In our plein air group I have long maintained that a "vista" doesn't always make a great subject for painting for many, me for certain. Some folks can make an appreciable painting from any view. I find that a "wow" view doesn't always translate that way for me.
In the SF Bay Area we have a lot of sweeping vistas available. Partly because of bay and ocean and mountain combos and partly because there are many many viewing points to see a broad panorama. But a panorama isn't the only thing in plein air!
Yesterday I had to swap our painting sites due to a weather front and ended up mid-Bay at Treasure Island. Vistas galore in every direction, starting with city skylines, islands and peninsulas and mountains, and even the boats and bridges if that's your thing. Most of us got lured into doing the SF skyline, and by way of confession, urban skylines are not my fave. I did it, but didn't feel inspired and it shows in the pastel of that below. But I didn't want to waste the time, so whipped out my watercolor kit and dashed off a simple but effective view of some of the islands and land masses, which did work. YMMV, of course.
