Cottage by the Sea and Flower Garden Custom Watercolor Painting Demonstration

It's Valentine's Day! And SO cold here in New England - minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chill. A good day to stay indoors and snuggle with your sweetheart (or a blanket and a good book). It's also a fine day to remember blooming flowers and tropical climes.

So here is a custom watercolor of a very lovely tropical-looking place. The client wanted two of her photos combined to show the scene. She named the painting "Taronga" which is an Aboriginal word meaning 'beautiful view'. I didn't ask, but perhaps the scene is in southern Australia or Tasmania.

One of her photos shows a flower-covered arbor. Through the arbor are steps leading up to a yellow house with a green door.

The other photo shows the arbor's gates closed so you can't see the house, but you can see a view of the ocean.  She wants both a view of the house through the arbor and the ocean in the painting.  To combine them, all I have to do is open the gate!

To see how I do that, read on.

Bermuda Longtails, Beach and Seascape Painting Commissioned Watercolor

A few months ago, a lovely lady contacted me about my Bermuda Collection. She and her husband wished to give his mother a special painting for Christmas to remember a vacation the three took in Bermuda.

Bermuda Longtails 5x7 watercolor

Her mother-in-law loved watching the Bermuda Longtails as they flew between the coral cliffs and turquoise water. The painting on the left was the perfect choice, but it was sold. So I agreed to paint a new one for her at a larger size. I was happy to visit Bermuda again at the easel!

I'll share the process of painting the 12x16 version with you, so if you'd like to see, keep on reading.

Saline Beach, St. Barth Custom Watercolor Painting

There are certain places that bring back wonderful memories every time you think of them. Saline Beach on St. Barth in the Caribbean is that type of place for the client who ordered this watercolor.

She has a photo of herself at the scene which her husband loves, and she decided an original painting would make a great gift. I agree!

Below are the 5 steps I took to paint this beautiful scene. Read on...

St. Lucia Caribbean Island Sunset watercolor painting demonstration

A few days ago, I received a request for a 5x7 custom painting of the beautiful waters of St. Lucia island at sunset.

The photograph that the client sent had a very large bright sun but the colors of the land, sea and clouds were gray and black against the bright light. Have you ever had that happen when you've taken a photo at sunset?

She asked if I could put more color into the painting. Of course, I said yes, because that is what I would do anyway!

Hawaii Tropical Sunset Watercolor demonstration

Hawaii has been on my mind recently. Most likely because it is gray and drab here when the sun is not out to brighten up the leafless landscape. Even on clear days, the sun is a lazy thing, not bothering to get up until 7AM and going to bed early at 4:30 PM.

And no snow! Snow makes winter beautiful in the North.  But we have only been graced with it once this fall.  It wreaked havoc that time because it was too early. The oak trees had not lost their leaves and the heavy snow weighed the branches down so much they broke, falling in a haphazard fashion all over the power lines.  We were without power for 10 days. Kind of nice, actually, to live in a more rustic kind of way. But it's nicer to have it back.

So Hawaii has been in my thoughts. And how lucky that a web surfing lover of sunsets and soft sea colors found my site and wanted a beautiful Hawaii sunset painting for herself. "It doesn't even have to be a seascape," she explained. "I just love the colors in your Sunset Beach paintings. And the big bright sun."

Ahh... music to an artist's ears. I can paint whatever I want so long as there is a big bright sun and beautiful colors. 

Perkins Cove Maine in Autumn Original Watercolor Painting

The beautiful and rugged coast of Maine at Perkins Cove is the inspiration for this painting.
I've painted this scene several times but this is the first time in the Fall season. I began it as a demonstration of crashing surf for my watercolor students, then added autumn foliage as it is part of my Autumn Collection.

I'm happy to take custom orders! Contact me for a custom painting or to have a print made of a painting you like.

Autumn Harbor Seascape Plockton Scotland Watercolor Painting

A quaint harbor in remote Plockton, Scotland was the inspiration for this painting. The harbor is on Loch Carron, which is an inlet from the sea in the rugged northern part of Scotland.

I painted this piece to demonstrate to my watercolor students how reflections are made when broken up by movement in the water. The yellows, russets and greens of early Autumn in the trees along the shore make colorful reflections, don't they?

Surf at Waimea Bay - Original Oil Painting

Waimea is a beautiful bay on the North Shore of Oahu. Though the water is calm enough for swimming during the summertime, it is famous for its gigantic surf in the winter months and draws expert surfers to test their skill every year.
This 5x7 inch oil painting on panel shows majestic waves crashing in to shore at the end of the bay. A couple of sea birds dip and soar against the colors of the sunset sky.

This painting is sold. Just ask if you'd like a similar one painted just for you.Thanks for stopping by!

Hawaii Seascape Sailboat Yellow Hibiscus Flowers

Have been thinking of Hawaii quite a bit lately. It is just too hot and humid here, how nice it would be to enjoy a more mild climate. I'm sure when winter arrives, I'll be feeling the same.

So, I decided to paint this scene of a sailboat breezing along the south shore of Oahu. I've added Hawaii's state flower, the yellow hibiscus to the foreground.

Ah, it almost makes me feel like I'm there!

This watercolor is sold, but I can paint one just for you or have a print made. Contact me and I'll be happy to help!

Hawaii Seascape Sailboat Yellow Hibiscus Flowers

Have been thinking of Hawaii quite a bit lately. It is just too hot and humid here, how nice it would be to enjoy a more mild climate. I'm sure when winter arrives, I'll be feeling the same.

So, I decided to paint this scene of a sailboat breezing along the south shore of Oahu. I've added Hawaii's state flower, the yellow hibiscus to the foreground.

Ah, it almost makes me feel like I'm there!

This watercolor is sold, but I can paint one just for you or have a print made. Contact me and I'll be happy to help!

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.

Sailboat at Kailua Bay, Hawaii - Tropicals #12

Every morning in Hawaii, sailboats head out from harbor.  In this watercolor sketch done on site, I painted  one of them just as it sailed out beyond the breakers. In this painting I wanted to capture the beautiful, ever-changing colors that are visible in the waters of Oahu's Kailua Bay: pale green, turquoise and deep blue.

See more seascape paintings in my Hawaii collection.

Hawaii Rainbow Watercolor Painting - Tropicals #11

There's a reason why the license plates in Hawaii bear the image of a rainbow. I have never seen so many rainbows in one place in such a short amount of time. Not only that, but they lasted for a very long time.
Here, when we are lucky to see one, it will generally fade after a few minutes. The really amazing ones might last all of five minutes. But on Oahu, rainbows would appear and 15 or 20 minutes later would be still going strong.

I was painting this scene one day when a rainbow appeared. Originally, I had not thought of adding one to this painting, but could not resist!
This painting is sold, but you can find other Hawaii seascapes here. Mahalo! Thanks for stopping by.

Surf at Waikiki Hawaii Watercolor Seascape - Tropicals #10

 

Every day from early morning until sunset, you can see a line of small dots out past the breakers in Oahu.  Hawaiians invented surfing and those dots are surfers waiting for the perfect wave. Because the temperatures are always in the 70s or low 80s, they are out there all year long I am told. Since I live in the land of skiing, I have never tried surfing, have you? It looks like a lot of fun! 

Hawaii seascape paintings

Scene from the Ilikai Marina, