The Sea Talks to Me, Watercolour Painting En Plein Air

'Our one-year-old son will insult you with his happiness and freedom every day' - Antoine Leiris. A father's defiant message to ISIS after his wife, the mother of his son, was killed in Paris, 13 Nov 2015. It is an impressive statement.

As usual I love everyday of my life but the terrors that happen around the world make me more conscious .

Make the most of everyday. More love to family members. More joy to every moment of life....

Making time to enjoy summer is a must on my list. I often dream of lying on a beach with a wet paint brush, capturing whatever in front of me. However, I was not allowed to take painting gear with me to the beach to enjoy time with family.

In situations like this, I thought of a French pochade watercolour box I bought sometime ago and a pad of watercolour A5 papers (a birthday gift) would be perfect. I quietly slipped the little set in the bag unnoticed. When everyone was going for a walk along the beach, it was the time for me to enjoy the scenes of the beach while sitting with bags and sandals. Time went. It was a long walk. When people came back, I showed them the picture. It was a surprise. People find it hard to believe it was an actual scene on the beach that was right in front of us! I was pleased everyone had something to enjoy especially the one that got left behind!.. me.. It's a win win situation.

With this little picture, that summer day will be in my mind forever. Dream came true!:-)

Writing this, I still feel the heat of the beach. That's is the charm of en plein air with a pochade box. Try it for yourselves, you will be pleasantly surprised that the scene you love can actually talk to you! :-)

I plan to have more and more the secret pleasures with the charming French pochade painting box while sharing wonderful time with family and friends. I am having the world both ways in my arms! Hug.

Looking at the two ladies with their little steps toward the sea, I thought of Picasso painting of the first step. In life, we do not have the whole staircase in front of us, only the first step. The first step of independence into uncertainty requires courage.. I thought of the first step of a one year old who just lost his mother.. the first step of a father who decided to love him twice as much..

Everyday is a chance for a first step into the magic of life. Take it.

Yes, love life a bit more everyday. My friends, you always win.

Beautiful Beach Scene in Watercolour, Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand

Boats and Puddle, Watercolour Painting, Marine

En Plein Aire painting at the Royal Akarana Boat Club is always technically challenging.  There are so much to choose.  To keep going at painting art, I have to find varieties to stretch boundaries. That is probably the reason I feel excited at the opportunity.  This time I chose the close view of the boat yard.  Gazing, drawing, painting in a nice day with fine weather on the seaside like this is very hard because on the other side of me is just wanting to sit on a comfortable chair with a drink and a view.  I kept on regardless.  It was hard work but I felt happy that I had tried!

A little persistence and discipline can go a long way!

Wonderful En Plein Air Painting day at the Royal Akarana Yatch Club, Auckland, NZ

Only You, Watercolour Painting Seascape

It was my turn to suggest a site for en plein air painting.  I chose a park side but was not in favour.  After analysing it, we decided to go somewhere else.  The group preferred the water edge.  It was windy so we turned into the bush on a headland for a sheltered position.  I came to the edge and looked down.  I fell for the scene.  Because we had already wasted an hour, I had to be hurry.  I worked quickly thinking I was playing with chances that it might fail.  After a few minutes I started to enjoy it.  This scene was so peaceful, I chose a simple palette.. the painting finally appeared with surprise.  This would be a place that I would be happy to spend more time dipping my toes in the water..  I credited my friend for her leadership to rescue a near disaster situation otherwise I would go home empty handed. 

Looking at the picture, I think the painting day was a success.  It pays to make quick decision and hang on to any possibilities that one could think of.

Magical moment on the Shore

Nature and Art, Painting Note

One important aspect in my works is the balance. The balance that comes from nature that we are all a part of. I like to draw it from nature because I like to communicate the beauty of nature through its own essence.

The balance of nature should come naturally like the air we breathe. How does experience with nature affect a work of art? one might wonder. There are plenty of examples through out art history. Paul Cezanne made a conscious and difficult decision to chose to live in Aix en Provence instead of Paris in order to study and capture the beauty of nature as he saw it. The communication with nature through his work made him the father of modern art. All started with nature!

There's also a popular thinking that "closer to nature" only matters to painters working on plants, birds and bees..

Nature is inside and outside us. It helps us to relate and communicate. Whatever I paint, I feel that my perception of nature is always there staring back at me!

