Wave Study #80!

© 2015 R.L. Delight, Wave Study #80, 8"x10", oil on canvas

Photo taken as light was fading

I am excited to have completed wave study #80! That means I have just 20 studies to go until I meet my goal of 100. I have taken my time painting the studies but I don't mind. Not every day is a good day to paint a wave study. Some days are better than most. I found I like to paint wave studies as the tide is coming in. This way the waves are getting closer to me. At Neahkahnie beach, the waves are just plain more interesting around the highest part of the tide.

Today I decided to focus a bit more on getting the color and values correct. Getting that green to be just right is very tricky. Not only that, it changes from moment to moment when there are clouds in the sky. Speaking of skies, I could have just as happily painted a few cloudscapes today. That is something I haven't really done and it is time I did.  I determined from today that I really need to just spend a bit of extra time when I am out painting just working on color swatches. That way I don't get distracted by trying to get all the other stuff right too.

I am happy with the colors I got in today's painting for the most part. I only had an hour and a half due to the timing of the tides and a few other factors. The waves in the painting are not as fully formed as I would have liked. They still look a bit too blocked-in and even, and the waves and water in the foreground are even more unfinished.  I was running out of light to take a finished picture so the best picture of today's painting came from my cell phone, on site. The light made the picture a bit pinker than it should be but I kind of liked the effect. I will retake the photo tomorrow.

The beach as the sun was going down was incredibly beautiful. Since I am on the West Coast of the U.S., the sun sets into the sea and backlights the waves. There were the most unbelievable acid greens in the water as I was packing up.

No eagle sighting today but I did hear their musical calls behind me. They must have been behind the trees. Here is a parting shot as I was hiking down the beach:

© 2015 R.L. Delight

The next few days will be spent working other jobs with a day of rest in between. I will catch whatever time I can in the studio working on drawing skills. Painting will resume next week!

-Renee