Sunday, February 3, 2013

Learn How To Create The Best Beach Paintings On Canvas

By Dorothea Garner


One of the most enjoyable and popular settings for painters is the beach. It's a romantic notion, sitting on the beach, painting a seascape. Of course, the reality can be just as glorious and the end product spectacular, but you'll need the tools and tips to make it so. Otherwise, you could end up aching, windswept, frustrated and with paints and paintings covered in sand. Creating the perfect beach paintings on canvas is no easy task, ans it takes a few goes to get the ideal look.

An easel and a solid, stable stool are absolutely essential. You're not going to get great results crouched down on a beach towel or trying to hold a canvas straight. So set yourself up on a flat stretch of beach or above the sand on a headland.

It very much depends on how much you need to capture in your painting. Working from a distance gives a bigger vista, and offers practical benefits in shade, shelter from winds and privacy too. You'll avoid many curious passers by, the sort who often interrupt the painting.

Use a small table with a container for all paint, water and brushes. These should be easily reached, secure and waterproof in case of rain. Acrylics are ideal, being waterproof once dried on. But also keep a protective weatherproof cover handy, so if the weather changes suddenly it can quickly flip over the canvas.

Keep paints, brushes and palette in a plastic or perspex box that can be snapped shut. Leaving the lid up will provide extra protection. Bulldog clips can be used to secure the canvas to the easel, and the plastic cover too.

With weather concerns in mind, the coast changes quickly. One moment you've got wide blue skies to capture in art, then the next is overcast and cloudy. Check weather forecasts, selecting a day with predicted stable conditions for several hours. First, take some photos of these perfect conditions, for referring back later when things change and as you finish the painting at home.

This may seem like a lot of preparation, but it is worth it for when you start painting and will save you time and hassle once you get going. Now to begin! Seascapes are a good, straightforward subject because, basically, you're painting horizontal strips. Sky, sea, then ground. A top tip is to start at the top, and this helps with your changing weather, too. Get the sky down on canvas first with a wide, flat brush.

Then the sea, starting at the horizon and again working your way down to the foreshore. It ends in a white line where the surf meets the sand. Waves are tricky, but a pointed or medium round brush tip can create darker areas in the color of the sea denote waves well. For once, start at the sand/surf edge and work up. Blend them in with a dry brush, and add white for surf wave crests at the end with a detail small brush. Once you are done you can stand back and admire your beautiful beach paintings on canvas.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment