Iao Needle and stream

Iao Needle, located within the Iao Valley State Park is one of the most recognizeable landmarks in Maui, not only for its striking natural beauty, but also for its historical significance.  It was here in 1790, that King Kamehameha battled with Maui's army in his quest to unite the islands. Even with the Iao Needle serving as a lookout point, Kamehameha defeated Maui's army in a ferocious battle that ultimately changed the course of Hawaiian history.

OK, enough with the history lesson...there are so many shades of green in this valley, and trying to capture the beauty of this place is challenging. I used stippling, lots of dots, to represent the leaves of the trees and to give the painting some depth as well as texture. The bridge brings out a nice architectural contrast against all of the foliage. To the right of the needle, I was trying to capture the look of the clouds descending into the valley...was I successful?

Honu - Green sea turtle watercolor

Honu is the word Hawaiians use to refer to the green sea turtles that come and hang out all around the islands. The are so graceful as they swim through the water, and since they are protected by the endangered species act, they seem to have no fear of humans. Partly inspired by my personal video while swimming with the turtles, I have tried to capture the gracefulness as it effortlessly glides through the coral reefs.
I started painting the turtle by laying down a warm background color, then I left that as the negative space as I painted in the shapes around it. The colors of the coral reflect the same colors I used for the turtle.