Today I checked the tide and realized that the beach would be a great place to paint. I packed up my watercolors, brushes, paper, pencils, water bottle, cup and granola bars and headed down the steps at Mesa Lane. The tide was low and the sand was wet, but perfect colors for a painting. I looked around to see which direction I would head and there bathing in the sun was this beautiful cormorant. I couldn't take my eyes of this beautiful bird! So I plopped down and started sketching...wings out, head down, look left look right...the cormorant was moving and drying in sun.
After I felt I got the best sketches of the flying birds, I began some other sketches of the fallen eucalyptus this cormorant was perched on, and the other fallen tree and rocks around it.
After sketching out the preliminary drawing on my watercolor paper, I began painting the sky and then worked on the farthest point of the horizon. Then I worked my way closer and closer until I was working on the fallen log in the lower right hand corner. All in a great day painting with a cormorant at the beach.
Cormorant on Eucalyptus. 8 1/2 x 11. Watercolor.
After I felt I got the best sketches of the flying birds, I began some other sketches of the fallen eucalyptus this cormorant was perched on, and the other fallen tree and rocks around it.
After sketching out the preliminary drawing on my watercolor paper, I began painting the sky and then worked on the farthest point of the horizon. Then I worked my way closer and closer until I was working on the fallen log in the lower right hand corner. All in a great day painting with a cormorant at the beach.
Cormorant on Eucalyptus. 8 1/2 x 11. Watercolor.
