More Utah Rocks

Utah Rocks
10" x 14" watercolor
Arches 100% cold press paper

 And another study of Utah rocks. Gosh, that state is pretty. 

This Land is Your Land

Utah
Watercolor
7.5" x 15" 
in 
Handbook Journal, watercolor paper

One thing about a drive halfway across the country to Iowa from California and back again is that you see striking landscapes at every turn--or even along the straight line of I-80. Utah gets me every time. As does crossing from Nebraska into my home state, Iowa. You can't help but hum that Woody Guthrie tune. I mean, such beauty! 

Utah Rocks

 

Utah Rocks
9" x 12" watercolor
Stonehenge Aqua Hot Press, 100% cotton 

Every time I pass through Utah, my admiration of the landscape increases. What a beautiful state. 

Party on the Balcony

 

Party on the Balcony
8" x 8" watercolor
on Arches 100% cotton hot press paper

The pots with bright reds and lime greens. The blue-greens of live oaks trees in the distance. I never tire of looking at this scene on our balcony. I've tried four times to capture the deeply peaceful feeling. So far, this is the best I can do.   

Spring Flowers

 

Tulips at Reimans 
8" x 10" watercolor
Arches 100% cotton cold press paper

I painted this from a reference photo I took at Reiman Gardens while visiting Ames, Iowa last week. Shari Blaukopf's new online course, "Sketching Spring Flowers," gave me inspiration and help with new techniques. I highly recommend her courses.  

I so love her loose style, and as you can see, mine is too controlled. Funny thing is, I tried a second version and...guess what? Even less spontaneous. But the second one makes me like the first more. Funny how that works.  

Tulips at Reimans2
8" x 10" watercolor
Arches 100% cotton cold press paper 

Reiterate

 

Spring at Robert Crown Memorial State Beach2
9" x 12" watercolor
Stonehenge Aqua Hotpress

Some artists don't like to repeat their compositions, but I learn a lot by doing so.  

This top composition isn't working quite as well as I would like. However, an earlier one was even less satisfying. (See below.) But I learned from the first one. Everything was too dark, including the sky. And I wasn't capturing the freshness of spring in northern California. This time of year the grasses are so green, and the bluish-purple California lilacs, AKA Ceanothus are so beautiful.

So I tried again and came up with the above. I lightened it up and used hot press, rather than cold press paper. It's much better, though not quite there yet. I'll try again sometime. 

Spring at Robert Crown Memorial Beach1
8" x 10" watercolor
Arches 100% cotton cold press

  

Probably Not

 

Spring is Here
8" x 10" watercolor
100% cotton Arches cold press paper

Tape a painting to the wall for two weeks and usually you'll be able to tell whether it holds up or you were just briefly infatuated with your creation.  

I do like the way the whites of the two main flowers stand out from the darker background, but I labored over the details on the flowers, and it shows. Also, I'm not sure my color choices work very well (French ultramarine, Prussian blue, hansa yellow medium, burnt sienna, quin magenta, and a touch of opera pink). There's not enough warmth in the background, probably because of the way the Prussian blue dominates. 

I do have ideas for how to do a second version of this. Stay tuned.