Salmon Cascade on Sol Duc River

I used a full sheet of Arches 300# watercolor paper measuring 22" x 30"

I enlarged the sketch onto the watercolor paper.

The watercolor underpainting is quickly applied on the wet paper with a large brush in a loose manner,  wet in wet washes of dark values and drab colors.

I use soft pastel to locate some of the darkest darks.

adding more detail with the soft pastels, ensuring that the marks help pull the viewer's eye through the painting.

The last sparkles and small details have been added so I sign the piece.

Sunset on Maple View Lane

This view is right across the street from my home - I am so lucky to live here in sunny Sequim, WA!

I lightly drew in the simple shapes.

I used dark, neutralized washes for the loose watercolor underpainting.

I began stroking mid and light value pastels over the watercolor.  My goal was to make each area rich in colors.

I added more mid and light values to further define the scene.

At last I "turned on the lights" when I added the lightest values and the small details.  After this photo was taken I adjusted some of the shapes in the mountains and toned down the foreground on the left.  My collector was very happy with the painting and has comissioned another!

Peach and Cream Cabbage Roses in Watercolor

I begin by transferring my drawing to a full sheet of 300# Arches paper.  I thoroughly wet the paper on both sides, let it swell and then staple it to my backboard. 

While the paper was wet I dropped in oranges, golds, and pinks into the rose blooms.

I added a warm neutral background on the right side.

I added the background on the left and the woodgrain of the table

I painted the leaves and stems

Finally, to increase the contrast with the roses, I darkened the backgrounds, and laid in the darkest darks.

Spring Trees by the Virgin River in Zion

Painting sun struck trees before a red rock canyon wall was a fun challenge...if at first I don't succeed, get out the 4" house painting brush, brush off all the pastel and try, try again!

watercolor under painting on 12 x 16 UART 400

Begin adding the dark value pastels

blocking in the main shapes....not too happy with this.

Brush off the pastel  and start again.

I moved and enlarged some of the foreground shapes and blocked in more subtle colors and values in the rock wall

Much better!  But I will live with it for a couple of days to see what else needs work.

Grand Canyon in pastel

I'm getting ready to paint in Zion and need to ensure I pack just the right pastels, so I am painting from some 2014 reference photos.

Using a recycled 9 x 12 piece of Uart sanded pastel paper I draw in the major shapes with charcoal.

Blocking in the major shapes.

Breaking the large shapes adding highlights.

I hope this image allows you to feel the heat pulsing off the rock cliffs as well as the cool green river - incredible drifting silence.

Mount Shuksan before Picture Lake a cooperative commissioned painting

Here is the fabulous reference photograph that my friend Laura Mackenzie took.

I chose to do the painting on a half sheet of 300# Arches watercolor paper.
I drew a simple line drawing indicating the big shapes.

I laid in the initial watercolor washes.

In the next painting session I added more watercolor to the under painting.

I laid in the pastel in the mountain and began adding the initial passes of dark pastel in the trees.

Some middle values added with pastels

The final painting after adjusting some details in the mountain and water.  

Finally, I added my signature as well as the name of the photographer Laura Mackenzie.