First Walk on the Beach - Custom Watercolor Painting

Detail of 'First Walk on the Beach'

Sizzling summer days are the perfect time to visit the seashore, and what could be more fun than taking a small child to chase the waves?

In this commissioned watercolor, Grandpa holds tightly to his little granddaughter's hand on her very first visit to the ocean. I had fun painting it. It reminds me of many happy beach days when my own children were small.

To see the finished painting, scroll to the bottom of this post. Meanwhile, I'll show you how I painted it.

Day at the Beach - a Custom Oil Painting of a Mom and Her Kids at the Ocean

A Day at the Beach - oil on canvas detail

It's July and a great time for a beach painting, don't you think?

I had a request for a small oil painting of a mother and her two children looking out at the ocean as the waves crash into shore. The client provided three photos of the subject and asked that I use them however I like.

One of the photos made a perfect composition, but it was taken at an angle from above. So I changed the perspective to be closer to the same level as the figures.

To take a look at how I painted this 8x10 oil on canvas, keep reading...

Diamond Head Crater from Waikiki Beach Hawaii Watercolor Painting

"Diamond Head" watercolor is sold. See more of my tropical paintings for sale

Each day that I was in Hawaii, I rose early just as the sun was coming up and would be outside painting or taking photos as soon as possible. In this painting the early morning sun is just touching the clouds with the palest rosy pink and there are not yet many people about.  Diamond Head crater stands majestically in the distance greeting a new day on the island of Oahu.

East Beach, Rhode Island Watercolor Painting Demonstration

East Beach is a favorite Rhode Island beach for nature lovers. It's definitely my favorite. This barrier beach runs in a strip for 2 undeveloped miles along the coast, perfect for a long walk at water's edge. Portions of it are designated for wildlife since seabirds nest along its length. On the grassy dunes wild beach roses bloom in summer.

I was delighted to be contacted by someone who found my work on this blog and asked for a larger painting of the beach. I'll share how I painted this watercolor below:

Diamond Head from Waikiki Beach watercolor painting Tropicals #15

The subject for this painting was ordered by a collector of the Tropical series. Like many beach lovers who visit Hawaii, she enjoyed long pleasant days on Waikiki beach. Diamond Head crater can be seen in the distance.
If you visit Oahu and have stamina for climbing, it's a nice hike up to the top of the crater from which there are excellent views. I, for one, was glad that I'd kept in shape all winter by climbing up and down the stairs in my home 10-20 times per day because once we got to Diamond Head, the stairs to the top seemed unending!

See more of my Hawaii seascapes.

Turtle Bay North Shore Oahu, Hawaii - watercolor painting

"Turtle Bay" original watercolor is sold

The surf crashes in at Turtle Bay on the north shore of Oahu in this plein air painting.
I painted this impressionist watercolor on handmade paper while sitting on the beach overlooking this beautiful coral bay. An occasional misty rain gave a bit of a mottled look to the painting as I painted it, enhancing the texture already present from the handmade paper. So there is a bit of Hawaiian rain in this watercolor!

Kailua Bay Oahu Hawaii Watercolor Plein Air Beach Painting

I painted this lovely watercolor seascape at the beach. It was very windy since Kailua Bay is on the windward side of the island - the east coast. So all the colors in my little palette became full of sand no matter how hard I tried to shield them from the wind.

Actually, it did not matter that I was using sandy paints. Oahu's beach sand is incredibly clean and white which is partly why the colors of the water are so intense. As the paint dried, the wind blew the sand particles off the paper. You cannot tell there was sand there at all!

I am giving the original painting to my sister with whom I traveled. It is her favorite of those I've painted so far.

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The original watercolor is sold. Ask about having one painted especially for you. I can also make a print, contact me for sizes and prices.

Kailua Bay Oahu Hawaii Watercolor Plein Air Beach Painting

I painted this lovely watercolor seascape at the beach. It was very windy since Kailua Bay is on the windward side of the island - the east coast. So all the colors in my little palette became full of sand no matter how hard I tried to shield them from the wind.

Actually, it did not matter that I was using sandy paints. Oahu's beach sand is incredibly clean and white which is partly why the colors of the water are so intense. As the paint dried, the wind blew the sand particles off the paper. You cannot tell there was sand there at all!

I am giving the original painting to my sister with whom I traveled. It is her favorite of those I've painted so far. If you like this piece, ask about having one painted especially for you.

