My Watercolour Paintings 2022

My Shoreline Park Watercolor(10/8/22)

My attempt at my local Shoreline Park in Palo Alto, CA on a 9 x12. I feel this would benefit from a larger canvas as the edges of smaller details, such as the boats, can look a bit hazy, especially when you are still learning (as in making mistakes and redoing). Still need to keep practicing reflections to make them more crisp. Other than that, I do like the overall painting, especially the background to midground. I used the Geoff Kersey's"Plockton" tutorial for the basis of this painting in terms of colors and techniques (https://watercolourlandscapes.co.uk). Below is the reference photo I found on the internet because my own photos did not have the angle and reflections that this photo did. 

My Natural Bridges State Park Beach Watercolor(9/6/22)

Finally attempted a somewhat successful painting of Natural Bridges State Park beach in Santa Cruz, CA from a picture I took when there last summer. I used techniques/colors for waves on sand from Geoff Kersey's book Mediterranean Landscapes where he illustrates a version of waves on beach with his lesson called "Beach View". I also referred to Geoff Kersey's video tutorials "Cornish Coast" and "Llyn Peninsula" to help me with rock formations, hills, and sand (https://watercolourlandscapes.co.uk). It was tough trying to figure out how to apply/adjust techniques, but I did come to a passable product so decided to post! Below is the reference photo. 

My Santa Clara University Watercolor

On March 24, 2022, I visited the Santa Clara University, in the city of Santa Clara, CA, with a local watercolor society. I did a tiny sketch and paint onsite on my 3x5 inch travel watercolor book in order to have a base drawing ready and a plan for the colors so that I could begin my formal painting the next day. On that next day, I painted this sketch on a 9 x 12 Arches 300lb watercolor paper block. I used color and technique ideas from the Geoff Kersey tutorials "Alderburg, Suffolk" for the red bushes, the "Bluebell Woods" for the colors of the wisteria (https://watercolourlandscapes.co.uk). I also tried to apply the techniques from Geoff Kersey tutorial "Bike and Bougainville" on the now defunct Art Tutor website for the wisteria foliage/flowers.

As per my other original paintings, this one took about 8 hours, and by the time those 8 hours were finished, I didn't have the energy to work on shadows, such as would be on the pillars of the structure supporting the wisteria (which would have helped define them better) as well as the path in the right-front corner. I feel I could have blended the wisteria and foliage more, and then put in highlights with mixes of opaque white, but after painting for 8 hours, as I felt tired, I left the wisteria less blended, though I do find that what I have done, has its own special effect. I also realize that the proportions of the mission were smaller in my sketch than in the photo, which points to the fact that the sketch was plein-aire, and not as accurate as a sketch I would make from a reference photo. In the future, I could measure proportions better when sketching in Plein Aire. Below is the reference photo. 

My Alviso Marina County Park Watercolor

On March 17, 2022, I visited the Alviso Marina County Park in Santa Clara, CA with a local watercolor society. I mostly hiked and took pictures of the area, trying to decide what scene I would want to try painting. The next day, I painted this sketch on a 9 x 12 Arches 300lb watercolor paper block. I used colour and technique ideas from the Geoff Kersey tutorial "Holme Next to the Sea" (https://watercolourlandscapes.co.uk).

I liked learning how to paint the grassy/marshy area in the foreground. I need to learn how to make that part blend in better with the rest of the marsh. I also enjoyed learning how to make a plank-walkway that one views straight-on vs. from the side. Finally, I enjoyed learning how to make indistinct far-off details like the blue-purple bushes and nondescript features in the far background, though I realize now, I should have done more of that and extend it further into the mid-ground. Below is the reference photo.

My Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve Watercolor

On March 10, 2022, I visited the Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve (the overlook near Arrowhead Trail) in Morgan Hill, CA with a local watercolor society. I did do a tiny sketch and paint on my 3x5 inch travel watercolor book onsite, trying to encourage myself to move more towards Plein Aire or on-site painting. It was ultra-windy that day and hard to control the paint. The next day, I painted this sketch on a 9 x 12 Arches 300lb watercolor paper block, as I do for the majority of my paintings. This paper really holds the water and doesn't warp very much when exposed to overly wet wet-on-wet techniques. As per usual, I used a range of Winsor & Newtwon Cotman/Student and Professional grade watercolor tube paints. I referred to the "Baslow Edge" step-by-step tutorial in renown landmark watercolorist Geoff Kersey's book "Painting Perspective Depth & Distance in Watercolor" for the colors and techniques, specifically, my attempt at valley overlook. Looking back at this painting, I feel that I should have made the part of the valley closest to the overlook more bluish/purplish so that it looks to be more at a distance from the overlook cliff. I should have also done the same for the foreground valley foliage (the bushes are way too dark).I do like the look of my background hills and mid-ground valley. I am still hesitant to put in shadows, such as those under the tree, in the reference photo, as I have ruined previous paintings in such attempts. Though, if I had the guts to attempt it, I do believe it would ground the tree more.

My Saratoga Heritage Orchard Watercolor

On March 3, 2022, I visited Saratoga Heritage Orchard in Saratoga, CA with a local watercolor society, but did not paint on site. I have realized now that I am not going to pressure myself to paint onsite as I am still actively learning techniques, color profiles, etc. from my online art mentor, Geoff Kersey (https://watercolourlandscapes.co.uk).  I am also realizing that I put too much pressure on myself to have a up-level or at least match the level of my previous best works. That is why, I did not post on my blog for three weeks; I felt this painting wasn't up to snuff due to my dissatisfaction with a realistic enough representation to the apricot blossom trees onsite (see reference photo below). Also, I realize that the grass/blossoms area looks too yellow, and should be more bluish in the distance. I need to try some of Geoff Kersey's tutorials that have grass/blossoms extending from background to foreground to see how to get a more realistic effect.

