Painting Month: Day 11-12 Recap

For day 11, I only had time for a quick 6x8 painting. Since I was in Albuquerque, NM with my family, I took a quick trip to the Sandia Mountains to paint a scene there.

Sandia Mountains

Something I learned after painting there, is that the Sandia Mountains start right after the Rockies end.

After a short hike in, here is the scene I decided to paint:

Dirt trail through dry grass and cholla cactus, junipers scattered ahead, layered Sandia foothills under a blue sky with a few small clouds.

And here is what I ended up with. Just a short study. I attempted to put into practice what I learned during my recent workshop.

Open pochade box on a tripod holds a small in-progress oil sketch of the mountains, mixed color palette below, brushes in the foreground, Albuquerque valley hazy in the distance.

Not a finished paintings by any means but I ended up with a composition I’m happy with and enough information to make a bigger painting if I’d like.