Monterey Bay Canyon ii.

:: Monterey Bay Canyon ii. :: Watercolor Palette The second iteration of the Monterey Bay Canyon palette continues an ongoing study of color drawn from this coastal region of California. Where the first palette moved primarily through deeper oceanic blues and submerged canyon tones, this second iteration expands outward into the surrounding landscape. It gathers the colors of shore, wetland, and near-surface water, forming a broader ecological field that completes the visual range of Monterey Bay when considered alongside the first collection. Pinnacle rests in a deeper ocean blue, clear and steady, like open water under shifting sky. Salt Marsh holds the soft green of coastal wetland growth shaped by tide and soil. Estuary carries a blue-green tone found where freshwater and saltwater meet and blur into one another. Seamount opens into a luminous turquoise drawn from underwater rise and filtered light through depth. Cypress Point shifts into a coastal teal shaped by wind, forest edge, and ocean pressure meeting rock. Elkhorn Slough settles into a quiet, mid-range blue, carrying the feeling of protected waterways and slow-moving channels. Each color is grounded in observation of place, drawn from specific points along the Monterey Bay coastline and its surrounding systems. Together, they trace a continuous movement from open water to shoreline ecology, from depth into surface-adjacent landscapes. The Monterey Bay Canyon series is designed as a paired body of work. The first palette explores depth and submerged structure within the canyon itself. The second extends into the surrounding ecological environment. Viewed together, they form a complete visual language of this region, moving between surface, shoreline, and depth. Formulated to allow a range of expression, from light, airy washes to deeper, saturated passages. Each pigment interacts with its companions to create subtle shifts and layered depth across the collection. A study of coastal presence, held across two connected palettes A small A7 field journal in vegetable-tanned leather is shown alongside this palette as part of the studio process and scale reference can be found here. Materials and Making Mineral pigments blended with a natural watercolor binder of distilled water, honey, glycerin, and acacia sap. Each pan is poured by hand and allowed to settle according to studio rhythm, capturing the nuances of color and texture. Lightfast, with natural granulation and responsive layering. Context Wildthorne palettes support the placement of solitary bee nests in protected habitats throughout the Pacific Northwest, advancing pollinator stewardship. Made to be experienced slowly, returned to often, and lived with over time. Availability is limited. For your safety: external use only. Avoid ingestion and keep out of reach of children. Learn more about materials & paintmaking → Materials & Craft Supports Wildthorne’s Watercolors for Wildlife initiative → Watercolors for Wildlife