yoohoo I need help from socal people!!

[dodolah]

guys, I need suggestion on vacation site around south california.
I am locally at Los angeles.
can drive
longest distance north (santa Barbara)
longest distance south (san Diego)

Preferably a place where nature abounds and less man made structure.
Such as Mountains, beach, cliff, rocks, etc etc..
This is not for picnic or playing.. but rather for photography and painting activities.


I am stuck with planning this thing..
I can only come up with Dana Point.. But, i don't know a particularly good site.

Thanks people..

 

[panthercham]

How about Palm Springs? Great mountains, nature and Joshua Tree National Park is stunning.

 

[Sporkthedork]

Well since you're in LA, you could try Las Virgenes View Park, Malibu Creek Park and Griffith Park.

 

[KevinA]

Santa Barbara in my opinion has the most beautiful scenery in southern California. You have great seascapes, cliffs, a marina/sail boats, mountains, valleys, lakes, indian caves with paintings. If I could, I would recomend Jalama beach, it is pure beach with rolling hills, though it is a little out of the way of anything else. Refugio State Beach and El Capitan are also nice and closer to the main Santa Barbara area, with access to the mountains right across the highway.

Hard to beat and I have traveled most of America.

There is also some nice camp grounds local to me in Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains and malibu are also very nice.

 

[dodolah]

wow! thanks for all the idea.. I love Joshua tree national park.. but for now, I don't feel going there without good planning.
They close at 5 pm; and it took 2 hours from my place.

Keep the idea coming, guys.
I'll check again tomorrow morning.
And, depending, if the group painting and photography activities successful or not, I'll post the result in this thread.

Thank you thank you thank you!!!

 

[BMXICAN]

guys, I need suggestion on vacation site around south california.
I am locally at Los angeles.
can drive
longest distance north (santa Barbara)
longest distance south (san Diego)

Preferably a place where nature abounds and less man made structure.
Such as Mountains, beach, cliff, rocks, etc etc..
This is not for picnic or playing.. but rather for photography and painting activities.


I am stuck with planning this thing..
I can only come up with Dana Point.. But, i don't know a particularly good site.

Thanks people..

I love "south" southern Cali, but your better off going north.
Scenery varies more IMO (a little bit of everything, from beaches to deserts and in between).

 

[Debmonster]

If you're talking plein air painting then Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez rocks. The purple/blue shadows on the mountains with the white bark and cerulean bluish leaves of the eucalyptus trees are suuwweett. Makes me want to go painting!!! Take me with you!!!

THESE ARE NOT MY PAINTINGS..I could only dream

 

[dodolah]

yeah!!! r u plein air enthusiast as well?!
hahahaha! Next time I go to SB! Share me the tips on good location.
my most favorite favorite california impressionist is William Wendt. His paintings are on display at Laguna Beach museum right now.
What a show!!!!

 

[Debmonster]

That would be an awesome show. One of my "other" businesses was an art gallery. I had artists like John Budicin and Clark Mitchell give plein air workshops. Man did I learn a lot! William Wendt was the master!

But we have a watercolor master on this site and they paint chameleons!! I work in watercolors too but I'm not good I only do it for fun and relaxation.

 

[SoCaliSon]

Frans... It is tough to get a reservation... But you really need to go camping in the Yosemite Valley Floor. It is a REAL vacation, meaning you have to plan over a year in advance, and from LA it is maybe a 5-6 drive, but it is breathtaking.

 

[dodolah]

Thanks, guys.
somebody Pm me about the mission. So,
We ended up going to the mission at San Juan Capistrano and work our way up and stop by around hiking trail at Laguna Beach.
I found some areas that is a private hill.
We ask for permission to paint and the owner has been nice enough letting us paint there.

It was a success.

I will go to Joshua tree national park, santa barbara, and yosemite valley floor next time.
Here is the painting that I did.
The mission one is done in 2 hours and the mountain one is in about 45 minutes since the lighting change so abrupt. But, it was fun.

enjoy
PS: sorry for the glaring water mark. Ever since, orphan law is in effect, I have to put this ugly watermark on all my works

This is done in gouache (opaque watercolor)

 

[SSimsswiSS]

Very nice! Takes me back to my watercolor days.

 

[haleybobl]

Those are wonderful. I especially like the 1st one!