Living in California, not as close to the coast as I would like, I've wanted to paint the Pacific Ocean for a while. The challenge of painting a new, moving subject from life has proved to be too much. So I have been painting in my studio from photographs and memory..
The hardest thing for me in painting from photographs is to avoid rendering and to try to remember what the colors actually looked like, since the camera distorts them in ways I wouldn't.
The subject that works for me is to use wintertime scenes when there is so much foam in the water that the light value creates a contrast with the darker colors of the land.
They are posted in the order they were painted. ( And look a little dark on my computer)
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7 comments:
Thanks for the thoughts behind these scenes! Yes, painting plein air at the ocean is a crazy effort....and painting from photos is just as crazy- it kills the colors that our eyes really behold. Your memory has filled in beautifully (and yeah, I think the colors of the water in winter can be pretty spectacular at times! (ok, I need a trip down to the beach in a big way) This is just beautiful!
Beautifully done.
Roxanne, thank you for visiting my blog. Yes, photos distort both color and value. I particularly had to remember the reflected color I love in the shadows and crevasses of the rocks.
Helen ,glad you like it!
I love your arches painting. I really love the way you work your style from land to water. I am so impressed with how you discuss painting in your studio my memory and photos. Truly beautiful!
these are great paintings, especially the "Point Lobos Arche", the way you painted the rocks with a hole in it...great job Robin...Daniel
Wow - I've been to Point Lobos and I've got photos of that arch and I love how you've interpreted it. Not sure I'd have seen quite so many colours but then I saw it in summer!
Gorgeous paintings of an absolutely unbelievably beautiful spot. I don't think I'll ever tire of painting scenes from here!!
Love your work, Robin!!
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