Thursday, May 7, 2015

The Bridge

Yes, the historic Colorado Street Bridge.  This graceful, curving bridge, built in 1913 is a landmark in Southern California, spanning the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena.  For obvious and unfortunate reasons the bridge was and still is known as Suicide Bridge.  The most recent tragedy was just last year.  Pasadena Heritage closes the bridge for a festival every summer.  Of course it's a popular filming location for commercials and TV shows.          

The bridge is also a very popular subject for plein air painters.  I've been putting off trying to paint it since it looks complicated to me.  All those arches!  Last week one of the paint-out groups met at a small park with a nice, distant view of the bridge.  I decided to give it a try in gouache since I can do some adjusting with that opaque medium.  I also liked the pretty weeds in the foreground!  


5" x 7" Gouache



9 comments:

  1. Wonderful interpretation of the bridge

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  2. Looks like those arches were no problem! Well done, Sherry.

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  3. You did good! I'm also intimidated by the bridge. I painted it once plein air style when I was in undergraduate school (pink and in oils)

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    1. Thanks Liz. A pink version sounds...interesting. ;-)

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  4. Also trying to figure out that vantage point. Your up high?

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