I am just about to say everyone should activate their conscious relationship with nature then I am aware that there are contradict views on human relationship to nature:

"Nature and art, being two different things, can not be the same thing. Through art we express our conception of what nature is not." Pablo Picasso.

I understand this definition of Pablo Picasso means that nature and human are two different identities. I wonder "Is it of nature that our bodies live, feel alive, die and decay or the whole process of our existence is an expression of our conception? if so where does the conception come from? us! where does "us" come from?.. nature or God?.. see! by splitting into two identities we are running around a circle! :-) or it was just me running around trying to think?" I leave the answer to you anyway! :-D

One thing is sure. Art is timeless! :-)

A wonderful sunny day with Nature

Summer Breeze, Watercolour Painting Seascape, En Plein Air

The best place to enjoy a hot day is near the sea.  Better still, we found a place with trees which could provide some shade and wind shelter.  Knowing we were coming, the fisherman gave us his spot and move further away.  He insisted to go because he hadn't had any luck. 

I ventured out to the edge of the head land and saw this composition.  I made a quick sketch and came back to my setting.  I tempted to sit right there and painted as suggested by my friend.  There was something telling me that it was not a good idea.  I gazed at the scene and absorbed key details and colour balance then started painting.  Minutes later, the wind came and gave a shuffle.  My hat and board were tossed away.  I quickly ran after and rescued them.  I held tight to the board and kept on painting.  The wind gave another big hustle.  I ran quick and rescue my friend's painting and bag before they get into the sea.  

For colour composition, I use some warm in the sky and water to balance the energetic blue green theme of the shore while maintaining peaceful, fresh, vibrant feel of the picture.  Nearly finished, I looking at the picture again and decided to add a friend to the fisherman.  I think they look good together!   

If I had sat at the head land edge, I would not have had this picture.  It would ended up in the sea along with other bits of my gear!  ..Pew!  The experience tells me always take an extra care when you go near the sea and do listen to my instinct.  What a day!:-) 

Wonderful day at Seaside

Spring in the Yard, a Tribute to Van Gogh in Watercolour

I kept this post in a draft form because it is special to me.   But after reading a post on LI that it is 125 years since the death of Van Gogh.  I decided to post mine to share.

It was a rare opportunity to visit a home garden in spring. For a composition, I looked down from a deck into a garden corner and decided that she's mine. It looks ambitious. It looks overloaded. I knew with the sweeping wash and mute colour movement at the moment in watercolour art scene, I think this is the one that would be avoided by many watercolour painters at all cost. "What are you going to do?" asked one of my friends. "Paint it, I am going to paint it" I replied.  I know people might think I was out of my mind.  At the same time I was not so sure.  Facing the challenge of  nature with its intensity and complexity is not easy.  I might fail but that was the point.  If I did not seize the opportunity to stretch my boundary now, I would never do it.  Looking at all dazzling colours in front of me, I thought about one of my heroes, Vincent Van Gogh.

I thought about Van Gogh because he came from the land of flowers. He was fearless in his approach to painting direct and was brilliant in portraying the essence of nature with its complexity. With that thought, I did not have much to lose but a lot to gain. I jumped straight in capturing the flowering honey suckle wall, the garden furniture set, the pots full of bulb flowers, a small blossom tree and finally few black birds! I though about the tulip fields of Netherlands as I added the red tulips to the pot on the table.  I thought about the blue iris field he painted as I added blues irises to the pots around the table. I tried to keep to colours pure, intense and raw with descriptive strokes capturing features of elements (the technique I saw in his paintings) in the same time I tries to retain the glittering effect of sun light.

This is, if I may, a tribute to Van Gogh, a master who showed me the joy and excitement in nature with his brilliant and "could not be more direct" technique! It took courage to capture the "Wow" factor in nature the way he did.  "That courage and soul have become Van Gogh legacy! " was my thought.

When I look at my " Spring in the Yard", I feel dazzled and happy.  I think I have captured the effect of spring in this garden corner. I realised the biggest benefit of living with art is an opportunity to live with a soul! I feel humble.

Wonderful Exciting Spring Garden

A Summer with You, Watercolour Thumbnail Sketch Seascape

One useful and wonderful exercise in watercolour art is doing five minute thumbnail sketch with one brush and maybe three colours and a small piece of paper .  In this exercise, I think I might have been cheating a bit.  I did not count the colours but picking them straight from my palette at the time.  I think it took a minute to think, a minute to draw ( I skipped this) and three minutes to paint.

