Castle Rock Sunrise : Sedona, Arizona Plein Air Painting

[@meredith7236]

The light as it hits is beautiful

[@lydiagatzowart]

I know! I never feel like I do it justice! But I keep trying 😂 such a magical moment

[@elizabethkellerman969]

heart, love the sky explanation

[@lydiagatzowart]

Thank you!!!

[@ronschlorff7089]

Good job, great location, I'm doing many of the area now too, from photos I took when plein airing there a few years ago, near bell rock etc.. Nice you held back on the saturation of the sun light on rock. it's a "rookie mistake" to overdo stuff in the background of a painting since it is a painting and not a photograph, so you need to have some depth in it. Stuff in the distance that is too bright messes up the depth and makes the entire painting look too "flat", you avoided that, good one! One thing, nice to have a small break in the foreground trees to provide a lead in through the scene.

[@bahumdinger8361]

Thanks Lydia...really impressive 🤗

[@lydiagatzowart]

Thanks so much, happy you’re here! ❤

[@morriszachrisson8359]

Painting is not the hardest thing. Selling is the hardest thing.

[@johntolsma5026]

Values were really well done, same with saturations showing atmosphere. Why didnt you push the bright orange on the very background hill, just curious, it works great the way it is. And the foreground grasses are beautiful and I like them how you did it. A lot of folks would overemphasize the light as being the only important component of the composition and would have maybe taken the grasses a shade darker, maybe two shades darker, just to keep the lights and darks totally separate. But the greens to mix are gorgeous, and I like the more realistic portrayal, speaks to the energy of Sedona -John

[@lydiagatzowart]

Hi John! Thank you so much for this feedback! I held back from the saturation on the background hill because I didn’t want it to take away from the light hitting castle rock. I actually ended up pushing the saturation on castle rock a little more even when I got home, which is a good lesson for me to be a little more bold next time in the field! I could have taken the value of the grasses down a notch, I may play with that a little in the next sunrise scene. Thanks for pointing that out! I do feel that the shadow area here was a little more mid value to dark range, morning light feels a little less contrasting than sunset, so I wanted to maintain that softness. The foreground shadow seems to get darker as the light drops further down….if that makes sense😂 thanks for watching and pointing these things out!!!❤🎉

[@vincentterracciano8214]

I’ve been watching your channel for years but never commented much and although I would be tempted to watch any artist painting in Sedona, you seem to have a more natural approach that comes through in your work. Love your style.

[@lydiagatzowart]

@@vincentterracciano8214 wow thank you so much! I’m definitely always learning and growing. I think living here has really helped me to understand the landscape in a more intimate way.

[@ronschlorff7089]

Good comment, yes, it's a special place, Sedona, and not just for "channeling the energy of the universe" through your body to reach some higher state of existence. I often thought I could make a lot of money there setting up an "institution" for the channeling of dark energy and matter. No one else is doing it and since astrophysicists say it apparently holds the whole universe together from flying apart, people could use that in their own lives, so they don't fly apart, occasionally, just saying!! Just Kiddddding!! Actually, they could just go out and paint, and that will help a bit in their lives too!! LOL ;D