Another Spring Theme Painting

Service Berry Blooms Amongst the Quakies 

I used frisket to save some whites, then washed the paper with a light green

Another wash of green

The frisket has been removed from the aspen, and some details and shading added to the trees 

I used a sponge to create the look of foliage and have added the Service Berry limbs

Here the lower background has been darkened and the blossoms revealed.  I have added more detail to the trees and leaves around the blossoms
"Service Berry Blooms Amongst The Quakies"

The Colorful San Juans

Red Mountains 1 & 2 from Red Mountain 3

Blues and greens with a touch of lavender make up the distant peaks.  Using wet in wet technique I wet the red mountains and dropped in oranges and reds

After the mountains were dry, I used a stiffer, square brush to create the trees.  The another wash of color adding the grays on the peaks.  The white area in the lower right hand corner was going to be a foreground

After trying several options for the foreground on small pieces of watercolor paper, I opted out and continued the mountain

For the thin line of sky, I used a wash of yellow with a few drops of orange

Ironsides, Red Mountains 1 & 2

Recalling a High Country Spring

One of the favorite roads that head up into the mountains from Ouray, is County Road 361.
Locally known as the Camp Bird Road since it accesses the once huge and prolific Camp Bird Mine.
This dirt track also accesses Imogene Pass Road which climbs over 13000' then drops abruptly into Telluride.  If you continue past Camp Bird Mine and Imogene Pass Road, you will reach the iconic Yankee Boy Basin, where water tumbles from twin falls and wild flowers literally blanket a verdant basin from mid July through August.  We use the Camp Bird road all year as one of our exercise routes.  We love experiencing the changing seasons along this scenic byway.  

First wash on the mountain and sky, frisket saving whites where the quakies and snow will be

Second wash on the mountains and sky

adding evergreens and first wash for aspen leaves

Shadows and more evergreens

more detail and foreground

"Spring Comes to the Camp Bird Road"