time lapse

Delicate Arch in Watercolor

When you think of Utah, an image of Delicate Arch from Arches National Park might be one of the first that pops into your head. It’s easily one of Utah’s most famous and iconic landmarks. Heck, it’s even on our license plates!

I have painted Delicate Arch a couple of times as little, fun paintings. The first was when I tried out some watercolor markers on a scrap piece of paper. You can watch a time lapse video of that painting here.

Another time I painted Delicate Arch was when I made a 5x7 birthday card for a close friend. That little painting I made into stickers as well. You can buy one HERE or by clicking on the image.

A couple of months ago, my youngest son requested I make a “big” painting of Delicate Arch and I figured it was time. By big, that’s usually on 11x14 paper. I am still working on organizing my studio space to accommodate larger paper.

I had lots of fun with this one using white gouache paint for the stars instead of masking fluid and really loving the warm purples in the shadows of the arch. I never get tired of painting beautiful red rock.

I have this painting available for sale at prints in 5x7, 8x10, and 11x14. Click on either of the images to link to those listings. This one will be available as a vinyl sticker soon.

HERE you can watch the time lapse video of this latest painting of Delicate Arch.

What should I paint next?

Milky Way Over Sundial Peak & Winter Blues

Sundial Peak Watercolor

There’s something to be said about noticing when you’re in a funk and acknowledging that it’s okay and just rolling with it. I first noticed it with my kids. We’re all cranky and mornings are tougher than usual. I told them both that it’s normal for this time of year. The holidays are over, it’s cold, it’s dark, and spring and summer feel a million years away. It feels like there’s nothing to look forward to like we had in November and December. My kids and I have deemed it the Winter Blues.

*Not to be confused with actual depression. Seasonal depression is real too, and I dunno, maybe I get a touch of it this time of year?

Somehow, acknowledging that we’re all feeling it made it suck a little less. We are hanging in there and simultaneously enjoying the snow we’re getting and also anxious for spring to get here.

Last week I realized I hadn’t done any painting since the end of December. And before that, I hadn’t painted since August. I had no motivation or inspiration; which sucks because I live in such a beautiful state!

Imposter Syndrome loves these moments and chimes in with little tidbits that sound like, “you aren’t skilled enough to paint that,” “don’t even start painting that, you won’t finish it,” and the ever popular, “paint that and everyone will learn how awful/fake/not-a-real-artist you are.” She’s a sneaky bitch.

Last summer, during one of my weekend shows, a guy asked how I made the stars on my Milky Way paintings. I told him that I was trying out different techniques as I went; some I used masking fluid, some I used white ink, some I used both. He commented that on a couple, it was hard to tell if I was going for stars or snow. I took no offense because his comment came from a place of pure analysis, but it did make me think. A few of my paintings are small, 8x10 or smaller. So when I’m using masking fluid, it can be more challenging to paint smaller stars if; especially if I’m just flinging masking fluid off of a brush.

One such painting was this one of Sundial Peak and Lake Blanche. This is a local mountain to me and one I am hoping to hike or backpack to this summer. The first time I painted it, I used masking fluid to make the stars. I splattered it on the page and then erased it off when the painting was done. It acts similarly to rubber cement. This original is maybe 8x10 inches, and I didn’t have the patience to make smaller stars by using a tiny brush and doing one at a time. You can watch a time lapse video of how I made this painting here.

I wanted to repaint this mountain on larger paper and see what I could come up with. This version has a bit more snow, more sky, and less of Lake Blanche. I skipped using masking fluid this time and made all of the stars with white pens.

This one took me more than a few days. I would paint a small part and step away for a day or two before coming back to it. I wasn’t thrilled with the mountains, feeling like they lacked some depth. Then I wasn’t happy with parts of the sky; the blues not inky enough. I wasn’t sure how I wanted to show the little bit of Lake Blanche that shows at the bottom. The reference images I had showed dark green spots where it was iced over.

I overthought this one a lot. Heck, I still am. I already know a few spots I want to change in Photoshop; like that stripe of snow down the middle that I didn’t intend to go almost perfectly vertical, LOL. I’ll scan this one and make it into prints and stickers…. after I’m happy with it.

Here you can watch the time lapse of how it was made.

