A few weeks back in my “Aah Feel Good” post, I was out with the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters (MBPAPA) at Garrapata State Park, right along that wild Big Sur coastline. It was classic coastal fog, socked-in so bad that some moments you could barely make out the ocean crashing below the cliffs. My piece turned out solid enough to probably be a keeper after a little studio touchup.
Now, the California Art Club was having a paint out at the same location, and it was bright and sunny!
Quite a few fellow artists showed up. I am not sure the count but there had to be at least twenty artists scattered along the cliffs. It was also great to reconnect with some artist friends I hadn’t seen in years. Here’s a few pictures of the group painting along the coastline–
On the drive down Highway 1, I was contemplating: Should I just paint sunshine right over that foggy version and finish it off? Or start fresh? I polled a bunch of my painter buddies on-site, and every single one told me: “Don’t you dare! That foggy one’s already good—leave it alone!” So, I set up at the identical viewpoint, grabbed a panel the exact same size, and went for it: Garrapata Twins! One moody and atmospheric in the mist, the other bursting with golden California sunshine.
Here’s a few pictures of me out painting (one photo courtesy of Nancy Takaichi)–
The new painting, I think is also a keeper after some TLC in the studio. Here is a snapshot–
After touching up both, I am tempted to frame the pair as a diptych, fog vs sunshine. Here is a shot of both them stacked in the studio.
What do you think? Diptych or not? I’d love to hear your take!
Update—
I had a few short videos I’ll add after publishing this post.
…so goes the iconic James Brown Song. It had been quite some time since I had been out painting on location, way too long, and going out felt good!! It had also been quite awhile since visiting the Big Sur coastline, not far from my home.
Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters was having their usual Wednesday paint-out at Garrapata State park, one of my favorite spots to paint, so joined them. The forecast promised a partially cloudy day, and it was around the house here in Marina, but as soon as I got to Garrapata, here is what it looked like—
In some directions you couldn’t even see the water, just hear the crashing surf! Quite a few had shown up, maybe 12-15 artists, and we were all hoping a little sun would peek through the fog, which as expected it did towards noon time.
By the time I was packing up to head home, it was somewhat sunny, but the fog was starting to roll back in!
I spent several hours on the piece, which I think is a keeper after maybe a little studio touchup–
untitled, 8×16, oil on board
The California Art Club is having a paint-out in the same area in a couple weeks. It will probably be time for a return visit!
All of a sudden, I am in two upcoming shows, one virtual, and one in Downtown Old Monterey. The first is in the California Art Club “From Sea to Sierra” virtual show, March 23 through June 29, 2026. The second is at the Casa Gutierrez in downtown Monterey, a State Historic location, December 12, 2025 – May 2026. More details to follow.
Dunes View (Monterey), 15×30, oil on canvasThe Bell, 9×12, oil on panel, plein air
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Having spent my adolescent and twenties in East Texas, I am always enchanted by the beautiful skies and clouds when returning for a visit. There’s something timeless and dramatic about those towering thunderheads massive, powerful clouds that roll in with a deep rumble, drench the earth in a quick burst of rain, and then move on as if nothing happened. On calmer days, great billowing cumulus clouds drift lazily across the sky, unhurried and magnificent, like giant ships sailing through an endless blue sea.
In my younger days working outside in the the relentless Texas summer heat, the cloudbursts would bring a short refreshing cool break to the heat, but in an hour or two there would be no evidence of the downpour.
Here at my current home in the Monterey Bay area, the skies are a little less dramatic. Being close to the Pacific, the skies are usually a non-event. The exception is just after a fall/winter storm, when we get a glimpse of that same grandeur I remember from growing up in Texas.
We had a storm front come through the other day, and during our usual walk among the Marina Dunes, the big cumulus clouds were rolling by. I couldn’t resist snapping a few photos for later study. One photo in particular was good, so I submitted it to the local newspaper Monterey Weekly. To my delight, the very next day it appeared in their daily eNewsletter as the “Photo of the Day.” You can see it here.
Well, I just had to paint the scene. Here are a few shots showing the painting as it came together.
Here is the finished piece. I did take some artistic license, heightening the clouds for a bit more drama. As always, I may tweak it here and there in the future, but for now, I’m calling it done.
One comment made after one of my last posts on AI is that everything will turn out the same, as you have the same instructor, a computer.
Not quite.