But I am happy with the clouds and the hills! I used colour and technique ideas for the sky and hills from Geoff Kersey tutorials "Mount Fuji" previously available in the now defunct Art Tutor website.

My Alum Rock Park Watercolor

On February 21, 2022, I visited Alum Rock Park in San Jose, CA with a local art group, but did not have the opportunity to paint on site, so I finished at home. I used colour and technique ideas from Geoff Kersey tutorials "Bridge at Williamson Park" and "Elterwater Bridge in Autumn" (https://watercolourlandscapes.co.uk). I feel this is my most professional-looking watercolour original so far, and I am proud of myself. I like how the bridge turned out, as well as the reflections, and grass/foliage/tree trunks/rock shoals. I like that I was able to show stones inside the water at the bottom of the river, in addition to reflections on the river. I did not want to put in shadows because I did irreversibly wreck my last painting after I tried to put in shadows. Below is the reference photo I took at the park.

My Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch Watercolor

I went to visit the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch in San Jose, CA with a local watercolor society on February 25, 2022 and used their reference photo. I was not able to paint on site, so I did my painting at home. For the barn, I used the colours and techniques from the Geoff Kersey's "New England Winter Scene" tutorial (

https://watercolourlandscapes.co.uk

).  I was very happy with how the foliage and the barn turned out. I used the reference photo below provided by the Santa Clara Watcolor Society (permission of Jane S.)

My Palace of Fine Arts Plein Aire Watercolor

I started this painting on site at the Palace of Fine Arts, in San Francisco, California, an excursion planned by a local art group, on February 19, 2022. I used techniques from Geoff Kersey's "Cinque Terre" on Art Tutor to paint the building, including the idea of putting on base wash, and then adding on details using shadows, etc. My second picture shows how the left side of structure just has a wash, but the right side has a wash with details. 

In addition to using a base wash for the architecture, I liked that I put in a fountain and ripples using the hints from Geoff's tutorial "Trees, Woodlands, and Forests" on Artist's Network. Otherwise, I am proud of the progress I have made.

Every time I am able to paint my own painting using Geoff's techniques, and look at what I accomplished, I know that if I keep going, I will continue to learn more, and perhaps, one day, actually be able to complete an entire painting plein aire, instead of just starting on one.

My Ainsley House Plein Aire Watercolor

Another plein aire painting, this time of the Ainsley House (built in the English Tudor Cotswold Cottage style) in Campbell, California. I started this painting at the site, an excursion planned by a local watercolour society, on February 10, 2022. I like that I was able to successfully paint a winter tree, and also paint in the shadows. I also like that I made certain decisions to simplify things like background trees, foreground foliage, and other details. I used Geoff Kersey's  "Improve Your Buildings" tutorial on the Artists' Network to understand how to do the thatched type of roof. Below is a picture I took at the site of the house. 

My Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum Watercolor

 I joined up with a local watercolour society on Sunday, January 30, 2022. I sketched and attempted to mask on site. I masked the whole structure, and then I realised I only needed to mask the outside and the inside parts that are next to the sky. I continued painting at home, and simplified the background and colours to give it a Mediterranean look. Again, I studied tutorials with similar elements before I painted (from world-renown watercolour landscape artist and teacher Geoff Kersey's tutorial site https://watercolourlandscapes.co.uk). Below is a picture I took at the site. If you compare, you can see how I simplified by not painting any of the buildings or landscape in the vicinity, but created my own landscape to make it seem as if the architectural structure might actually be in Egypt. Simplification can help you be creative! Do excuse the crooked pillars in my painting making the structure look like it might walk way! Still learning perspective! 

My Almaden Mining Museum (Casa Grande) Watercolor

I visited the Almaden Mining Museum (a.k.a. Casa Grande) with the Santa Clara Watercolour Society on January 27, 2022. Again, I sketched on site, and applied techniques from world-renown landscape artist and teacher Geoff Kersey  https://watercolourlandscapes.co.uk. I loved my success with the palm trees, and the three dimensional quality of the mountain on the left. Below is a picture I took at the site: 

My Palo Alto Baylands (Casa Grande) Watercolor

This painting was done with a local watercolour society. I sketched on site, but as I arrived late, didn't have time to start painting on site. I later went home to paint by studying tutorials (from world-renown watercolour landscape artist and teacher Geoff Kersey's tutorial site https://watercolourlandscapes.co.uk) that had elements of my composition. One of my major hurdles was figuring out what to mask and when to remove the mask as I painted. Below is a picture of my painting done partway, with the tops of the right side of my painting masked out so I could protect it from colour as I painted the water.

By the way, below is a photo of what I started sketching at the site.

My Hidden Villa Watercolor

 My first attempt to attempt plein are using an intense study and use of world-renown landscape watercolour artist and teacher Geoff Kersey. His wet-on-wet techniques help create depth within the picture. I subscribe to his watercolour landscape tutorials at https://watercolourlandscapes.co.uk. I closely study tutorials that have elements that might be in my plein are composition before I visit the site I want to paint.  After I sketch plein aire, I start by trying to recall techniques while I am at my plein aire site, then I take a picture and continue painting at home. There are a lot of errors and redos as I attempt to apply the techniques to get each part of my painting to look like what I see plein aire or the picture that I took at my plein aire site.  I ask for critiques from family and friends, and even the member's forum in Geoff Kersey tutorial website to try to improve my painting before I share my final product with the Santa Clara Watercolour Society and the General Forum of Geoff Kersey's tutorial website.