It's been a couple of weeks since I started these colour studies, and I'm still exploring light and loose brushstrokes through small sketches. I live in Finisterre, a place where the sea is always present and constantly changing, which has led me to choose these seascapes to copy. I am fascinated by the way light transforms the water and rocks throughout the day, and these studies are giving me the opportunity to learn before I start painting plein air.
Observing and trying to capture the nuances of the sea, the reflections on the surface and the atmosphere of each scene has allowed me to better understand how Sorolla achieved that freshness in his paintings. His quick studies were a way of catching the ephemeral, of registering a sensation before it dissipated, and that is exactly what I am interested in working on.
Painting these sketches has been an exercise in patience and experimentation. I am focusing on letting my hand go, looking for the expressiveness of the colour and allowing myself to make mistakes in order to learn from them. The idea is not just to replicate what I see, but to interpret the scene and connect with the emotion of the moment. Soon I want to go out and paint directly from life, facing the changes of light and the spontaneity of the live landscape, something that will undoubtedly be a challenge, but also an enriching experience.