The scale of this thumbnail sketch is 16cm x 11.5cm ( or roughly 6" x 4").  In this quick sketch I managed to capture atmospheric of a sunny day, glittering light on water, wet sand, wonderful sky with wind and clouds, Rangitoto islands, its reflection and a happy couple!  I think it does not matter how many paintings I have done.  An experience like this always brings a smile to my face.  A fleeting moment, moving sky, dashing light and the joy of wet feet... is captured effortless.  I can't explain.  I can't analyse.  It just happened. It is really a five minutes of magic! 

Wonderful Summer Day, Mission Bay, Auckland, NZ

Late Winter by the Moor, Watercolour Painting Landscape

I had an idea to explore this scene for a long time.  The day came and we set out to paint it.  I like the tranquility and quietness of the moment in between winter and spring.  It is natural and peaceful.  I used strong colours to capture the contrast and stark feeling of seasons reflecting in foliage of the place and the clear fresh air and sky above with its reflection in water... best still there was still time for a warm cup of tea! :-)  I came home with a painting and its fresh air in my lungs.  I was more than happy! :-)

Quiet and peaceful day in the moor

Cows in the Park, Watercolor Painting Landscape with Animals

I like the mix of pattern and colours of the herd of cows.  The morning light threw their shadow toward the foreground and gave back lighting effect!  and the park setting with different foliages make the scene so tempting!  When I finished and looked at the painting, I feel happy.  Couldn't get better, a magnificent outdoor theatre for the cows!  They are really glorious!

Outdoor Painting Studio

Looking into a photo folder on my old computer, I found a photo of one of the outdoor locations that I was enjoying in last summer.  I always try to keep my gear as light as possible.  I sometimes put a bag with a stone on the back of the easel to stabilise it.  This is one of the lucky day that I got to be spoiled with wind shelter and shade.  There were bird songs and cattle in front of me.  Now you know why I love trees!  and a little breeze just blew all the stress away

EN PLEIN AIR PAINTING 16/1/2015

Coming to Wenderholm, I realised I had forgotten my glasses.  I had not had water either.  I went around to see whether I could get a bottle of water somewhere but the only place was away so I had to walk.  One problem solved.  Another, well!, I have to paint without glasses.  Monet, the painter with one trouble eye, gave me the courage.  I located the palette where my eyes could see colours, same with the paper!

The attractive white waves could only meant one thing. wind, a lot of wind.  I love the cool wind from the ocean in hot summer days but it means I sat down and held tight to the board.  I tried to photo the painting with the scene from where I sat but the wind kept blowing it away.  After a dozen times, I gave up and stood up holding the board on one hand against the landscape and photo it with the other.  Here is the photos.

Wenderholm seaside park, en plain air  water-colour painting
"Going for a Swim" take 1

This one had some shade of the park table.

Wenderholm seaside park, en plain air  water-colour painting
"Going for a Swim" take 2

This one missed out a bit because my arm is not long enough!

I love outdoor painting with all the odds.  Anyway it was a fantastic day on the beach!

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THE LATE SUMMER GRAPE VINE, Watercolor and Pen Drawing and Painting Plantscape

Grapes and more grapes, I love the heavy loaded vines.  Here is the last of the four plantscape painting and drawing balck, white gray using pen, a brush and ivory black!  Simple pleasure!

Beautiful  pen and brush work, watercolor on paper, 42x29.5cm

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THE GRAPE VINE, Watercolor and Pen Drawing and Painting Plantscape

I love to look at grapes on a rambling vine.  I came back with the best bunch of grapes that I could afford and created another piece, free hand no pencil, no rubber just a pen and a brush to be consistent with the other previous two.  This one looks tasty!  

Beautiful  pen and brush work, watercolor on paper, 42x29.5cm

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THE SPRING VINE, Watercolor and Pen Drawing and Painting Plantscape

I came back again sitting on the ground, drawing and painting the vine with its blossom.  Pen and a brush with diluted ivory black on watercolor paper, no pencil or rubber to keep the clean, elegance look!

Wonderful pen and brush work, watercolor on paper, 42x29.5cm

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THE VINE, Watercolor and Pen Drawing and Painting Plantscape

Extracting the colors out of the object, monotone drawing and painting expose the essence of the scene.  Turning the color analysis function in my mind off, what left of the vine were lines, shape, light and shade.  The elegance I found in nature after hours sitting in sun light.  The  interchange of light and shade, negative and positive, front light, side light, back light and reflective light.  It was an enjoyable experience!