Each large language model (LLM) has its own “upbringing.” Much like children growing into adulthood, they’re shaped by what they’re fed. Behind the scenes, teams of human trainers pour in oceans of text—books, articles, websites, conversations—then refine the responses with feedback. The result? Each AI develops its own quirks, voice, and way of seeing the world.
Curious to explore this, I decided to run a little experiment. I chose a scene I know well: a coastal view I painted back in 2017 for the Carmel Art Festival. That painting went on to win the Plein Air Magazine Award of Excellence—so the place carries special meaning for me. The subject is Soberanes Point on Big Sur’s rugged coastline, beloved by artists everywhere and one I return to again and again with my brushes.
Below is the scene and my painting from that day.
Vertigo!, 24×12, oil on canvas
I presented a photograph of the scene to two different AI models: ChatGPT (which helped ignite today’s AI revolution) and Google’s AI Studio. The last time I tried Google’s tool, it glitched and couldn’t produce a painting at all. This time, however, it worked.
Both AI models used a similar color palette, and included many colors I use on my palette. However, the results couldn’t have been more different. One leaned toward a dreamy, impressionistic style. It emphasized more bright colors I normally wouldn’t do, but other artists use to great effect. The other was more literal, almost like a photograph with artistic filters applied. To my eye, the Google output felt less inspired, something I might achieve just as easily in Photoshop.
My painting is somewhere in between what the two AI models produced. While not being as bright as the ChatGPT version, it was a more literal translation similar to Google AI. Of course I did do some cropping and editing, as I wanted the point of interest to be the ocean and light behind the nearer rocks. I also moved the rocks around a bit, adding more to the right side to help balance the composition.
Below, I’ve shared the edited versions so you can see for yourself.
The biggest surprise? ChatGPT actually refused to take on certain aspects of the task—a hint of where the tangled question of AI copyright begins. That, I’ll share in my next post.
ChatGPT Results
Here’s how I’d approach developing this coastal plein air oil painting, step by step, with suggested colors:
Palette Choices
Sky & Water
Ultramarine Blue
Cobalt Blue
Cerulean Blue
Titanium White
Touches of Alizarin Crimson (for violets)
Viridian or Phthalo Green (sparingly, for water depth)
Sunlit Hillside
Cadmium Yellow Light
Yellow Ochre
Sap Green
Viridian mixed with Yellow Ochre (for spring greens)
Raw Umber + White (to dull greens where needed)
Cliffs & Rocks
Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber
Yellow Ochre
Ultramarine Blue (for shadow planes)
Alizarin Crimson (for warm accents in rocks)
White (to modulate value)
Foreground Vegetation
Sap Green
Cadmium Yellow Medium
Viridian
Burnt Sienna (to warm greens in sunlight)
Touches of Cadmium Red Light (for warm sparks among foliage)
Development Process
Block-in (thin washes / transparent earth tones)
Sketch composition with Burnt Umber or a mix of Ultramarine + Burnt Sienna.
Indicate big shadow masses of cliffs and hill.
Keep it thin and transparent.
Establish Values & Light
Lay in the sky first: Cerulean + White near horizon, deepening with Ultramarine higher up.
Indicate water masses with broad strokes, reserving lighter passages where sun reflects.
Middle Ground – Hill & Cliffs
Lay warm ochres and siennas into sunlit cliffs.
Mix cool violets (Ultramarine + Alizarin + White) for shadowed rock faces.
For hillside greens, alternate warm greens (Yellow Ochre + Sap Green) with cooler mixtures (Viridian + Blue).
Foreground Rocks & Shadows
Deepen shadows with Ultramarine + Burnt Sienna (rich dark neutral).
Add sharp edges and angular brushwork for the rocky forms near bottom.
Accentuate contrast between warm cliff planes in sunlight and the cool shadows below.
Final Accents & Movement
Bright foam of waves: Titanium White with a touch of Cerulean, applied with broken brushstrokes.
Add warm sunlight accents with Cadmium Yellow Light glazed thinly over cliff faces.
Foreground grasses with flicks of Sap Green + Cad Yellow + touches of Red for sparkle.
Google AI Studio
Painting this en plein air, I’d start by establishing the broad shapes and values.
Sky: I’d lay in the sky with a mix of Ultramarine Blue, a touch of Cerulean Blue, and plenty of white, keeping it light and airy, especially towards the horizon where it meets the distant hills. A hint of yellow ochre or a very light peach might be blended in near the sun for a subtle warmth.
