This week I will be painting in the Sedona area. That is always a challenge, yes it is beautiful, but I usually end up very frustrated. That is some of the most gorgeous country, the reds, yellows are vibrant and so strong against the soft blue of the sky. But if you aren't careful the reds on the painting will be too strong, too much for the viewer to believe. I even brought home a small rock (that is a no-no and I will take it back) to study the colors. My dad was a geologist so I have always enjoyed colorful rocks. This scene is at the Red Rock State Park and I have painted it
many times. That cottonwood tree was a deep green with touches of yellow. Of course that then made my cadmium reds & yellow mixes look fake and garish. Fortunately no one sees the big grey puddles of past scrapped paintings on my pallette. Those puddles of grey are what soften my reds and create a much more realistic Sedona red. This little piece found a home in Pinetop and I hope it will bring lots of pleasure to its owners. I will do this scene again this week, but I with such cold temps., I will find that cottonwood bare and a wonderful soft grey/pink. Ugh, pink that up against the red rock, headache maker! When you find yourself in that kind of a spot, and you if know that your composition is correct, then hang in there, scrape and scrape again. No one sees your scrapped paint, all they will see is a fine little moment in time~ recalled on canvas and oil paint.
This week I will be painting in the Sedona area. That is always a challenge, yes it is beautiful, but I usually end up very frustrated. That is some of the most gorgeous country, the reds, yellows are vibrant and so strong against the soft blue of the sky. But if you aren't careful the reds on the painting will be too strong, too much for the viewer to believe. I even brought home a small rock (that is a no-no and I will take it back) to study the colors. My dad was a geologist so I have always enjoyed colorful rocks. This scene is at the Red Rock State Park and I have painted it many times. That cottonwood tree was a deep green with touches of yellow. Of course that then made my cadmium reds & yellow mixes look fake and garish. Fortunately no one sees the big grey puddles of past scrapped paintings on my pallette. Those puddles of grey are what soften my reds and create a much more realistic Sedona red. This little piece found a home in Pinetop and I hope it will bring lots of pleasure to its owners. I will do this scene again this week, but I with such cold temps., I will find that cottonwood bare and a wonderful soft grey/pink. Ugh, pink that up against the red rock, headache maker! When you find yourself in that kind of a spot, and you if know that your composition is correct, then hang in there, scrape and scrape again. No one sees your scrapped paint, all they will see is a fine little moment in time~ recalled on canvas and oil paint.
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