Shaws Cove

I set up so that I would not have to worry about the incoming tide.  The rocks were pretty uneven but the adjustable legs on my easel kept my painting surface level.  The painting is faced away from my subject.  I had to look to the left see the bluffs.

Although I have painted this subject before, this angle changes the composition. I wanted to get the rocks with the water washing over them.  This is my initial drawing.

In this picture I am blocking in the shapes that I defined.

At this point I have finished blocking in the shapes, I have established the color and value of the sky and the ocean.  The sun has started to move to the point that it was changing the shadows.  

Because the shadows have changed I had to stick with a shadow pattern and not let the changing light change the painting.  With pastels it is possible to chase the changing light to a much greater degree than with oils.

Now it was time to work on the details of the water.  The greens and blues were beautiful beyond description.  The challenge was how to put something that seems unrealistic into the painting and make it believable.

The painting is complete except for the final touches.

My space for painting was uneven.  I had to think about how and where I was standing at all times.  At one point I walked backwards to evaluate my painting without paying attention to where I was stepping and of course I took a digger.

Done.

Add caption

Shaws Cove 24"X 24"

Detail of Shaws Cove