Nevada in February Plein Air Paintings

February 1, I drove to Stillwater to see what was happening,

flying, and floating around.

I was surprised at how many creatures there were.

Lots of ducks and coots, as usual.

But I saw more herons than ever before,

lots of pelicans making quite a racket,

two bald eagles.

And a muskrat that floated up to the bank

where I was painting and quickly ducked into his

cattail lodge.

The cattails were the best.

Rich golden-brown color and in various stages

of releasing fluffy seeds.

The day was nice, nearly 60, so the colors

were really fun to work with.

Winter painting at Lake Lahontan is nice

because the water levels are low and new islands appear

with trees and other marsh plant life.

I drew the ink sketch first and then let the

paint washes blend and puddle and create

their own patterns to see what would happen.

This was actually my first drawing at Stillwater.

I drew the cattails first and then was inspired to paint

the background in a light wash.

This is one of my favorite sketchbooks.

It is about 3" x 8", and I've been working in it

for a few years. I like to take my time with this type

and not fill it up too fast.
I put a few notes on the back describing the area,

weather conditions, and anything else that stands out.

It is really fun to go back and read it after awhile.

Cathie Richardson Illustration