As the summer sun graces the beaches of New Zealand, I find myself exploring these serene landscapes in my camper van, capturing their beauty to share with you. One such gem is Rangiputa on the North Island, a place that inspired this lesson. Although I couldn't paint it live as the sun set, I captured stunning photos that we'll use to guide our painting journey. In this chapter, I'll show you how to transform a simple photo into a vibrant, glowing painting. We'll delve into the art of editing your photos right on your phone to enhance their warmth and color, setting the stage for a masterpiece. Whether you prefer acrylics or oils, I'll walk you through creating a radiant sky and adjusting your palette to suit the scene. Together, we'll simplify complex subjects into manageable steps, ensuring you enjoy the process without the fear of mistakes. By the end, you'll not only have a beautiful sunset beach painting but also the confidence to infuse any scene with that captivating inner glow.
This guide accompanies the full video lesson. The lesson includes the complete narrated video, the printable PDF chapter, and personalised critique support.
Rangiputa 15x15" Acrylic on Canvas by Richard Robinson
Step 8Color Relationships and Sand Details
Prepare the Base Color
Use toning grey as your base color. Spray the palette to keep the colors wet and workable. Mix in a little burnt sienna and yellow ochre to create a darker, warmer grey for shadow areas.
Adjust for Soft Light
Ensure the grey is warm and dark enough for soft transitions from shadow to light. This will help maintain the soft light effect without hard shadows.
Explore Color Relationships
Notice how the warm grey appears cool against the orange. This demonstrates the relative nature of color. Be mindful of the amount of cool tones you introduce to maintain an overall warm feel.
Add Warmth to the Sand
Squint at your reference photo to identify warm and cool grey areas. Add more yellow ochre and a touch of bright yellow to warm the grey further, especially on sand planes facing the sunset.
Understand Sand Color
Remember that white sand rarely appears pure white in low light. Trust the process of using warm and cool greys to depict the sand accurately.
Create Smooth Transitions
Aim for smooth edges rather than sharp ones. Use a palette knife to add texture where needed. Adjust the color to reflect the light and sky, ensuring the cool grey areas appear lighter and cooler than the warm grey.
Pro tipUse a palette knife to add texture and create smooth transitions between warm and cool greys.
Embark on your painting journey by carefully preparing your reference photo, enhancing its warmth and saturation to guide your artistic vision. As you move to canvas preparation, select a surface that complements your desired texture. Begin with a vibrant undercoat to establish the mood and set the stage for your composition.
With your composition sketched out, focus on building the scene from the sky downward, blending colors to capture the essence of light and atmosphere. Introduce clouds and trees with thoughtful color choices, ensuring each element harmonizes with the overall warm scheme. As you progress, pay attention to the interplay of warm and cool tones, especially in the sand and grass, to create depth and interest.
In the final stages, refine textures and add highlights to bring your scene to life. Use a variety of brush techniques to maintain a natural, gestural feel, and incorporate details like grass tips and bunny tails to enhance realism. Remember to keep your edges soft and your colors vibrant, allowing your painting to evoke the serene beauty of a walk to the beach.
Points to remember
Use the 'Copy Edits' feature to maintain consistency in your painting references.
Check the base material of your canvas board for desired texture.
Use the brush in various directions to avoid creating lines.
Ensure your path fans out from a single point perspective for natural flow.
Test your color mixes on a separate surface before applying them.
Use Ultramarine Blue for a warm color scheme.
Use a palette knife to add texture and create smooth transitions.
Use a dagger brush for long, beautiful lines when highlighting grass tips.