Distant Hill: For the large hill, I’d use a mix of Sap Green, Yellow Ochre, and a touch of Burnt Sienna to suggest the dry grasses and varied terrain, keeping the values lighter and colors more muted due to atmospheric perspective. The sunlit areas would get more yellow ochre, while the shadowed side would have more green and a touch of Ultramarine for coolness.
Ocean: The deep blues of the ocean would be built up with Ultramarine Blue, Prussian Blue, and a hint of Alizarin Crimson or Burnt Sienna in the darker, deeper areas to create that rich, cool depth. Near the shore and where the waves break, I’d introduce lighter mixes of blues with white, and possibly a touch of viridian for the shallower, more vibrant greens. The white foam would be a quick highlight with titanium white, perhaps with a touch of the water’s color mixed in for translucency.
Cliffs and Rocks: The prominent cliffs would be a mix of Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, and a touch of Dioxazine Purple or Ultramarine for the shadowed crevices. I’d vary the texture and color for the sunlit faces versus the shaded undersides, using lighter, warmer tones for the former and cooler, darker tones for the latter. The smaller rocks in the water would echo these colors but with more blue reflections from the water.
Foreground Vegetation: The immediate foreground plants would be rendered with more intense greens (Sap Green, Lemon Yellow, a touch of bright Cadmium Yellow), focusing on their distinct shapes and the play of light and shadow on their leaves.
Development: I’d work from general to specific, thin washes to thicker impasto. First, block in the sky, then the distant hill, followed by the ocean. Next, define the large rock formations, working from the general shape to more detailed highlights and shadows. Finally, I’d add the foreground vegetation and the whitecaps of the waves, paying close attention to the interplay of light across the entire scene to capture that bright, clear atmosphere.
I haven’t been out plein air painting since the Carmel Art Festival last May. Far too long. So when the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters scheduled an outing at Rocky Point, that wild stretch of Big Sur coastline just south of my house, I decided it was time to get back out there.
It was overcast on the 25 mile drive to the point and the first hour or so of painting, but the weather forecast was pretty accurate, and the sun came streaming out late morning. A pretty good crowd of a dozen or so showed up, quietly concentrating on their work. I spent about two hours on the piece.
Frequently when you are painting in direct sunlight, and bring the painting indoors, it becomes ghostly dull. Colors flatten and shadows lose their depth. True to form, that’s the way it turned out. Some artists use an umbrella to shade the painting and alleviate this problem. I carry one in the car, but it is such a hassle to set up, I rarely do. Many times it is just too windy.
Here is the painting after about two hours work. I’d say it’s a keeper with a little touchup–
Continuing my dive into experimenting on whether Artificial Intelligence can improve an artists work, I asked ChatGPT how to improve the piece. It gave a pretty accurate echo of what I’d already been thinking about improvements (shown below).
This is a lovely plein air piece—you captured a strong sense of atmosphere and the rugged coastline really well. Since you only had a couple of hours, you got the essentials in, but here are a few ideas for improvement that could help push it further:
Suggestions for improvement:
Value contrast: The mid-ground cliff could use a stronger dark/light separation to make it pop against the water.
Edges: Sharpening a few edges in the focal area (maybe where the waves crash on the rocks) would give more energy.
Color harmony: Adding a bit more warmth (orange, sienna, or subtle pinks) into the rocky areas could balance the cooler greens/blues.
Atmospheric perspective: You already have soft hills in the background, but pushing them slightly bluer and lighter would add depth.
Water movement: Suggesting more directional strokes in the water could give it more life and rhythm.
If you’d like, I can generate a new JPEG for you with digital adjustments that reflect these improvements (higher contrast focal cliff, enhanced warm notes, softened background hills, livelier water).
Below is the painting ChatGPT came up with. Although I like some aspects of it, the painting is probably a little too saturated and contrasty. It doesn’t really reflect what we were seeing that day.
I’ll touch the piece up in the next week or so, and return here with a final version.
The 32nd annual Carmel Art Festival took place this past weekend, and I was once again honored to be juried in. I’ve had the privilege of participating nearly every year since 2006, and each time brings new challenges, fresh inspiration, a chance to visit art friends, and hopefully a finished piece or two that really sings!
Unlike some plein air festivals where artists get a week or more, the Carmel Art Festival gives you just over two days to produce at least two show-worthy paintings. No pressure, right?
