Rancho San Antonio, Thursday June 7th 2012

We are so blessed with wonderful parks to visit in the bay area and this day was perfect weatherwise.

Leslie Grimm

A few weeks ago we had a plein aire lesson on drawing correct perspective, and were given a special plexiglass tool as an aid.  I tried it on this old barn and it worked!  But it took so long to sketch that I had to finish coloring it at home.  But I was quite pleased that the perspective looked reasonably close to the real thing! Leslie

Leslie Grimm - Rancho Tree

I was walking on the trail to the farm when I saw this wonderful tree, which survives despite being so hollowed out.  I sketched it with an ink pen and colored it in with "value" markers. Leslie

Herching Ku

 My first painting with paintsites at Rancho San Antonio. I had a great time with scvws friends. Herching

Caroline Garborino

A breakthrough! I finally finished a painting in one session! Could the secret be getting there on time?With a little computer magic, my deer photos came out great. Thanks again for a wonderful adventure. Caroline

Brad Santos

Another perfect paint-out day had the group strung out from the model airplane hilltop, thru the meadow , along the trail and thru the woods, onto the old farmstead, and beyond. A number of the many hikers asked if the park had been 'invaded' by artists since there seemed to be so many of us.    Having painted the barn and some of the smaller buildings in a prior paint out, I chose the old tractor with the spiked, positively medieval looking drive wheels. Brad

Dick Zunkel

Laurie Barna

Sorry I missed all of you --I got there late, and decided to paint Mary Knoll Seminary because it looked so beautiful from my little concrete platform next to the road. Laurie

Marilyn Perry

Bedwell Bayfront Park, Menlo Park, May 31st 2012

Laurie Barna

Wonderful weather and interesting salt ponds.  We saw a lot of swallowtail butterflies, which (per Brad) were attracted to all the fennel plants growing around there.  Dick Zunkel told us that the tower belongs to AT& T.  Laurie

Anne Foster

Leslie Grimm

There were so many views to paint at this site!  David chose a view of trees to my right, while I included him in the view in front of me.  I liked all the bands of color in this view -- sky, distant hills, nearer hills, water, salt flats, grasslands, trees, and the golden field of grass we sat in.  This is a good site to come back to as there are so many views to paint. Leslie

Kaaren Marquez

Keiko O'Leary

Brad Santos

Bayfront Park in Menlo Park provided very similar views to those we've painted, looking east, from the Palo Alto Baylands --- the same gold East Bay hills, the Dumbarton Bridge, power transmission lines, tidal flats and the Bay itself --- but from an elevated viewpoint (maybe 50' elevation) that made it look a little different.    Additionally, looking north there were some still active (pinkish) salt evaporation ponds.    The park contained some interesting flora & fauna:   I painted under a tree (we speculated that it was perhaps a eucalyptus) that was covered with striped snails - which I was fine with as long as they stayed in the tree; and lots of  beautiful butterflies.  Brad

Dick Zunkel

Moss Landing Harbor, May 17th 2012

What an enjoyable trip to the coast!  Our group painted foggy views in the morning, gathered together for a fish and chip lunch at Phil's, then painted in the breezy sun in the afternoon. We were all so prolific that we've included 2 paintings where possible.

Chris Edwards

Chris Edwards

I really enjoyed the trip to Moss Landing.  We ended up in Capitola, much less wind and painted until the traffic was over.  Great day. Chris

Janice Faulstich

Janice Faulstich

Here 2 of the 3 pieces I did on our wonderful day at the ocean. The seascape was a huge challenge, as the wind was blowing so hard that even holding onto the block was a challenge, much less painting something on it. Working en plein air is not an activity for those who are easily discouraged! I drew the boat and got started on the piece on site, but had to finish it at home. I used Arches cold-pressed blocks for both, and did the initial drawings with a tan watercolor pencil. Janice

Anna Jacke

Mary Paquet - "Powerful"

Our small group had a wonderful time Thursday. I titled this half-sheet painting, "Powerful."   I like the various forms of energy -- wind, gasoline, and electric. Even the trees are important in consuming carbon dioxide. Mary

