Molly Making McDonald Creek

Jenny got tired of me painting squares. She wanted me to paint something real, like nature. Luckily I live in the Pacific Northwest, which means that pretty much every picture I take outdoors has a mountain of some sort in it.

Hurricane Ridge



Completing this painting taught me a lot, like not to outline mountains and ridges. I also discovered that it is really hard to paint snow. And realistic looking trees. I am, however, particularly enamored with the mountain peak furthest to the right - I think the snow line and the implied ridge is quite dramatic. Overall, not awesome, but not bad for a first try. This picture is from Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic Mountains, which we went to see when my sister Katie came to visit the first summer we were here.



McDonald Creek Rapids



I was quite pleased with the way this one turned out. I feel like the water looks pretty good, and I managed to get some detail into the rocks without going overboard and ruining the whole thing, and the far shore has the hint of trees without me having to actually draw them all in. Ben's little brother Josh decreed that it looked like a real painting. Ben and I took this picture on our honeymoon when we went backpacking in Glacier National Park. It's a great park, we recommend it highly.



Next up? Maybe some knitting that's been creeping along in the shadows.