Erin O'Toole

Winter landscapes

The landscape changes quickly when you are riding in a car, riding a ferry or taking a train. But just like drawing a moving animal, trying to capture the movement of the changing scenery helps me quit worrying about getting it “right”.

I make quick sketches before the things changes entirely. I look for color and shapes like swirls of water or the triangles of mountains. Evidence of human occupation or a few animals help show the size of the fields or mountains.

Clouds in the sky can give the landscape painting movement. As they move across the sky the light changes and as the move away into the distance the get smaller and they get flatter on the bottom. On “cloud” days I like to sketch pages in pencil with no final drawing in mind, just cloud watching.

In the winter trees and mountains lose their detail as they move away and get lost in the mist. Colors change from clear and vibrant to soft and muted. I use opaque gouache for distant mountains and transparent watercolors for the trees, grasses and details that are close.

I look forward to the warmth of spring but I like to linger awhile in winter to paint a few more rice fields, dry grasses and barren trees.

For a list of the paints I'm currently using see the "Watercolors and Gouache" page.

North Coast 2007

October is a great time to travel in California. The leaves are turning, the weather is cool. It was raining hard when we left for the coast but by the time we reached the sea it was sunny.

Past Jenner, Highway 1 is steep and windy. Trees hang in the midst on the inland side and sheep graze on the ocean side.

My tiny sketch book filled with pictures of hedgerows, deer and coastline as we traveled to Sea Ranch to stay a few days with family.

This journal is small, 4.5 inches by 5.5 inches and has brown and white paper. I like the brown for animals and the sparking white for the brilliant skies near the ocean.

There are many unfinished sketches right now. I work a little bit each day, painting and writing, remembering the trip and finishing the journal.

 

Brush Box

My current brush box is made from a empty greeting card box. I cut down the brush holder part of an old plastic art box to fit in it. The sponge holds the brushes firmly to keep the tips from hitting the end of the box. I keep an elephant ear sponge and a small jar of white paint next to the brushes.

My watercolor palette fits over the brushes. I made two holes in the bottom of the box and tied a piece of elastic through them to keep the lid closed in my pack.