Acrylic Seascape Details

July 25, 2018January 27, 2021 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

Painting Seascapes

Before beginning to work in acrylics, I practiced painting seascapes in watercolor. Although acrylics are different, I found practicing in watercolor to be very useful. I developed a process that, when I switched to acrylics, I could follow. And painting with watercolor on paper is less expensive than using up canvases.

Coastal inspired art | watercolor seascape by Eileen McKenna — Watercolor Seascape by Eileen McKenna

Process for Painting Seascapes

Here is a summary of my painting process. Keep reading for links to more in depth resources.

Mix seascape colors – I mix blues, greens, and browns from ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow, and cadmium red.
Mark the horizon line. I use painter’s tape to achieve a straight horizon line.
Paint the ocean water closest to the horizon darker and bluer.
Paint the water in the cresting wave lighter and greener.
Paint the shallow water near shore brown.
Paint the sand. The sand is darkest closer to the ocean where it is wetter.
Paint the crashing waves with white.
Paint the foam with white and a flat brush. Horizontal lines help this area appear flat.
Add shadows to the breaking wave.
Paint the sky as a blue fade that is lighter closest to horizon.

Tips for Painting Acrylic Seascapes

Study a reference photo to identify the details that will make your seascape more realistic looking.
Clouds in the sky – I used an acrylic gel medium to thin out the paint and overlay colors for a more transparent look.
Paint lighter areas on the ocean for the sunlight
A dry brush can help create the spray off a crashing wave
Use an art sponge to make the shadows in the crashing wave look more natural.
Add a dark line beneath the edge of the foam to make the foam appear thicker.

Art sponge makes more natural looking shadows when painting waves

Practice painting seascapes in watercolor with these tutorials:

I share my step by step process for painting watercolor seascapes in the following tutorials. Choose the format that works best for you:

Printable tutorial – step by step with photos of each stage of the process
Video lesson – 34 minute video lesson
Live Zoom lessons – coming soon! Check here for updates.

Easy Watercolor Seascape online video lesson for beginners

How to paint the ocean in watercolor and gouache | tutorial | step by step instructions | painting tips — Watercolor Seascape Painting Tutorial

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How to Paint the Ocean with Watercolor and Gouache

June 6, 2018February 19, 2021 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

The beach has been the backdrop of my life. It’s where I was born and raised, played, worked as a lifeguard…and now enjoy summer days with my family. I spend a lot of time learning and practicing capturing the ocean in watercolor.

Printable Watercolor Seascape Tutorial — Download the full “Waterscape Seascape Painting Tutorial,” in my Etsy shop.

How to Paint the Ocean with Watercolor and Gouache:

1. Use a reference photo. It is very important to paint from a reference photo. All the details you want to capture to make your painting look realistic are in a photo.

2. Tape your paper to a board. Tape your paper down to prevent it from buckling when it gets wet.

3. Tape your horizon line. To ensure a straight horizon line, use a ruler to measure and mark each side of the paper where the horizon line should be. Then tape across your paper above the pencil marks.

4. Mix your colors. I always mix my ocean colors to achieve more natural looking colors. In general from the horizon line to the sand the colors go from blue, to green, to brown.

5. Paint the first layer. Starting at the tape paint the distant ocean all the way to the dry sand, changing colors as you go. Don’t be afraid to overlap the colors.

6. Darken the first layer as needed. Add darks in the ocean for waves, etc. Refer to your reference photo. If the first layer is dark, consider lifting color with a damp brush to create highlights.

7. Paint the sky. Paint a simple fade where the color lightens as it gets closer to the horizon.

8. Paint the foam with white gouache. Gouache is more opaque than watercolor and you can paint over watercolor. I add white over the first layer of ocean colors to create the foam of the waves.

9+. Add details. Study your photo for little details – shadows in the breaking waves, etc. The details are what will make your painting more realistic looking.

Call it done! Every painting is a learning experience and information for the next painting. Call this one done and then try another one. The more you paint a subject, the better you’ll get at it.

I dive deeper into the process of painting seascapes in my video lesson and pdf tutorial. Give one a try!

Seascape painting video lesson

Seascape painting printable tutorial

Watercolor Seascape Tutorial Download — Download the printable Seascape Painting Tutorial PDF in my Etsy shop.

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Capturing the Bluest Blue Sky

April 26, 2018January 14, 2019 | Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

Painting the sky in watercolor

I’m happy with the results of the sky above, which is ironic because I thought this painting was a lost cause. This is what it looked like:
Blue skies in watercolor

In an effort to capture the saturated blue of the sky (with a hint of purple), I had previously used several colors (including cadmium red and ultramarine) and the above was the result. It was too purple, and too dark. It looked like a cloudy day.

I didn’t give up. I removed a lot of the paint by wetting it and soaking it up with the brush, and also blotting with a paper towel. Then I added cerulean blue on top. It was this layering of the colors that helped achieve the blue I was looking for. I don’t think the cerulean alone would have worked as well.

I also painted clouds and highlights with white gouache. I’ve been using white gouache for the foam of the ocean for a while but only recently have I been using it in my skies. I’m loving the results. Just shows that you gotta push through the ugly stage!