Living nearby for the past five years has definitely made things easier and less expensive—no scrambling for motel reservations, and I’ve got the comfort of my own studio to do final touch-ups and framing. That said, the intensity of painting under the clock never really changes.
The adventure began Wednesday morning with the official check-in. That’s where the back of your canvas gets stamped—proof that you’re painting live during the event and not sneaking in something from the archives.
I kicked things off at Point Lobos, revisiting a tucked-away cove I’d discovered years ago but never actually painted. The weather was doing its usual coastal tease: fog, sun, then clouds. But honestly, just sitting there with the crash of the surf and the chatter of gulls was enough to make me feel lucky to be alive and painting.
After about two to three hours, I had a solid piece I was pretty happy with. After eating a quick lunch on-site, I then packed up and made my way to Asilomar State Beach. The surf was up and the waves were putting on a show of their own. I again produced a piece I was happy with.
A few photos from the day so far are below.
Late that afternoon, instead of heading straight to another location to paint, I dropped by the artists’ reception. I’ve always skipped it in the past, since golden hour is just too precious to miss, but this time I stopped by for a quick visit to see what it was like and say hi to long term artist friends. Then, just before sunset, I made my way to the great sand dunes near my home—a place I walk or bicycle often. I knew just the spot I wanted to paint.
It was a long, full day, but by nightfall, I had two paintings finished and a third well underway.
The next day, Thursday, my lower back was making itself known, so I decided to take it easy and stay close to home. I focused on touching up and framing the three pieces—always a satisfying part of the process.
Friday morning, the paintings were delivered to the festival. Here are a few photos from the festival in downtown Carmel.
Sunday brought some unexpected drama. While still at home, I got a call from the festival saying a collector was interested in purchasing my Marina Beach Trail painting—but there was a problem. It had been damaged! What?! Oil paintings, of course, are often still wet when hung. Apparently, someone had backed into or touched it. By the time I got to the show, the potential buyer had changed their mind, and instead was going to check out my website.
Upon closer inspection, it looked like someone had dragged two fingers right down the surface of the painting. Later, another artist mentioned that a child had been touching some paintings the day before, and his piece had been smudged too—though not as badly.
So, my sale was foiled by a smudge!
Below are images of the finished works.
Asilomar Crash, 11×14, oil on panelLobos Cove, 12×12, oil on panelMarina Beach Trail, 12×24, oil on canvas
Here is another shot of Marina Beach Trail showing the smudges.
Despite the unexpected hiccup with the damaged painting, the week was deeply rewarding. There’s nothing quite like the thrill—and exhaustion—of chasing light, battling wind and waves, the camaraderie, and trying to capture fleeting moments on canvas!
All great traditional landscape artists paint from nature. Painting on location, or plein air painting, captures the true colors, light, and atmosphere of a scene in a way that photographs often distort. Cameras can alter color values, compress depth, and lose subtle details in shadows and highlights, whereas painting from life allows the artist to observe and interpret the full range of natural light and color relationships. Additionally, being present in the environment engages all the senses, leading to a more dynamic and emotionally resonant representation. While I frequently paint en plein air, only on rare occasions does a field study captivate me so completely that it inspires a studio painting nearly identical to the original.
One such moment happened last January when I joined the Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters for a special outing to Fort Ord Dunes State Park, a breathtaking stretch of coastline not far from my home. You can read about that adventure here. I’ve painted the dunes around Marina, CA, many times before, but this time, park rangers led us to a remote, rarely accessed location. I often ride my eBike through this area but it’s just a little too far to walk. I produced a decent piece, which was a keeper, and loved the view and composition of the painting. Here are just a few snapshots from that day…
This is the original plein air piece, with hardly a smidgen of touchup in the studio.
Working the Dunes, 8×16, oil on board, plein air
I liked the composition and scene so much, I spent the last week doing a larger piece in the studio very true to the original on location piece…
Dunes Vista, 15×30, oil on canvas
As usual, I might touch it up a bit, but seems finished to me!
Here is the original plein air painting on top of the studio piece in a single snapshot. (I blocked out the extraneous parts of the photograph.)
MBPAPA and the State Park staff are exploring ways to showcase this restoration project as a shining example for other State Parks. Proposed exhibition venues include Asilomar State Park Gallery, CSUMB, Monterey Airport, and even state office buildings in San Jose, San Francisco, and Sacramento. Stay tuned—this collaboration could inspire even more creative and environmental synergy
