Working from my color sketch and value sketch I started painting the composition using a #10 bristle brush in the seascape painting. I am painting on an 18 x 24″ stretched canvas. Using cerulean blue I paint the wave and rocks as seen in the first photo. I want the layout to be fairly accurate so I take time to be sure everything is correct. Using the cerulean blue I paint in the darker areas to create some value.

At this point I step back and look at the canvas to see if the composition is pleasing. It looks good so I start painting the sky. Using the same cerulean blue with white I paint the sky. I add a little cadmium yellow light to the lightest mixture for the area closest to the horizon. Then working my way up I gradually darken the blue and white paint.

For the clouds I use the same mixture of cerulean blue and white and add a little alizarian crimson to darken the shadows of the clouds. I continue with the clouds adding white paint for the brightest areas.

I then darken the mixture using the same blue and white paint for the water. I carefully paint the horizon line with this color. I paint the rest of the water above the breaking wave adding rolling waves with different values. Paint the farthest waves closer together and as you move down the canvas paint the waves further apart. This will create perspective in the painting. That’s it for now, check back for the next step in painting a seascape in oil. Thanks, PJ