Sketchbook - Sunset at Bodega Head

This is a quick study that I did in my pocket sketchbook over the Labor Day weekend.  I am always glad when I see something interesting and have sketching materials ready to capture the moment!

Watercolor and pencil on paper; 3-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches

A New Card Design

Since I have not posted anything in a while, I've uploaded this greeting card design that I worked on several months ago.  This is from a house plant we received and it was something handy for me to sketch at the time.  Later I worked it up into this watercolor design.  Shown below is my work area where I painted multiple versions of this card.  Hope to do more of these types of projects in the future.
 

Rain

This afternoon I did this sketchbook watercolor of the clouds and rain showers that moved through Sonoma County this afternoon.

Watercolor; 6 x 9.5 inches

Crab Park

Labor Day Weekend at Crab Park Beach on the Eel River Estuary, Humboldt County, CA.

Watercolor; 5 x 8 inches

Sunlight and Rocks, Shell Beach

Here's a new watercolor I did of a view overlooking the rocks at Shell Beach, along the Kortum Trail.

Watercolor, India Ink; 5.5 x 7 inches

The challenge was working with strong sunlight reflections coming off the ocean.

View of Outer Richmond District, San Francisco

Late Saturday afternoon, I did a watercolor sketch of a view overlooking the Outer Richmond District, around Point Lobos Avenue, in San Francisco. Low clouds and fading sunlight forced me to work quickly and not linger over too many details.

Watercolor, Pencil and Ink; 3.5 x 11 inches

Pewetole Island

Here are recent sketches of Pewetole Island, on the Humboldt County Coast, that I painted on the same day in August of this year.  My day of sketching started off with overcast and mist, so I concentrated on the muted tones and neutrals of the scene.

Watercolor, Pencil & Ink; 7 x 10 inches

Sketchbook study, 3.5 x 7 inches

Watercolor; 5 x 8 inches

Returning later in the day, I found different scenery with late afternoon angled sunlight on the island, which have I tried to capture in this sketch.

View of the Golden Gate from Crissy Field

Here is an earlier watercolor sketch I did of the Golden Gate Bridge; this time looking from Crissy Field on a clear day.

Watercolor & Pencil; 5 x 8 inches

This page is from a sketchbook that I thought was lost during our last move, but recently found!

Cargo Ship Entering the Golden Gate Strait

Here's a small watercolor and pencil sketch that I did over the weekend.

Watercolor & Pencil; 3.5 x 11 inches

Low clouds covered the tops of the Marin Headlands and the Golden Gate Bridge pylons.  A small coyote trotted though the parking lot where I was drawing.

Sausalito Twilight - Fourth of July

Here's a small watercolor study I did, working from a snapshot (taken from inside a moving car, heading northbound on Highway 101, after crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and leaving the Waldo tunnel).

Watercolor on Paper; Approx. 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Merry Christmas!

"A Tree for Baby Bunny"

May you find joy at Christmas!

Winter Plaid

Watercolor on paper

A page from one of my sketchbooks.

Winter Path

Watercolor and acrylic on paper

Mount St. Helena

This morning I did a plein air oil painting of Mount St. Helena, as it appears looking across Lake Benoist.

View of Mount St. Helena, Oil on board

I have been planning to do this painting since last May, when I did a preliminary watercolor sketch at the same spot.

Mount St. Helena, Watercolor and pencil on paper, 9 x 12 inches

Note:  Since setting up at this particular spot on the lake shore requires carrying all my paint gear for a twenty minute hike from the parking lot, (and back again with a wet painting in hand), I probably wont be re-visiting this spot again in the near future.