Painting

Why Yes! My inner critic IS a big jerk

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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I’m currently reading “Your Inner Critic is a Big Jerk: and Other Truths About Being Creative” by Danielle Krysa. I was hooked as soon as I read the title. My inner critic prevented me from being creative for many years and from having the confidence to major in art. It took about 20 years for the desire to be creative to win out over my inner critic. The winning argument I came up with was, “I don’t care if I’m good or not, creating makes me happy, and practicing will help me get better.”

I remember reading an article years ago about a female artist. I thought her life seemed so cool when she described her process and what inspired her. She lived in Maine by the coast and that inspired her artwork. I wondered, “Who gave her permission to be an artist, and create whatever inspired her? Her parents, her partner?” I don’t know if I realized immediately how ridiculous that thought was. Of course SHE gave herself permission. Maybe her parents or partner supported her art along the way (and supported her decision to be an artist), but she believed in herself.

Shortly after reading the article the desire to work on what inspired me took over. It was no longer enough to create the assignments the teacher in my continuing education drawing class gave me. I wanted to know, “What would I create if I was left alone to explore?” Discovering what inspires me has been the fun part of my creative journey these past 3 years.

“Art is in me. I couldn’t keep it buried.”
– Martha Rich, Artist/Teacher
(from “Your Inner Critic is a Big Jerk” by Danielle Krysa)

Currently I’m inspired by my favorite place – the beach. I ignore my inner critic by sitting down and creating every day…and often surprising myself by the results. Has your inner critic held you back?

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Practice practice practice

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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My kids are asking why I am painting the same wave over and over. I’m practicing I tell them. My younger son also asked why I was painting the beach and not a snowy scene like what’s outside our window. I’m more into my beach painting project than a week ago. I’m not bored in the least and I feel like I’m learning so much by focusing on the same theme. Of course I don’t want it to be the same painting every time – and it hasn’t been. I did spend time today looking through our old photos for some subjects to paint – at the beach of course. 😉

Tips on painting waves in watercolor

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

For years I wondered how do you capture the ocean with paint? I decided to figure it out and painted the ocean over and over (and over). I learned and improved with each painting. Years later I still enjoy painting the ocean. 

Coastal inspired art | watercolor seascape by Eileen McKenna

Here are my top tips for painting waves:

Study your reference photo. 

To accurately paint or draw any subject you have to study that subject to really see the details  – colors, lights and darks, shapes, composition, etc.

Identify the main colors and where the colors change.

  • Often the distant ocean is a darker blue. As the water gets closer it gets lighter and greener.
  • Near the breaking waves, where the sand is being churned up, the water is greener.
  • The shallow water close to the shore is brown.
Easy Watercolor Seascape online video lesson for beginners

Paint Horizontal Strokes

After painting your base colors use a flat brush to add horizontal lines.  Horizontal strokes in your painting make things look flatter. You can add dark thin horizontal strokes on top of the distant ocean color (waves in the distance). Add thicker strokes for cresting waves near the break area (where the waves are breaking).

Painting a crashing wave in watercolor

Use White Gouache 

Use White Gouache to add waves in the distance, crashing waves, foam etc. White Gouache is thicker (more opaque) than watercolor and you can use it to paint over watercolor.

Painting Waves in the distance

  • Simply use a flat brush to add distant breaking waves

Painting Crashing waves

  • Use gouache to create the crashing waves. Your brush strokes should mimic the motion of the wave.
  • Add grey shadows within the breaking wave to add depth.
  • Use a dry brush or blot with a tissue to create spray coming off the wave
Blue Wave #11 by Eileen McKenna https://shop.eileenmckenna.com/

Painting foam

  • Paint the water near the shore brown and use white gouache to add the foam on top of it.
  • A dark brown line at the edge of the foam makes it look thicker and more realistic. You can soften the line with a damp brush.

Want to learn more about painting seascapes?

Easy Watercolor Seascape online video lesson for beginners

I share my step by step process for painting seascapes in watercolor.