Delray Beach Florida Watercolor Seascape Painting Video Demonstration

 

This piece was inspired by a photograph one of my watercolor students brought to me from her recent trip to Florida.

But it was also inspired by the weather here. Winter is getting mighty long with 3 ft of snow still on the ground and my driveway a solid sheet of ice. It would be nice to go somewhere warm!

So let's take a trip, if you will, to a sun-kissed beach where the dawn tints the sky with a rosy hue, the temperatures are warm and the sound of the crashing waves cures the winter blues!

Catching the Waves - A Beach Scene in watercolor

This is a commission painting that I've just finished. Such a touching scene with Grandpa, don't you think?

I enjoyed doing this because I love painting the ocean in watercolor and it was fun to do the people and their reflections in the water. Commissions are great because they often challenge me to paint things a little differently than usual.

Cane Garden Bay, Tortola Virgin Islands - watercolor

You are standing on a beautiful powdery white sand beach, green hills behind you and clear turquoise waters before you. Cane Garden Bay on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands is a paradise!
I'm so glad I recently picked up a new watercolor - cobalt turquoise - at the art store. It's the perfect color to capture the stunning beauty of the water in this painting.

Sand Dollars & Sea Shell - Watercolor paintings

One of the finest things about summertime is walking along a long stretch of sandy beach barefoot listening to the crash of the waves, feeling the cool salt breezes and the warm sun and picking up sea shells, starfish and sand dollars as treasures to bring home!

• These paintings have been sold, but you can contact me if you'd like to order a painting or print just for you.

East Beach, Rhode Island - watercolor

In this view of my favorite Rhode Island beach, you can see the long stretch of sand that seems to go on forever. Only a few people are out on this day, the water is unusually placid. This makes for a starkly simple scene that is quite pleasing. Just sand, water and sky and a distant horizon.

Rhode Island - East Beach - watercolor

Now that it's beach weather, it's a great time to take a trip to the shore. This scene is from East Beach in Rhode Island, one of my favorite beaches. The dunes are full of beach roses blooming and one can walk for miles along the shore far from the crowds with only the sound of the surf, the seabirds overhead and the fresh salt air breezes.

Ocean Sunset - Watercolor Painting

A small tern swoops near the surf's edge on a beach at sunset in Hawaii. I love the sky in this piece and the pink reflection on the rolling waves from the setting sun.

Newport, RI Harbor - Watercolor Painting

There are dark clouds in the sky, but the sun is peeking through in this scene of a harbor in Newport, Rhode Island. There are beach roses blooming behind the fence and daylilies in a small garden on the right. Out beyond the anchored boats is a line of sailboats. It almost appears that they are racing, they are so close together, and indeed they may be as there are many sailboat races in the area.

Sunset Beach, Hawaii - Watercolor Painting

A dramatic sea surges landward under a blazing sky. The sunset has stained the water a deep rose color and a dark cloud passes by as swiftly as the surf rushes in. Sunset Beach has spectacular surf and blazing sunsets. I tried to capture its drama and motion in this painting.

Palm Trees against the Sunset - Watercolor Painting

The reference I used for this painting was Hawaii. Palms are silouetted against a yellow and mauve sunset with waves washing up on the beach, reflecting the colors of the sky.

Sunset Beach, Hawaii - Watercolor Painting

The sun is setting behind a cloud in this painting of Sunset Beach as the surf rolls in. I've captured a moment when one wave is crashing with a huge billow. In the foreground are footprints in the sand. This is a quiet, serene end-of-the-day painting.

White-tailed Tropicbird at Hawaii Shore - Watercolor Painting

This is a beautiful bird, and if you are lucky enough to see one swooping over your head at close range, it can take your breath away! The pure white of its feathers reflects the colors of the tropical ocean.
White-tailed tropicbirds are seen on tropical islands in the Atlantic and Pacific where they will come in from the ocean to breed in spring. They lay a single egg into a small hole in a coral cliff or in the ground. The rest of the year, they remain largely out at sea. In Bermuda, where I had the pleasure of seeing them, they are called Longtails.
This scene is a Hawaiian beach late in the day. A tropicbird is searching for food before dark. I am very pleased with the sky and the reflection of the sunset colors in this painting. When painting sky with watercolors, it's such a delight because you never know exactly how it will turn out. You wet the paper in just the right spots, drop in the paint and see what happens!

• This painting has been sold but let me know if you would like a similar painting. I'll be happy to create it for you!