Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

Two days in a row drove miles for Plein Air. Just because I tried to figure out how to paint unique rocks at the Pacific coast. It was my first time coming here and paint. Wasn't sure where to go after parking my car. Asked how to get to Shark Fin from a guy whom I thought he was a surfer, then found out he was another painter Scott, haha... Another gray day, under 60 degrees. Only issue there was no public restroom nearby. I brought two slice of cheese, somehow they melted inside the car. The ocean view was magnificent! After my painting was done I walked a little higher and it was even better view. Definitely I will be back to paint again.  (September 15 2021) Did a small sketch from a different angle. Tried to add white wave splash on the rock, but the white watercolor paint didn't show up the way I expected, only was all over my fingers.

Celebrating 10 years of my blog today!  https://originalartstories.blogspot.com/2011/09/ Here is my first blog story on September 14 2011: A Dog's Fate - 一条狗的命运   https://originalartstories.blogspot.com/2011/09/dog-fate.html Another gray day, only 57 degrees, super cold at the location. Hiking on the breathtaking coastal trail after Plein Air last week, I discovered this magnificent outlook on the trail, but had to carry my heavy painting gear walking down about 60 big steps. No big deal but the watercolor paper wouldn't dry easily in this kind of weather condition. So I had to paint differently than I normally do. Rocks, waves and trees were difficult to paint. Overall I think my painting result was OK. About 50 miles, but there were about 30 degrees temperature difference at the location and my home. (September 14 2021)

It was very gray and only 60 degrees at the location this morning, my first time painting here. Looking for a public restroom, surprisingly met another Plein Air painter L X (my name's short cut as XL, haha... what a coincidence) So we painted nearby each other. Then hiked after our paintings were done and happily caught up on the time since COVID-19... Very foggy, walked the rocky and windswept shoreline trail,  could not even see the Golden Gate Bridge, but there was a spectacular scene each turn of the trail even on such a gray day.  Definitely will be back and paint again. What an inspirational place!  On the way back, got caught up in a little traffic, and it was 93 degrees at home.  (September 7 2021)