Point Lobos Rocks

Point Lobos Rocks, 6 x 8 in.
sold

I'm continuing to explore the ocean/rocks theme through photos I took at Point Lobos, and through the studies and color notes I made while there. The coast in that area offers an endless number of compositions--every time you turn there is a unique rock configuration and a new look to the light or water or both. I can see why so many artists spend years painting the area!

-julie davis

Point Lobos Cypress

Point Lobos Cypress, 6 x 8 in.
sold

While in California painting at Point Lobos, I saw, but never got a chance to paint, this scene, though it was at my back or just around a cove just about the entire time. I snapped several photos, and with the ability to use my studies on site for color references, painted this study this week. I've actually done a larger version already, and have had a good bit of fun with it!

-julie davis

Point Lobos Study 5

Point Lobos Study 5, 8 x 6 in.

sold

This was my final study during Kevin MacPherson's workshop at Weekend with the Masters. On the first two studies, he had us using very limited and differing palettes to teach relationships. For the last, we were able to use our usual palette. Mine is limited to a warm and a cool of each primary, plus white, so that is what I used here. I had quite a bit of fun with this fast piece, and particularly enjoyed the blues I was able to play with.

-julie davis

Point Lobos, CA

Point Lobos Study 1, 6 x 8 in.
nfs

Point Lobos Study 2, 9 x 12 in.
nfs

Last week I was able to travel to California to attend the Weekend with the Masters conference and workshop in Monterey. I spent four days soaking in everything I could in a fantastic learning environment, and painting in some very beautiful (but cold!) spots.

These are the first two studies I did--both in Kevin MacPherson's class, and both at Point Lobos. Kevin's emphasis in this class was on simplifying the outdoors--a lesson that continuously bears repeating. Doing a thumbnail sketch, or several, and keeping those simple, can help focus your composition. As Kevin pointed out, there are many things vying for our attention when we paint outdoors. Finding your darkest darks and your sunlight and shadow sides, keeping your lines connected (versus creating various separate shapes), and finding the rhythms that go through your composition help to keep a focused composition.

It was quite foggy, cold, and windy the first two days we were outside--think eight layers--so we got plenty of "gray days" studying in!

-julie davis

Ocean Overlook

Ocean Overlook, 6 x 8

donation, Trinity Valley School, Ft. Worth, TX

In Frank Serrano's workshop at Weekend with the Masters, we painted on an overlook above Doheny State Beach, where a surfing competition was taking place. First lesson, simplify what you see.....therefore you see no surfers here. :) Frank Serrano is a fine painter and a relaxed teacher, and made the most of our day, keeping those of us who could stay later than required for an extra demo.

Judging the mass of color for the distant hills was much of our lesson in the morning. His demo was of this scene as well. He stressed constantly comparing colors and values--squinting to see the average color of each mass, opening your eyes to compare values. Getting the proper relationships between the three rows of hills wasn't as easy as it he made it look, but I think I got close.

-julie davis