Looking Glass Rock, NC - Pastel BRP #1

We love the Blue Ridge Parkway, a total of 469 miles, that goes through North Carolina and Virginia and follows the top of the mountain ridges.  We have been going there a couple of times a year for about 30 years and have zillions of pictures - we always say we aren't taking any more, but each time we click away.  You are supposed to draw what you know, and I have wanted to do a BRP series for a long time, so now is the time!!

So, I was reading a lady on WetCanvas, who is an accomplished landscape pastel painter, she wanted to improve so she did 30 landscapes in 30 days.   Every one who read that thread got all inspired.   I decided since I didn't do the 30 day challenge last September (may try in January if Leslie Saeta does it again,)to try to see if I could do 30 landscapes of pictures that I took just this last October when the color was past peak and spotty at different elevations.  I remember when I did the January 2014 challenge that I got faster, looser and better as the month went on.  So here goes, my Blue Ridge Parkway series, sure am hoping we see some improvement over the month.   For those you you who do landscapes, feel free to let me know what you think please.

These will all be 5"x7", pastels, would like to try to do them on sanded or velour papers so I can develop a feel for those supports.  I like this smaller size, not only just because it goes faster but it also limits how much I can get in the picture and may help me move away from the details that I so love.

This picture is taken from Route 276 (this is a twisty turny road with lots of hairpin curves) just below Looking Glass Rock, this is kind of the back side of the mountain.  It is unusual in that it is a dome, rounded and just pops up, will do a frontal picture that shows it is a bald.  We climbed it once and it took us six hours - so glad we did it when we were youngsters!!  While Paul clamored around on the edges (not me man, don't mind the height, but no edges) I sat back and listened to the peregrine falcons dive - you could hear the wind going between their feathers as they dove straight down.  Was awesome.

Anyway I am definitely not a landscape painter person, but figured I could do several things at once:  1) that if I do 30 of them from our own shots maybe I will become a better landscape painter, 2) I could develop a feel for these new supports I am trying and learn more pastel techniques, and, 3)  I also so love the moods of the mountains and would like to try to capture them on paper.  One of my goals is to get out and do some plein aire work, at least clouds, etc when it get warmer (my excuse now for not doing it) but this might be a way to work through some of my learning curve before I get out and make it more complicated. 

Thanks much for stopping by and hope you are having/had a great weekend.