Choose the format that works best for you:

Printable Watercolor Seascape Tutorial

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Week 1 of painting the beach

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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I’m really enjoying focusing on painting the beach this month. I kicked it off with a walk on the beach – of course taking lots of photos. I’ve taken the pressure off myself to finish a painting every day and post it. Instead I’m enjoying the process of mixing paints to find the right colors for the ocean and the sand, of starting one painting, and adding details to another, of trying different techniques to capture the depth and movement of the water, and of looking through our old photos to use as reference.

My goal is to sit every day for about an hour and paint or draw the beach. I wrote out a list of prompts, but am only using them as a guide on days I don’t know what to focus on. So far, 6+ days in (I started early), it is very relaxing, but I do worry that without the motivation/accountability to post a final piece, I’ll revert to old habits and not finish anything.

For now I’m going to continue as is. I may not have 6 completed paintings, but I’ve definitely learned a thing or two this week. I can re-evaluate how things are going next week.

11 art supplies I can’t paint without!

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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Painting Essentials:

  1. Canson Multimedia sketchbook. Love the thicker paper in this sketchbook. I can add watercolor without the pages buckling.
  2. Fluid Cold Press watercolor paper. I especially love the square shape of this high quality thick watercolor paper!
  3. Uniball signo 207 bold gel pen. I love how smooth these pens are when I want to add ink details to my paintings.
  4. Palette with cover.
  5. Painters tape – to tape down my paper
  6. Grumbacher watercolor brush. Favorite sizes: 8, 6, 4, and 2
  7. Van Gogh watercolor paints
  8. Holbein Gouache mixing set of 5. I love adding the opaque look of gouache to my paintings!
  9. Derwent drawing pencils. Especially with figures, I like to sketch in pencil before starting a painting.
  10. Kneaded eraser. For erasing and leaving only faint lines when I begin to paint.
  11. Paper towel – I have to have a piece of paper towel to suck water off the brush when I need a drier brush. Or to blot the brush after dipping in the water. It’s a good way to check the brush is clean.

Other Essentials:

  • iPad – I do everything on my iPad – google reference photos, take photos, write posts, create digital art, look through and post on Instagram, read WordPress blogs, and more. I made the investment when my Kindle cracked and it was the best thing I did. I couldn’t live without it!
  • ZXU Stylus pen – for drawing on the ipad. I use the apps Adobe Draw and Adobe Sketch because they link up with Photoshop and Illustrator on my desktop.

Other stuff in my supply tray:

  1. Reeves watercolor pencils for adding details
  2. Tombow markers for handletter

Recycled stuff:

  1. Tray from a holiday gift “basket” to hold everything
  2. Plastic egg container for mixing colors to keep the paints in my palette “pure”
  3. Back of the watercolor paper pads – to tape down my paper so it doesn’t buckle when it gets wet
  4. Recycled container (Ricotta or sour cream) for water
  5. Cracked mug for my brushes. It was too pretty to throw away!

Easy Forest Watercolor Painting for BeginnersWatercolor Seascape Tutorial Download

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2016 – My creative year in review

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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As this year wraps up, what I’m most proud of is not a particular painting or illustration but that after some ups and downs, I’m finishing the year strong. I completed daily challenges in October (InkTober), November (World Watercolor Group’s food prompts), and December (my own Christmas countdown).

Oh and I’m also proud of my Nutcracker pin!

My plans for 2017

  • Beach book – more details on this later this week 😉
  • Another enamel pin – a leprechaun is in the works
  • A pattern a month. I designed a pattern a month in 2015 and it was a great motivator. I learned so much and want to continue to grow in the area of surface design. First up is to turn some of my Christmas countdown illustrations into new patterns.

What are your creative plans for 2017?

A Star

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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Day 23 in the Christmas countdown. Today’s prompt is part of the final painting – which is in progress. Thought it would be a good idea to get a head start on the Christmas Day painting. I may be a little busy that day. 😂

On Instagram Teri has been painting along. She follows my prompts and World Watercolor Group’s prompts and others too! Visit her page to see all of her Christmas illustrations. @moxiemisfitblues

Silver Bells

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

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Day 22 of the Christmas countdown. Silver bells, silver bells… One of my favorite Christmas songs! I drew the bell in Adobe draw on my iPad. I thought I’d do more digital drawings this month, but instead spent 21 days working in watercolor and ink.

Carol is painting along with me. See her beautiful bells here. Only 3 more days left in the countdown!