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Truckee River California

by Lee Fritch
(Vienna, WV)

Along the Truckee River

In Sept. 2008 I flew with my wife and half-size French easel from my home in West Viginia to eastern California to paint plein air in several locations. The Truckee River is near Lake Tahoe and Squaw Valley.

Along this beautiful river is a very active walking/jogging/bike path that makes it easy to find access to good painting spots. This watercolor quarter sheet was done one morning at that river.

I do not like to paint with the sun on my paper or pallet, and usually find a good tree to set up under. This is one of those paintings that fell together almost by itself.

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Truckee River California

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Oct 17, 2008
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Truckee River
by: Mary Ann

Lee,

Once again, thanks for sharing your work with us. I agree that one should not painting in the blazing sunlight. Our eyes work much like cameras and when focused on the bright light on our work surface, the lens closes down and creates greys.

If we paint in this kind of environment, the colors we mix tend to be too brilliant in compensation for the subject. I always turn my watercolor surface away from the light (if there is no tree to stand under), in order for the color to be more accurate.