Demo/Workshop

Join me January 25th! - FULL

Laguna Beach is ideal for painting,  mild temperatures
and it's almost summer like weather,  even right now.
I really enjoy painting seascapes and sharing what
I know about capturing it on canvas. 

Join me for coffee and a morning demo and then
I will guide you through your own painting
in the early afternoon after lunch. Class is limited
so plenty of attention will be given to each
attending. Limited to 10 students. $95 per student.
 To sign up email me by January 20th at
frankserrano@sbcglobal.net
or call 310-869-3200.

New Studio

Moving my studio and home has been a very exciting experience.  

I hate to leave such a great town,  but I'm going somewhere

that has many new opportunities,  especially some new subject

matter to paint.  I have some really great memories to take with

me and especially those of the people I made great friends with,  

I'm sure those friendships will always be there. 

 

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.
Walt Disney
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/moving.html#g6JeRtZvxMubwciQ.99

 “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
― Albert Einstein

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.
Walt Disney
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/moving.html#g6JeRtZvxMubwciQ.99

Sierra Cottonwoods
 

SOLD

Cotton woods in Round Valley at the beginning of Fall

Yellowstone Bison Sketch  oil  8"x10" NFS

I'm primarily a landscape painter but sometimes a subject

will hit you in the heart and you just have to paint it.

I travel a lot to paint and Yellowstone is a favorite

destination especially in the Fall.  The wildlife at that time 

of year is abundant and scenes like this a must to capture.

Think I will do a few more!

"Pacific Glare"   oil on linen   9"x12"

SOLD

Since I live near the Pacific Ocean,  it is one of my favorite
subjects to paint at any time of the year.  From the
windswept cliffs of the Pacific North West  to the sandy
beaches of California,  there is such a variety of scenery.

Above is a scene in Santa Barbara,  CA.  It is
a beach I love to paint.  On this particular day the
sun created glare on the water in the mid afternoon.
The intense light created such a great mood and
I had to paint it.

Price on request

Painting in Wyoming

"Haze at String Lake"   oil   13"x12"

SOLD
Legacy Gallery,  Jackson Hole

Nothing compares to painting up in the mountains

on location.  I have ventured all over the states,  but

my favorite by far is Wyoming,  specifically the

Jackson, Wyoming area,  home of the Grand Teton 

mountains.  

This was painted at mid day on String Lake,

probably my favorite of the group of lakes at 

the base  of the mountains.  I can get up early 

from camp and paint all day without hiking 

too far.

Fall is my favorite time because of the mild
temperature and beautiful color.  Most people have
ventured back home as well,  so no crowds,
except maybe artists since it's usually the fall arts
time in Jackson Hole!

Painting the movement of water

"Winter Surf"   oil   6"x10"

SOLD

Eastern Sierra Painting

"On the way to Pine Creek"   oil   10"x12" 

SOLD

One of my favorite places to paint the mountains

is the Eastern Sierra Mountains about 4 hours north 

of my home. This range runs some 400 miles north

to south and 70 west to east.  To the south is  Kings 

Canyon and the Giant Sequoia groves and further 

north you will find Big Pine Canyon with some of

the prettiest glacial lakes anywhere.  

Painting is abundant here and no matter what 

time of year it is pretty easy to get around to 

some of the great spots,  although winter

may be a bit of a challenge since some higher

elevation roads are closed. 

Field Studies

"Reflections of Fall"   oil   8"x10"  NFS

Field studies are an important part of the painting
process.  Like a portrait painter paints from a model,
the landscape painter needs his.  Yes,  you can paint
from a photograph,  but the real life experience of
being on location infuses the work with much more
than just an image.  Only after being on location with
easel can you honestly portray to the viewer exactly
what you felt and saw with much more sensitivity.

"June Morning"  oil  8"x16"

Private Collection

"Cliffside, Laguna Beach   Oil   12"x9"

Private Collection

"Early Summer at the Falls"  oil  12"x12"

SOLD

One place I love to paint is Yosemite National Park.
It is abundant with gorgeous views if you get out and
explore.  Of course there are the iconic views,  but 
many of the sweet spots are a days hike or less.  

In order to paint there you must pack accordingly,  you
will most likely be caring your own gear and staying 
light and compact is essential.  A small pochade box
like the Open Box M is what I carry with a few light
weight panels from Canvas Panels.  Everything fits
in a school sized backpack,  so Im not carrying a ton, 
it's just for the day.  Also, the weather can change on
a dime,  so don't forget a jacket, rain slicker and 
other important items  in case you get caught.

