In this jumpstart, I will use a very simple subject and try to get some good mileage out of it. Now remember our goal here is to get moving, turn a corner or just fire up the creative juices and this exercise should really help. Take the backs of several of those less successful pieces and sketch out a simple rock pattern on the bottom of each piece, and then put in a low horizon, make sure it is low and not in the middle. Start right now thinking in terms of good space division in your paintings, even in your practices. Good habits make better paintings. Along the edge of the horizon, put a simple shape that represents some piece of land.
Handle the skies, water and rocks differently in each one, try in for a graded sky cool to warm, such as cobalt blue up top and raw sienna in the corner let the colors blend. Put in a nice reflective and calm piece of water. Drop in the horizon when the sky is still damp flick your brush to get rid of the excess water and the put in the horizon. Make each painting different with a different color and light feeling. As a note, I scraped the lighting with a knife, lifted the clouds with a damp paper towel and scraped the tops of the rocks with credit card or Teflon pan scraper. Vary your approach to each painting and do them quickly, again this is a simple exercise and should warm you up. Oh and by the way, do these from memory not from a photo. Get you brain involved in your work. 
11×15 cobalt blue, Raw Sienna with a touch of alizarin in the darks.
11×15 cobalt blue, burnt sienna, alizarin crimson, and raw sienna.
11×15 cobalt blue, raw sienna, new gamboge, and sap green
11×15 raw sienna, cobalt blue, and sap green
Scraping rocks –what a great way to get ready for painting in Maine!