Thursday, October 27, 2011

LAGUNA SPLIT



I never tire of painting this particular rock formation off the Laguna Beach coast. These rocks are as luscious as a banana split to a painter. There is so much color, value, design, water patterns , reflections, and energy. Well you get the picture.  Fun day at the beach. I often teach classes at this particular spot. It is in Heisler Park, Laguna Beach. There is a roundabout perch directly above this scene.

From this perch is it easy to observe that rocks are all really boxes of one kind or another. They have hard, sharp edges; and should look like they would hurt you if you fell on them. Rock formations close to the shore, as are these;  were once a part of the mother cliff your standing on. Color and texture similar. I also try to remember that rocks have feet that attach them to the ocean bed. That dark water stained value should extend well below the water line, setting up some cool reflections. Shore rocks also seem to have lots of friends that left the mother cliff about the same time.  Patterns and clusters of rocks, well grounded on the ocean floor , read better than smooth single rocks gently bouncing on the waves....think potatoes floating on jello. Better, to have independent , rugged ,little gangs of rock just daring you to paint them. Laguna Split $185.00  SOLD
















Thursday, October 13, 2011

Fog Bound in Balboa




It was a beautiful sunny day in Laguna when I packed up my painting gear and headed to Balboa to paint boats cavorting on the sparkling bay. However when I arrived the sneaky fog fingers had taken over the harbor. This little sail boat, and many others,were dozing on the shore ,waiting for the fog to clear so they could get back to good sailing. I waited with them; but it was not to be. I could see the sun straining to emerge from the back of the bay; but the fog won. This is  typical weather at this time of the year; so I would have to say that this 8x10 boat study was painted in her natural setting for October in Balboa Bay .

$185.00