Back Street on Cape Cod

There is something nostalgic about VW buses. This is a very old model as I remember. They were commonplace during the 6o's. I did not own one but had friends and when it appeared, a good time was ahead. There is a shop in Sacramento that works on VWs and often I see the old model buses. I have painted them into several of my paintings done on Cape Cod because I see them there. It is a bit more difficult drawing it from memory. I had a photo of this old house which I sketched from and painted a value study. This study was missing something so I put in a VW Bus. One of the discoveries that comes from value studies is composition and connecting shapes.

My VW Bus

Love VW buses.  They were the rage during the '60's and 70's.  It was fun driving them.  I remember taking our bus to Tahoe during the winter and having trouble finding it after a snowstorm.  We didn't dig it out for a week.  It started right up and got us home.

This was a very quick sketch and painting for a Senior Watercolor Class.  The object was to grey colors by mixing some black.  It worked for some colors but not all.  The bus didn't get any and you can see the sparkle.  I prefer to make greys by mixing complementary colors in nearly equal amounts.  This method produces greys that enhance one or the other of the complementary colors when placed next to it.  The mixing can be done on the palate or directly on the paper.

Te Brewster General Store

Oops, another VW bus painting.  I started doing VW bus paintings many years ago when my daughter requested one.  She was a student where there were lots of them still going and had fond memories.  Sketches were easy then because there were plenty around. I put them in paintings at that time, but just remembered them recently, when I sold a painting of Mendocino with a VW bus. Three people wanted the same painting.  All of them said it was the bus.  Driving those buses was work and the ride was enough to induce the 'shaken baby syndrome'. 
The Brewster General Store is an icon for the town of Brewster on Cape Cod.  It is draped in patriotic bunting and there are always kids with ice cream.  It is a favorite family stop.