Beach cruisers
Combine paint mediums
I started this painting with watercolor for a soft background sky and sea. As I moved to the foreground I used darker values in watercolor. Looking for a punch of bright colors I switched to gouache paint.

Experiment with paints
My favorite beach cruiser bicycles are bright summer colors. Maybe teal, pink, pale blue or even yellow. To get the pop of color I wanted I switched to an opaque watercolor, also known as gouache.
Inspiration
“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.”
Wyland
Rest and relaxation is what this painting is all about. Two bicycles have been ridden to the beach and lean against a fence. The riders are off relaxing ocean-side.
Drawing
Drawing inspiration from a scene at the beach, I like to sketch in pencil for 10-15 minutes on location. Have a small sketchbook or journal with you.
Color
In this step I have finished painting with the watercolor. I just do not get the color I am looking for so I break out the gouache paints.
I painted the bicycles and the areas of the foreground in gouache for the pop of color that I was looking for. Finished painting is further below. Click button for purchase information.
Beach cruiser kind of day
Medium: watercolor and gouache on Arches paper
Genre: seascape
Size: 9.5″ x 13″