Welcome to this painting workshop where we dive into the vibrant beauty of Taupo Bay, a stunning coastal gem in northern New Zealand. In this chapter, I'll guide you through the process of capturing the dynamic interplay of ocean waves, the rugged majesty of cliffs, and the ethereal dance of light that brings this scene to life. We'll explore techniques for painting clouds, sky, rocks, and foliage, all while focusing on creating depth and realism. You'll learn how to design a composition that harmonizes colors and values, ensuring your painting resonates with energy and aliveness. As we progress, I'll demonstrate how to mix those captivating ocean hues directly on the palette, sharing insights into color theory that are invaluable for both beginners and seasoned painters. Whether you're working with oils or acrylics, this lesson is packed with practical tips to enhance your seascape painting skills. By the end, you'll have a piece that not only captures the essence of Taupo Bay but also reflects your personal artistic journey.
This guide accompanies the full video lesson. The lesson includes the complete narrated video, the printable PDF chapter, and personalised critique support.
Mix pure titanium white with a touch of yellow oxide to create a warm highlight color for the clouds. Use a number 4 flat brush to apply these highlights, maintaining loose brushwork to suggest sunlight shining behind the clouds. Tidy up the cloud shadows using ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, and titanium white, ensuring the base of the shadows is slightly darker.
Refine Distant Sky
Add lighter color to the distant sky on the horizon using a mix of titanium white, ultramarine blue, and cobalt teal. Feather the ends of some clouds with this mix to enhance the effect of bright sunlight behind them.
Add Reflected Light on Headland
Introduce a slightly lighter tone to the headland to suggest rock faces, using ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, and titanium white. This will help define the forms and add depth to the headland.
Highlight Foliage on Cliffs
Mix a more saturated green with yellow oxide, ultramarine blue, and cadmium yellow, adjusting with quinacridone magenta and titanium white for lighter value. Use this to highlight leaves and foliage in sunlight, creating vibrant greens. For Puhutokawa trees, add phthalo green and yellow oxide, lightening with titanium white.
Detail Cliffs and Trees
Use a number zero round brush to add highlights on cliff ridges and tree canopies. Create straw-colored grass with yellow oxide, quinacridone magenta, and your existing green mix, lightening with titanium white as needed. Add more detail to the right-side cliffs, using ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, and titanium white for reflected light.
Pro tipUse phthalo green sparingly due to its high chroma, adjusting with other colors to achieve natural greens.
Embark on your Taupo Bay painting journey by preparing your canvas with a warm burnt sienna wash, setting the stage for a vibrant landscape. Sketch your composition with confidence, using Liquin to thin your paint and speed up drying times. As you lay out your design, let the headland be your focal point, guiding the viewer's eye with thoughtful composition adjustments.
Dive into your color palette with a rich array of hues, establishing depth with dark values to create atmospheric perspective. Paint with intention, using broad strokes for clouds and headland shadows, while ensuring your colors harmonize across the canvas. As you progress, layer your sky and sea with dynamic blues and greens, leaving room for the play of light on wave crests.
In the final stages, refine your painting with detailed brushwork on cliffs, rocks, and foliage. Use your dagger brush for precision, and adjust your greens to reflect distance and depth. Balance your composition by restating darks and highlights, ensuring your painting captures the essence of Taupo Bay with clarity and vibrancy.
Points to remember
Use Liquin Original to thin paint and speed up drying time.
Adjust composition elements to enhance the overall design.
Start with the darkest values to establish depth and perspective.
Mix burnt sienna with ultramarine blue for neutral grays with a blue cast.
Ensure cloud highlights are not too bright to maintain depth.
Leave gaps in the sea for adding white water on wave crests.
Use loose, gestural brush marks for a painterly effect.
Mix in a color with red to reduce green saturation and help it recede.
