I'll be fine soon!

Sorry, Everyone.

I have come down with the flu. Should be alright in a day or so.

Trying to stay indoors, til I'm better. Getting alot of rest, drinking alot of fluids, including orange juice.

Should be out there in a day or two.

Live, love and paint,

Terry

Painting Adventures - Southern California

The Sunsets in California are spectacular!

I love this time of the year. It is perfect for sitting outside and having a margarita and watch the sun slowly set over the ocean.

The skies have marvelous pinks and violet hues. The temperature has been in the low 80's. People just seem happier to be around when the weather is like this.

However, in the next 3 months, everything will change. Yes, the sunsets will be beautiful. However, the temperatures will rise to over 100 degrees out here, and 120 degrees, plus in the Palm Springs area. Needless to say that there won't be alot of postings from Palm Springs this summer.

I did this painting more as an emotional painting, with huge sweeps of my brush. Trying to get the nowness feeling, which I love. The amazing thing about beautiful sunsets, is that they are over rapidly, and you must paint rapidly to get them.

The great news? Here in Southern California, another beautiful sunset is only a day away!

Live, love and paint,

Terry

Rainy Days in California

100 Degrees Outside Today!

But yet, it is a dry heat! Southern California, you can't beat it. It's the middle of April, and yet, 100 degrees outside.

I spent the day up at Prospect Park in Redlands. Why, because it is higher in elevation, and provides lots of winding shaded paths. The shaded paths keep it quite cool. I love walking up there.

The roses have bloomed into large flowers. The orange trees smelt so wonderful with there blossoms. It was great, especially if you don't have allergies!

Hopefully, it will be back down to normal in the 70's and 80's tomorrow. Then I will be out hiking and painting and enjoying Southern California.

I hope you enjoy my original watercolor painting of Sunflowers with fruit.

Live, love and paint,

Terry

Painting Adventure - Desert Hot Springs

Flamingos in the Desert!

The Marriott Hotel in Desert Hot Springs, California is such a wonderful place to paint! The property is absolutely lovely. As you drive along the grand entry way, off to the left, you will see a beautiful spray of water. In the middle of the lake, amidst the gorgeous palm trees are fabulous flamingos wading.

This is an awesome sight to see in the desert. There are a couple of park benches there to sit and draw. When you get tired of this magnificent view, (or if it is too hot) try venturing indoors.

Indoors, there is a magnificent lake too! Complete with boats. They take people on boat tours around the property, I believe, twice a day. If you get there at dinner time, hop aboard one of these boats, and they will drive you to your restaurant. How fancy!

This is just another magnificent reason to always bring your camera, sketchpad and watercolors along.

Live, love and paint,

Terry

Techniques - Value Studies

This beautiful, magnificent Palm Tree resides in Prospect Park, in Redlands, California.

Sometimes, I thoroughly enjoy doing portraits of living things, from animals to plants. Doing these monochromatic drawings helps me understand where my weaknesses are. Are my drawing skills weak? How about am I seeing the light and shadow properly? Am I painting too slow, and the sunlight area changed? Should I speed up my drawing/painting process? How about the composition? Can this stand on its' own, or does it need a supporting cast? Most importantly, what is the story I am trying to tell. Every painting has a story, does this one have one? Will it hold the viewers attention? Because that is what I want, one that will hold the viewers attention.

So you see, learning to draw a full landscape in black and white helps you in so many ways track down your weaknesses, and in the future helps you create a much better painting.

This was drawn/painted with a sketch and wash pencil. These are great. Sometime in the future I will have to show you how to pack a simple kit.

Live, love and paint,

Terry

Location: Redlands, Oakmont

Going, Going, Soon to be Gone!

That is until next year. Summer is right around the corner, and so are these brilliant greens in Oakmont. From baby pea greens to dark blue greens, and every shade in between. Soon, this beautiful mountainside area will be golden brown!

Oakmont is located in the hillside of Redlands, just off of the 10 Freeway at Yucaipa Blvd, about 2 miles in.

What is there to paint: Oakmont has lots of little hills, coming in all directions. Then larger mountain ranges off in the distance. Beautiful oak trees and wonderful scrub brushes make this a unique place to paint. They do have parking, picnic tables, and lots of hiking trails. Unfortunately, there is not a restroom currently.

I love standing under the shade of one of the BIG oak trees, painting the mountainside off in the distance.

Live, love and paint,

Terry

Friday - Artists to learn from

Do you have problems with painting techniques?

How about subject matter, locations? My favorite stumbling block is MOTIVATION. Somedays, it is hard to get going! I need some Inspiration. Well, that's why I love the internet. I can find lots of helpful information to help guide me on my life as being an artist. (Maybe too much information)

I read about 10 blogs on a daily basis. Most of them take only a few minutes to read. Why? Because I learn so much from them. The content is very important to me. Sometimes I learn about the painting process, sometimes marketing. Sometimes I deconstruct the blog, and ask myself, how can I make my blog better. Being new to the Blogosphere is not easy.