Brad Santos - Moss Landing Habor

Brad Santos - Moss Landing Cafe

The paint-out session in Moss Landing was not only the longest I've attended but also one of the best. In the morning we had a heavy overcast with a slight but chilling breeze which made for a cold, grey world. Several of us painted the imposing power plant which consists of two tall, simple, truncated cones (smokestacks) and a bewildering array of pipes, girders, and who knows what other structural elements. When the overcast lifted the fishing fleet in the harbor came alive with activity, color & shadows. All the gear on a fishing boat (I have no idea what I was painting) makes for as much visual confusion and clutter as the power plant but in a friendlier way. We lunched at Phil's Fish Market (Chris reassuringly said that there hadn't been any shootings there for a week). But, altho' we felt pretty safe in Phil's, the afternoon's session on the dunes next to the sea proved that (as Janice Faulstich said) plein air painting isn't for sissies: under now completely blue skies a very strong breeze had kicked up and was blowing sand, salt spray, palettes and paper all over the place. We hung in there for awhile before retreating to 'downtown' Moss Landing and painting some of the old buildings and boats. My final painting of an old beached sloop reflected pretty much my day --- retired and in need of propping up. (But at least I don't have any pelicans roosting on my 'stern'.) Brad

Sylvia Waddell - Salinas River on watercolor canvas

Sylvia Waddell - Sketch of Jenny painting

I had a fabulous day! So much to paint. My paint palette blew into the sand while I was painting the watercolor canvas so I had to do some brush pen sketches instead. All great fun, I can't wait to go again. Sylvia

Jenny Tero

Jenny Tero

This day is a distant memory having only just added them to the blog at the end of August.  Must be time to go down there again.  It was a great site, and we were there til after 5:00pm!!

Menlo Park Rail Station, May 3rd, 2012

Sitting right on the platform, we were mostly ignored by the passing commuters at this busy station.  Surprising how big and noisy the trains are when you're up so close! It was a chilly, dull day, but the rain held off until we were eating lunch in the station waiting area, undercover. 

Jenny Tero



Leslie Grimm

I couldn't decide whether to paint the clock tower or the Victorian station, so I decided to do both.  However, as I struggled to sketch the many angles and lines I realized it was far too complicated for my drawing ability, so I erased the pencil lines and used a pen to sketch my impressions of the buildings.  It's pretty skewed, but it was fun to do and captured most of what I liked about the station. Leslie

Dick Zunkel

Sylvia Waddell



Laurie Barna

I finished this just in the nick of time (before the rain came down!)
 

Los Gatos Creek Trail, Hike and Sketch, April 26th, 2012

After a scorching weekend, the hike & sketch day was positively chilly, and we had a few rain spots at the first stop by the Billy Jones Wildcate Railroad.  Not daunted we strode on, finding some wonderful views of the lake, with colorful boats and flowers beside the water, and our final site was in the shelter of the reservoir dam, where we found a grassy picnic spot and ate lunch to the sound of rushing water, (and jackhammers from the road-works nearby).

Brad Santos  The Vasona Hike & Sketch  (a "hike" for me, a "stroll" for Jenny & Sylvia)  had a January-ish start:   cold and grey with a strong wind coming off the lake.    We started with a short stop at the little excursion railroad in Oak Meadow Park rail; then a view across the lake towards the boat dock with pendants flying; then another vista across the lake with the mountains in the background; and finally, my eyes watering and nose dripping, Jenny & Sylvia led us off the main path to a secluded, sunny, sheltered spot below the dam-spillway for lunch and a final sketch.     I used my Tombo water soluble pen/brush for a sketch of the main spillway gates and backside of the dam - cascading water, lots of interesting concrete planes and shapes, and a heron  (not depicted).

Dick Zunkel

Leslie Grimm.    

The day started cloudy and drizzly but soon turned sunny.  The 
colorful boats caught our attention across the lake.

Jenny Tero 

Have never noticed this rusty piece of machinery before  (or model of an engine? no one was sure what it was), but it made a nice contrast with the foliage at the miniature railroad station in Vasona Park.  (Finished this one at home; we only stop for 15 minutes when we're "hiking")

 Sylvia Waddell

I used my brushpens for drawing to encourage me to get bolder with color. There were some lovely stormy skies over the lake so I enjoyed creating a very wet sky and letting the paint do its own thing.

