May 6, 2013
Joanie caught my fever for painting outdoors as well as my attraction to the infinite variety of shapes that pipes and faucets draw upon the landscape. She suggested we paint the faucet outside her laundry room.
I drew it on site and painted it when I returned to Mountain View. I used an analogous color scheme with slit complements indicated by the color scheme game.
Drawn first with ink followed by watercolor.
February 16, 2013
A reminder that I am now posting more frequently on my website blog rather than on this Creative Color Blog and on my Third Time Around Blog. To see more samples of the plein air landscapes I painted last month in California please visit the new blog at ChrisCarterArt.com
Mussel Rock, Pacifica, CA
I will continue to post on this blog, but maybe only once a month. I post weekly exercises and new paintings on the website blog. You may also subscribe to a monthly Newsletter to update you on current exhibits and workshop schedules.
Thank you for viewing my work.
February 3, 2013
Blue sky lay hidden behind the cover of clouds as we headed to Pacifica.
Pacifica, California, en plein air
The sun made bold attempts to break through the clouds, the neutralized colors enhanced by the silver light.
Pacifica, California, en plein air
Finally ….. the landscape transformed as the cloud cover cleared and the water reflected the blue of the sky.
Sun Dancing on the Sea
Sketchbook Paintings: Artist Trading Cards (2.5″ x 3.5″) en plein air, Pacifica, California
Top – Ink and watercolor
Middle and Bottom – watercolor
January 29, 2013
The hills surrounding Santa Rosa feel like kindred spirits.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood, California
Live oaks and black oaks, solitary and in clusters, populate the erratic hillsides declaring their uniqueness and beauty. The winter colors are rich with muted blue/greens and red/violets, so different from the winter colors of New Jersey.
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Kenwood, CA – watercolor on Rives BFK printmaking paper. Limited palette: Winsor Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cerulean Blue, French Ultramarine Blue, Carmine.
January 27, 2013
A delightful day spent painting en plein air at Spring Lake in Santa Rosa, California!
Spring Lake Park, Santa Rosa, California
The day was overcast with occasional bursts of sunlight. I’m in heaven.
Watercolor sketchbook painting on Rives BFK printmaking paper – limited palette of cadmium yellow, yellow ochre, french ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, and carmine.
January 10, 2013
Bring The Color Scheme Game outdoors, even in the winter.
Fire Hydrant, Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC
When filming one of the videos, Twenty Steps to Better Drawing, for the upcoming series of online painting demos, I found myself beside this fire hydrant after my third round of twenty steps. The fire hydrant wasn’t yellow. It was a fabulous combination of bright blue, red and green. For a quick application of color, I opted to use a limited palette with a basic color scheme of Near Complements, Yellow and Red/Violet. I wanted to make a strong statement using the extremes of color value. Reality doesn’t matter to me.
Sketchbook, en plein air sketch: Fire Hydrant on Haywood Road, Asheville, NC – drawn first in ink with a fountain pen, followed by washes of watercolor. The sketchbook is a moleskin sketchbook with slippery paper surface.
December 5, 2012
Old York Cellars, En Plein Air Watercolor Painting
My new website is now up and running ….. and along with it, a new blog that will focus on tools and techniques for both drawing and painting as well as weekly color exercises.
I will continue to post on this blog, with less frequency. The feedback I receive from all of you who follow this blog inspires me to continue my journey deeper into the world of color and to create even better Color Workshops. Thank you!
Please visit the website at ChrisCarterArt.com and let me know how you like it. If you wish to sign up for the Website Blog on Tools and Techniques click on the ‘Blog” link at the top of the page and subscribe. Please let me know if this is an easy process for you…. or not.
Painting: Old York Cellars – En Plein Air Watercolor Painting. I had forgotten about this little gem that I found when going through folders for image files to upload to the new galleries.
