An example of the type of step study that will be featured in my new book, "Mondays with Camille" and Everything Else you Didn't Learn in Art School about Color," due out in late November 2013.

This is one of my favorite spots to paint — our state-of-art, combination wetlands/water recycling facility in Petaluma, CA. Wetlands are a great subject to paint repeatedly because they are always changing.

This was a very hazy morning, so I am striving to paint the color of the air. In this scene, the air was very soft pink.

Step One: I overcolor at first with the intention to eventually add color to modify the first color notes I lay in.

Step Two: As I say to my students, you can tame a stallion, but you can't bring a dead horse back to life.

Step Three: The dead horse could have been a sky too dark and too blue.

Finished Painting: "Morning Haze, 9 x 12 inches, oil on canvas

An example of the type of step study that will be featured in my new book, "Mondays with Camille" and Everything Else you Didn't Learn in Art School about Color," due out November 2013.

Actual Scene, in Petaluma, CA

First Note

Step One

Step Two

Step Three

Finished Painting "Sun Streak" 8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas

An example of the type of step study that will be featured in my new book, "Mondays with Camille" and Everything Else you Didn't Learn in Art School about Color," due out November 2013.

Actual Set-Up

Me Painting

Step One

Step Two

Finished Painting, "The Green Vase," 12x16 inches, oil on canvas

An example of the type of step study that will be featured in my new book, "Mondays with Camille" and Everything Else you Didn't Learn in Art School about Color," due out November 2013.

Gray day light is one of my favorite lights to paint. Hensche often said that there was more color in a gray day than a sunny because the colors weren't bleached out.

Here is a photo of the actual scene, a turning basin in the Petaluma River.

Step One

Step Two

An example of the type of step study that will be featured in my new book ("Mondays with Camille" and Everything Else you Didn't Learn in Art School about Color) due out November 2013. 

The demo was a study of the variation in greens.  Step One - It was a challenge to get the far trees on the right to recede, so I stated them cooler and more violet. The trees on the left were started with warmer color notes.  I started the sky with a warm note of color to which I eventually added blue.

Preliminary Sketch Step Two