Exciting pen and brush work, watercolor on paper, 42x29.5cm

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MY OUTDOOR PAINTING GEAR

I have a dream to paint where I like when I like anything I like.  Freedom comes with a cost.  I think I am a bit of a hoarder when it comes to outdoor painting gears.  I did not talk about the gear much because it's rather personal and not many hoarder like to reveal their collection either.  I look at the outdoor painter blog here and there and I noticed a lot have posted theirs to show method and output paintings.  I take courage to show mine first time today!  Because of my ambitious dream, I have many sets for outdoor painting.  Here is one of them

 New Zealand is a coastal country.  The sudden change in weather means there would be a good use of a good size wind/rain jacket.  I prefer good pocket to keep the car key.  Everything need to be light.  A pair of garden shoes to walk around in the open, a light chair, a light easel, paper and board...  I come to the site to expect the unexpected so I can not be disappointed if things do not go my way.  I would not know whether I paint standing up or sitting down or lying around.  If it's too windy I take the board and sit down.  Sometime the place is too sloppy, no space for easel, I use another board on my lap for the palette

Below are the gear and finished painting at St Heliers beach.  I went home, the sun disappeared.  After setting things up.  The sky was too grayish, there was not much hope.  I have to delay photoing the paintings.

BIRDWATCHER HUT, Watercolor Painting Landscapes

This marsh land by the sea is the favorite place for birds.  Because it is near the sea, we have a mix of shore birds, sea birds, swam bird and ducks.  I was terrified, overwhelmed and excited with Comoran on the tree, blue birds near the water, relaxing ducks and wonderful mix of foliage.  Excitement gave me the energy for the painting process.  At the end I was exhausted but happy because I was probably more ambitious than I should for an outdoor direct painting.  I think there many things in life just happened then when you gain consciousness you would ask "How the hell did this happened?"  I asked myself several times but NOT telling anyone because they would not understand it.  I hope some painters out there would.  Soon after this painting was done.  The hut was removed.  The birds became very friendly to people, there was no need for the hut.  The birds love to interact with people, especially children.  The painting became the record for the place!.  I just love the tone of the painting.  It is so soothing like the feel of the duck in the water!

Wonderful Landscape Marsh land and birds, 
Watercolor Painting on paper size 29.5 x 42 cm 

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MORNING WALK, Watercolor Painting Landscape

Every time I walk here I admire this view and wish to paint it.  One day we went outdoor painting.  The weather suddenly changed and we had to retreat to plan B which was going to this site.  Leaning against the garden fence, I work quickly.  The painting was finished quickly.  I was glad that was a fun exciting and productive day.  We had plenty of chat and a cuppa of hot coffee!  The wish came true!  It was a happy day!  Magic!

Wonderful Landscape by the Sea, Watercolor Painting on paper size 29.5 x 42 cm

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MORNING BY THE STREAM, Watercolor Painting Landscape

Magical moment by the stream, if I were a duck this would be my paradise!  The drooping branches and hanging slender leaves old willow trees along the stream form magnificent curtains.  The trees created structures of a fairy tale palace.  Add to these were the reflective light bouncing of the water...  floating on the water were some sleepy ducks .. further away were a few blue birds!  time flew my mind flew too.. when I finished and show the painting to the group.  It was a pleasant surprise!  Everybody like it too but I did not say I was dreaming to be a duck!  with yellow and blue I thought of Monsieur Van Gogh too!  

Wonderful scene with Birds Watercolor Painting on paper size 29.5 x 42 cm

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GARDEN TOWARD THE SEA, Watercolor Painting Landscapes

I always love a simple garden with sea view and here it is in front of me. Soothing blue green tone and light came from the harbor source of positive energy.  Walking strolling in greenery has become the local way of enjoyment of life.  Some just can't live without it.  That's including me!  Deep dark powerful green is a popular feature of New Zealand landscape especially the North Island where the climate is warmer.  I tried to capture the feel and local features while xhatting away.  Outdoor painting like this is a treat.  

Beautiful New Zealand Landscape Watercolor Painting on paper
Popular Classic Postcard or Pochade size 6 x 8 inches or 15 x 20 cm , USD $95
Ideal as gift, hanging on its own or in groups due to small size

If you have any queries relating to the painting, please leave me a message via the contact form gadget on the top right corner of the blog.  Thank you for your interest.