Dick Zunkel Demo Thursday April 19th 2012

Dick Zunkel Demo painting

Thursday's paintsite was a demo by SCVWS member Dick Zunkel. He uses pen and ink, and juicy watercolor to create loose and dynamic paintings.
http://www.dickzunkel.com/paintings/
Dick had to compete with noise from a jack hammer digging up the road and we were a little confined because the grassy areas of the park were all fenced off due to replanting - such are the trials of plein air! However, the weather was perfect, we had a record turnout, and Dick's demo inspired us all.
Dick first sketched quickly in pencil, then refined the drawing in waterproof ink using a #5 or 6 speedball dip nib. He emphasized that good perspective is an important basis for the painting. The dip pens give great variety to the lines. Once the ink is dry Dick wets the paper for the sky and puts on a wash of Raw Sienna. He then brushes on some Cobalt Blue and adds a little Alizarin Crimson on the horizon. He uses a flat 1" brush for most of the painting and loosely suggests all the elements rather than defining them completely. If you missed his handout the information is available at www.southbayartists.com/handout
Thank you Dick, for a great demo.

Janice Faulstich

It was a beautiful day in Los Gatos with a great turnout!  We all enjoyed Dick Zunkel's demo of his unique pen and ink with wash technique. Everyone produced nice work with his easy to follow directions. Thanks, Dick, for taking the time to show us how you work, and thanks to Jenny and Sylvia, who make our Thursday outings so enjoyable. As usual, I have a few perspective issues, but who can complain when it was such a nice day? Janice

Caroline Garborino

Wow! I've become enlightened! I didn't have to anguish over an academic painting and I nearly finished in an outdoor session. I love Dick's pen-and-wash technique! Caroline

Leslie Grimm

Mary Paquet

This is a painting of Valeriano's Restaurant in Los Gatos. Dick Zunkel did a great demo, and I found I did not bring the right tools. Mary from Santa Cruz suggested I use the eye dropper in her acrylic ink bottle, so I did. I quickly made a freehand drawing, no prior pencil marks. I got blobs and inconsistent lines and I like it! So I added some light watercolor washes and voila, the piece was done. Mary

Michael Rogan  Pen and Ink with Watercolor

Brad Santos
Thursday's Paint-Out and Demo by Dick Zunkel in Los Gatos started out on
a loud note but, keen right-brain people that we are, we shut out the
distractions and, applying Dick's principles, came up with many fun,
loose, and interesting paintings.

Jenny Tero
I used hot press paper for the first time - it was much better for the ink drawing, but didn't take the paint so well as cold press Arches.  Achieving Dick's casual style was surprisingly difficult.  I had to rescue this one with a lot more paint and scratchy ink lines at home.

Sylvia Waddell

Dick's demo was very inspirational - but his technique is not as easy as it looks! I was struggling with the buildings, but really enjoyed some quick gesture sketching when the Western Wheelers turned up for lunch. Sylvia

Anne Jacke

"I thoroughly enjoyed Dick Zunkel's demonstration.  Even though I did not have the correct pen, I found that pen & ink is fun. His talent is obvious as is his joy in creating great work.  For me, it's almost like creating a coloring book then finishing with watercolor instead of crayons.  It really brings out my inner child and it loosens up my painting.  Thank you Sylvia, Jenny and Dick!"

Emma Prusch Farm, Thursday April 5th

Caroline Garborino

"This paintout was an incredible time travel journey into a world that I was born too late to enjoy.
If only I could see San Jose through my grandfather's eyes..." Caroline

Anna Jacke

Mary Paquet

"Corner of the Past" by Mike Rogan

Brad Santos

"There's a rooster in my palette! Honestly! I settled down at one of the concrete picnic tables on the knoll above the barn to try my hand at 'look-down' perspective. I wet my palette and set it on the table and sat on the bench with my back to the table. Working out my sketch and talking to Mike, I heard a tapping sound behind me and, on turning to investigate, found one of the park's handsome roosters standing in my palette sampling the various colors. I shooed it away. Later, I was thinking if I'd been smart I'd have put down some paper for it to walk on --- then I'd have a painting by a rooster instead of a painting of a rooster. Probably worth more than just chicken-feed!" Brad

Emma's House by Dick Zunkel

Pot bellied pigs by Sylvia Waddell

"I love visiting Prusch Farm - the chickens and roosters are so much fun to watch, and there's some great rusty farm equipment. I spent my time sketching the animals and birds and watching small children being chased by geese who wanted feeding. The geese are as big as some of the children so it must be quite alarming to come face-to-beak with a hungry Goose! 
It was a great day, and as always all you guys are great to be out painting with." Sylvia