Sitting on Ke'e beach, trail closed due to impending hurricane, sudden rain storm, the surfer town of Hanalei, a view of the Hanalei Valley, the Kilauea Lighthouse, and Hanapepe by night. And finally the flight home and a quick sketch of a beautiful sunset from the air.
The past page is what I put on the inside front cover of all my sketchbooks: the color palette I am currently using.
This next series continues my Kauai adventure starting with dinner at an outdoor restaurant, next to a waterfall and surrounded by Tiki torches. Following that are a few quick scenes zip lining across a tree-covered valley. The set concludes with more random scenes, sketched quickly as time allowed: waiting for horses, waiting for Hawaiian pizza at Tahiti Nui, and relaxing on the beach watching the boats and the sunset.
Here is a series of sketches from a trip I made to Kauai last year. All of the sketches were done in a Stillman and Birn sketchbook with a Sanford Uniball Micro pen and Holbein watercolors. As is my usual method for sketchbook work, I spend the time on location developing the value and composition studies, and preparing the sketch. I complete the work later in the studio, or in this case, the next morning working outside on the balcony with my Winsor & Newton Field Sketch Box and my travel brushes.
With regard to the subjects: I like to start a trip with sketches of action at the airport, a view on the inside of the plane, and scenes outside the window as we approach our destination.
After that are misc. scenes grabbed as I could when time would allow. The sketchbook travels with me everywhere, from zip-lining to horseback riding. It is a good way to remember our adventures.
I was able to spend most of last weekend in the studio. I finished a commission of a craftsmen house in pasadena, worked on a city scape of downtown San Diego, and tuned up a few demonstration paintings I had lying around: a church in Whittier, the Colorado Street Bridge, and the Pasadena Playhouse. I have done these subjects before, but always find some new enjoyment in trying them again.
When the weather permits, I work out on the patio, which is a great way to paint. All of these works are 14" x 20", and done on 140# bright white, Fabriano cold press paper.
Here is a series of images from a watercolor workshop I taught at the San Fernando Valley Arts and Cultural Center in Tarzana. It was a two-day workshop, demonstrating the use of the sketchbook, making value and composition studies to develop the design, and how to paint the final version, using pencil, pen and watercolor to make a loose and expressive scene. I used a Holbein sketchbook for all of my studies, and Fabriano 140# cold press watercolor paper for all of the finished work.
The first painting is of two cabins in Crystal Cove, the next scene is of a white cottage near the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena, the third painting is of the Vista del Arroyo in Pasadena, and finally, a quick sketch of the Pasadena Playhouse. All of the final paintings are 14" x 20".
