It’s been way too hot to paint on location lately, so I’ve been spending more time in the studio. Today, I started color research on the Sedona, Arizona area. I’ll be participating in the 6th Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival October 23 through October 30. The internet is great for research and gave me a wealth of information on Sedona and the surrounding landscape. Looking over the photo images “Googled up” on my computer monitor, I discovered 2 things……(1)painting Sedona, Arizona is going to be REAL different from painting Texas…. and (2) I don’t think the “Texas colors on my palette are going to be very useful on location in the Sedona area. Even the greens are different. After playing around in my palette for a while, I finally came up with some mixes that will probably be alright, and entered the following color notes in my sketchbook: 
This note gives me 2 choices with mixing Quinacridone Pink & Winsor Yellow; depending on whether I want a “flat”, even wash (on the left) or a variegated wash (on the right). This mix, thinned with water makes a nice “glowing” pink-orange.
In this sample, I’ve used Quinacridone Pink and Lunar Earth for the light side of the “rock” and for the shadow, a varigated mix of Lunar Blue, Carbazole Violet, and Cobalt Blue (all colors are from Daniel Smith)
The color notes here are using the above mixes with some Yellow Ochre added to the one on the right.
Here’s a thumbnail of the red rock mesas/cliffs typical of the Oak Creek Canyon area of Sedona. I’m close but for better color accuracy, I plan to add several more “granulating” Primatek earth colors by Daniel Smith to my paint supply. A perfect excuse for shopping….don’t you think? Of one thing I’m certain….an artist can never have too many tubes of paint!
Misty Meadow – 16x20 Watercolor
Cottonwood Valley – 11x14 Watercolor
