Cobb Estate Cypresses

Cobb Estate Cypresses 5″ x 8″ – watercolor

The Cobb Estate in Pasadena is a wonderful resource for artist, hiker and nature lover (also dog walkers.)
These evergreens line the old driveway which is now crumbling slowly.

The plants were not my main interest here – it was the strong pattern of lights and darks created by the shapes of the italian-looking trees.
I can only imagine how stately they looked before the land was reclaimed by the chapparal.

This was painted with a limited palette of raw sienna, burnt sienna, prussian blue and mauve, with a swath of thalo blue for the sky wash.

The illusion of bright sunshine is all about value – the strong contrasts that happen during mid day when the noon sun washes out surfaces to white, and creates the deepest darkest shade.

Comments

1. 

   Creekhiker
   May 8, 2007

   Karen, Really good study in value. I had not heard of the Cobb. When Mabel is back in the saddle, we’ll have to check it out.

2. 

   wendy
   May 8, 2007

   Your pics open up quickly now that I’ve got broadband! Very dark and a bit scary to me with all those shadows. Great though.
   w.