Here’s a list of the supplies I used; including links. Some are affiliate links.

…and the desk lamp that also holds my iPhone so I can make these cool videos.

What should I paint next?? I really want to paint locations that are outside of Utah, but I don’t love painting the same views of the most popular spots that everyone takes photos of. I kinda want to continue with public lands and National Parks too. Decisions…

Buckskin Gulch Watercolor

Yesterday I finished a watercolor painting from Buckskin Gulch in southern Utah. It’s close to the Utah/Arizona border and is one of the longest slot canyons in the world. It’s definitely a place I’d love to visit someday. I would LOVE to paint there in person rather than rely on photo reference. Heck, I’d even be happy with photo reference I took myself!

Buckskin Gulch Watercolor - Alex Tebow Designs

Isn’t it cool how the canyon seems to be glowing?? I will be ordering this one as a small sticker and I’ll make my whole Public Lands Sticker series available at an 8-sticker set for a discounted price. My stickers are available here.

Buckskin Gulch Watercolor - Alex Tebow Designs

I plan to keep painting, but I won’t restrict myself with public lands only. I recently made a painting of Sundial Peak which is part of National Forest land up here in the northern part of Utah and I have a painting of Delicate Arch from Arches National Park that I’ll make available eventually too. And I do want to paint spots that are outside of Utah too. I’ll get there!

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Product of the Month - March 2021 - Ring Light & Phone Clip

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I use so many different products with my work, I decided to start featuring a product each month and see how long I can keep it up. This post contains affiliate links. Shopping through them earns me a few cents and it is very much appreciated.

Last March, when my kids convinced me to start making time lapse videos of my watercolor paintings, I ordered this ring light and phone clip thingie from Amazon. I’m fairly certain my iPhone was listening in on my conversation with my kids because one popped up as a sponsored ad on Instagram later that day…. because that’s not at all creepy.

This thing has turned out to be really, really useful. The clip is decently strong to grip the edge of a table or a shelf and hold my iPhone 11 with very little sagging.

The ring light can be adjusted to be super bright or a couple of steps dimmer and I can even adjust the color of the light if I need a warmer or cooler light. I often use just the light when joining conference calls or job interviews via Zoom. The ring itself isn’t large enough to get that neat reflection in people’s eyes, but it does a great job lighting my desk for when I’m painting.

This device came with a little remote control that can link to an iPhone or Android phone. I’m sure it would come in handy if I ever plan to use my clip to make videos where I’m physically in the shots.

For a tool that was only $20, this has been perfect for my current needs. But I know that someday, if I want to continue making videos of my paintings, I will want something sturdier that can get a true, overhead view. For now though, this clip works great for what I need.

Babylon Arch & Lower Calf Creek Falls Watercolors

A few months back I finished these two paintings of Babylon Arch and Lower Calf Creek Falls. Both of these beautiful spots are in southern Utah and they are seriously two my all-time favorite hikes in Utah.

Babylon Arch is near Hurricane, UT and is part of the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. It’s a beautiful hike through some little canyons and you get a beautiful view of the Virgin River before descending a sandy slope to the arch. Late afternoon is a wonderful time to go for some really amazing light.

If you’d like to purchase a sticker of this artwork, click here!

Babylon Arch Watercolor - Alex Tebow Designs
Babylon Arch Watercolor - Alex Tebow Designs

Lower Calf Creek Falls is in southern Utah too, but closer to Boulder and Bryce Canyon National Park. As the crow flies, it’s about halfway between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks. It’s a really wonderful hike through a small canyon and along a creek. There are sections that are loose sand, and the hike is a bit long for kids at about 6.5 miles roundtrip. But the waterfall at the end is so worth it! You can even find thousand-year-old pictographs on a canyon wall. In the summer I bet it’s very hot, but you can swim in the icy water. We hiked in early April, so it was warm enough to enjoy the water on our tired feet, but still cool enough to not be miserable.

If you’d like to purchase a sticker of this artwork, click here!

Lower Calf Creek Falls Watercolor - Alex Tebow Designs
Lower Calf Creek Falls Watercolor - Alex Tebow Designs

My kids informed me that my time lapse videos are too short to gain many viewers or subscribers on YouTube, so I combined both of these paintings into one. They can stop giving me crap now.