Heaven Above the Earth below....

I'm painting from my field sketches in the studio.... 

I'm using my watercolor sketchbooks and oil sketches as guides for these larger paintings...

I really like painting skies and water. 

6x8 sketchbook, gray marker, watercolor 

I discovered its because they change so much so fast.

6x8 sketchbook, gray marker, watercolor 

Here on the coast an interesting phenomena occurs when clouds encounter the air mass over the ocean. They often break up and some times completely disappear in minutes. I face west if I want the clouds to hold their form a little longer while I draw or paint them .

8x8 sketchbook, gray marker, watercolor 

  

Or I move away from the edge of the ocean into the marshes where I know they'll last a bit, I have the long view and the unobstructed "big sky" I want.  I sketch and draw nonstop. Its a habit I have. I take notes that will help me later on remember what really was going on.  Forget sky photographs, the camera is useless for this.