"Golden Mist,  Butterfly Beach"  oil  8x12

I just love days like this.  This was one of 4 paintings I

did that day in Santa Barbara and of course mother 

nature saves the best for last. 

The challenge of painting scenes like this attracts

me so much and of course it's because of the mood 

I feel and wanting the viewer  to see and feel

it too.

SOLD

"Fall River Color"  oil  12"x12"

Available at Mission Gallery, Utah

"Shore Break"    oil    8"x8"

Painting for me, is not just putting to canvas what exists,

 but what comes out of it's existence.

 

Price on request!

"Wyoming on my Mind" oil 10"x11"

Last Fall I traveled to Wyoming and painted my heart 

out.  I painted almost 30 studies in 8 days camping near 

the Tetons.  The painting above reflects some of the

work I produced.

Available at Mission gallery,  Utah

"Dream Lake Shoreline"  oil  9 1/4"x9"

SOLD

"Afternoon Russian Hill" 

SOLD

Taking registration for my Fall Sierra Workshop for September 13th -16th, 2013. 4 Day Workshop, plenty of demos and one on one instruction. All levels welcome. We will be painting around Bishop, including the Beautiful Buttermilks and Owens River. Lodging is abundant and reasonable. Cost per student (not including lodging) $500. For more detailed info email me at: frankserrano@sbcglobal.net

"The Rockies in Snow"   oil   10"x10"

Available Price on request.

"Rocky Mountain Stream"  Oil  12"x12"

SOLD

The Finished Painting

"Above Big Sur"  oil on linen  16"x20"

Available,  price on request.

"Above Big Sur" 

A step by step from study to studio painting

 

Step5

 

Finally close to being finished!  Now it's detail time, last

minute adjustments to color and some design elements.

In this step I'm adding details in the grasses and distant 

cliffs.  Also,  adding another rock near the cliff

and changing the foam direction near the bottom of the

painting.  I'm adding just enough detail  for realism,  

letting the viewer add the rest!  

Tomorrow a final look at the finished painting!

"Above Big Sur" 

A step by step from study to studio painting

 

Step 4

 

From step 3 to 4 I start building up details in the foreground 

little by little.  Again, the backgroud is still virtually untouched 

and the middle ground is slightly detailed.  Besides actual

details added by the brush,  color plays a huge part in creating

depth,  or what I like to say atmospheric perspective.  Remember

Not all distant values become bluer in the distance that's why 

it's so important to paint on location.  Accuracy of color and 

value comes with experience painting outdoors from life!

"Above Big Sur" 

A step by step from study to studio painting

 

Step 3

I decided to give you a wider view of what I'm working

on.  In this step, about 3/4 of the way through,  I have started

to add more paint and slowly build up areas working all

over the canvas.  Working this way for me breaths life into

the whole, all at once,  not a section at time which tends to

make a painting look stiff as if you were copying directly 

from a photo.  Of course,  areas in the distance don't need 

that much detail compared to the middle ground and fore-

ground areas.  Color and value aren't much of a concern 

since I established that during my block in,  but minor 

adjustments are made during this step.  Also,  edges at 

this step are well thought out keeping most of my crisp 

edges in the foreground.

 

Hint:  I do not soften any distant edges,  they are 

left alone since painted rather loosley early on 

in my block in.

"Above Big Sur" 

A step by step from study to studio painting

 

Step 2

 

In this step you can see the canvas has been completely 

covered with paint,  approximately one hour into painting.

It is only at this point, when I can see everything as a 

whole, that I can start to compare and adjust all 

my values and color to my liking.  You can see I've

kept all my shapes strong and haven't done too much 

detail work yet.  It is very important  not to lose 

yourself in detail,  remember what you are trying to 

convey and put down only the necessary brush marks.

 

"Above Big Sur" 

A step by step from study to studio painting

 Step 1

The first step is the block in with transparent washes 

of similar colors to the finished painting,  keeping in

mind the values that must be established.  The white 

of the linen will serve as my lightest value and the 

darkest value will be the forground bush on the left.

Hint: completely covering the canvas with paint 

during this stage will give you a better chance

 at nailing down your value.

Happy New Year everyone!  It's been a bit 

since my last post.  The holidays were busy 

and I was wrapping up last minute sales,  no

pun intended!  

I plan on posting demos soon,  but the 

weather was a bit tough,  lots of wet rainy

days and very cold.  It's now starting to 

warm up and hopefully in a week or so I 

have the first step by step demo posted.

Also,  If any of you are on Facebook and

would like to see more work go ahead 

and send me a friend request.  It's a great 

way to see what many artists are doing 

these days.