the challenges, I tried to just enjoy the experience. It worked.

Prior posts about this drawing can be seen here, here, here, and here.

Abstract Inspiration

A couple of years ago I was given a Canson Montval art board when I attended a workshop. It won't accept oil paints so I decided to do a painting with my acrylics.

Probably because it was free, I decided to try something a little different and more abstract than usual. I also worked to be less slavish to my source photograph using it more for inspiration.

I am very happy with the result.

'Darkening Horizon' 8"x10" acrylic on board.

Flowering Outcomes

It is good to be painting a little more regularly now.

'Solitude Awaits Below' 8"x10" Oil on Board.

'Gerbera Trio' 5"x5" Acrylic on Canvas.

Charting a Course

The next step in the drawing exercise, I started last time, is to make a chart or plan of the colours I want to use.

I get all my different pencil sets out and try the colours that seem to most closely match those in my subject photograph.

I forgot about the tiny bit of yellow I'll need for the bird's legs. I don't quite have the right colour for the palest blue in the water but I can layer the blue with some white to lighten it up.

Cast of Colours

This is painted from a photograph I took in Hawaii two years ago. I lived in Hawaii many years ago and I love to travel there, when I can, to visit friends and enjoy the scenery. It was quite overcast during our trip last time which changes the depth of the colours without changing its beauty.

'Kona Clouds' 8" x 10" Oil on Canvas.

Setting to Work

Finally getting to do some painting again after my car accident last year. I can't paint for very long but just to be able to some is something to be grateful for.

Day by Day

Finally I am posting about the calendar one of my photographs is included in.

The City of Dana Point produces a calendar every year with either historical or recent scenes from around the city - specifically the harbour and coastline.

I took my photograph of a great egret while on a walk beneath a cliff at a location called the Point.

Treasured Scene

'Treasure Island' 5" x 7" Oil on Canvas.

This is the southern most beach in Laguna Beach and is named for the 1934 film 'Treasure Island' which was filmed here. 

Egret Success

A photograph I took of a Great Egret in Dana Point, has been chosen to be included in the 2014 City of Dana Point calendar.
I'm very excited because many of the other people chosen are professional photographers with fancy cameras. This means that you can do good things even if you don't have expensive equipment or extensive training or experience.

Covert Action

'Sunny Cove' 6" x 8" Oil on Canvas. This is taken from a photograph by one of my cousins of a beach in Cornwall, England. Cornwall has beautiful, rugged coastline as well as some quaint harbours and towns. I always visit Cornwall when I visit England as I have friends and family there.

I wanted to keep the painting's complexity to a minimum to stress the simple forms of the cliffs and a sense of depth.

Feeling Blue

This was painted from a photograph of a sunset at Doheny Beach in Dana Point.

'Blue Heaven' 5"x7" Oil on canvas.

On a Knife Edge

I haven't painted with a palette knife for a while so it seemed a good time to take a workshop to brush up my skills and pick up some new ideas.

The painting above was done in the workshop from a photograph supplied by the teacher. It is from Point Lobos in northern California taken when she was there on a trip in May.

I had visited the same area in June, so, back home in my studio, I looked through my own photographs of the area and choose this scene to paint. 

'Rocky Cove' 8"x10" Oil on Canvas.

New Painting

My latest painting 'Sweet Spot at Main Beach' 5"x7" Oil on Canvas.

I've spent many occasions doing exactly what the subjects of my painting are doing, sitting in the sun on a bench watching the ocean and what is going on at Main Beach in Laguna Beach.