Palms, Arches and Color

No, this is not what my surroundings look like where I live.  But, a girl can dream.  My first observation/point I would like to make, look at my old work from 12 years ago and now look at this, that I am soooooo thrilled about.  Can you believe I take workshop after workshop with artists that paint "loose" so I can learn how to paint like this?  I get so excited when I look at these and I can only hope I can do this again!  

This was an experiment that is not complete, yet.  I used a subject that I have used before, The Breakers, a large painting that sold at the City Cafe show.  I like the arches, the gigantic palms, the sunlight and the shadows.  I was going to do 6 variations of value studies using color.  Working with an 8x10 paper size, I first tried with no success to run watercolor paper through my printer so that I would not have to do 6 different drawings.  I did have a goal to let my colors run together and to experiment with colors that are new to me.  

What did I learn?  I have posted these in the order that I painted them.  Can you see how even here, the first one is much tighter than the last.  In the third, using colors new to me, I love how the magenta and quin. gold react.  I love the colors of the 3rd, but, prefer the sharp contrast in the first painting between the white of the paper and the paint.  The second painting, I like how it seems to be just the right amount of dark, light and even fuzzy indications.  The main thing I learned, was that it can be fun to do these kind of exercises at any point in our painting journey to see how we have grown.  Which one do you like?  Can you suggest any exercises that you like to practice in your art?

Here is the original painting of the Breakers with the new owner.  

Have a great week!