(By the way, original watercolor painting of a Parrot Tulip by me, Terry)

One of my favorite blogs to read is written by Linda Blondheim. (She has several blogs and websites.) There are days when she has excellent marketing ideas, other days are about how to be a better artist. My favorite reads are when she tries to be a positive role model for artists trying to make a go in the art business.

Linda is a very sharing, caring artist. (On top of being a GREAT landscape painter.) I guess she believes in Karma, that whatever you put out into the universe, you will receive back ten fold.

Here's the link to Linda's website: www.lindablondheimartnotes.blogspot.com I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I do.

Live, love and paint,

Terry

Adventures in Yucaipa - Sunset

Sunset in Yucaipa

What a beautiful sunset we had a couple of days ago in beautiful Yucaipa, Southern California. I can't tell you how exciting it is to paint at twilight time. The sky changes color so rapidly. Now, on the painting at left, the sky is alot more reddish violet. Unfortunately, I'm fighting with my scanner. The older software scanned my paintings in a truer color. The updated software has problems picking up subtle nuances, especially the lighter colors.

Anyhow, with the changing seasons, I prefer to paint closer to the evening. Why? Because, the mornings are cold, then it warms up all day long. So by evening, it's a much warmer temperature than the morning.

I love painting outdoors this time of the year. The sunsets glow a beautiful rosy, pinky color. It's unbelievable. A few days ago I posted a picture of Bob's house. Now his trailer during the day is a white-greyish sort of color. But at night time, it's lined up just right with the sunset and gets those beautiful glowing violet shadows.

Live, love and paint,

Terry

Adventure: Redlands

Awesome Saturday Drawing at Prospect Park!

Look at that beautiful wisteria. And it is only going to get better. It is just starting to bloom. I can't wait until this whole overhang is covered in wisteria. It happens every year, and it is absolutely beautiful!

Prospect Park is one of the most charming little parks that I have ever been to. It is compact. Maybe one city block wide. But it takes forever to walk through. Lots and lots of spiraling paths, traversing up and down the small hill.
Okay, just look at the beautiful glowing flower. Isn't it beautiful? This flower is quite large, about the size of my hand. I have no idea what it is, but I really appreciated its' beauty.
This great exhibit is now over at the San Bernardino County Museum. It is called Gadgets and Gizmos. I absolutely love anything to do with the age of electricity. Electricity was invented, and Bam! all of these wonderful products were created. I don't want to spoil it for you if you go, so I will just say one thing. If you are into old fashioned electrical devices, then this exhibit is for you!
My next adventure took me to the monthly program over at Loma Linda. The demonstrator was Patricia Rose Ford. She is an extremely talented artist. Though I am not into pastels, Pat excited me enough to give it a go. Of course, she made her palm trees look easy. It seemed like in a blink of an eye, she already had most of her painting done. What a pro. I know that we will be hearing alot of great things about Patricia Rose Ford in the future. Check out her website at www.fineartbypatriciarose.blogspot.com

Well, it was a busy weekend. Got in alot of great drawings and a few paintings. If you haven't tried plein air painting. Try. It is alot of fun to be out there with the orange blossoms wafting through the air and the birds chirping.

Live, love and paint,

Terry

Sketchbook Adventures - Watercolor

Time for an Action Painting!

What is an action painting, you might ask. Well, you have 60 minutes left of sunlight left. You see a beautiful glow on a house. The sun, gets even rosier as it sets. What beautiful colors it creates on all below. How do you capture it? On film? No, because not only is there alot of drama going on, but there is also alot of subtle nuances to capture.

So, you spring into action! As quickly as you can, you set up your easel. This is an unforgettable sunset. You squeeze your sunset colors onto your palette. You draw like a madman. Frantic to get in all of the important details. Then you pick up your paintbrush, wet the paper, and the magic begins.

I love painting with the setting sun, because it forces you not to dawdle. You must move fast if you are to ever get the painting done before the sun sets.

Live, love and paint,

Terry

Hysteria about Wysteria

The Wisteria is back!

What a great subject matter to paint. Right now, up at Prospect Park in Redlands, it's blooming.

There is a nice little covered walkway with lots of wisteria hanging over it. It's absolutely gorgeous! If you go up to the carriage house and park, then walk towards the restrooms. Look off to your left, and you will see it. There, in all of its' glory.

Here's a color harmony hint for your paintings. Try using the secondary triad. That's right, purple, orange and green. By mixing these 3 colors, you should get some gorgeous greys.

The sand in front is orangish. All of the foliage is green, and the wisteria is purplish. I have the secondary triad from Daniel Smith, and my paintings come out beautifully.

Well, what am I yapping about? I'm going to get out there painting right now. We will also be painting here this Saturday from 9 a.m. til noon. Hope to see you there.

Live, love and paint,

Terry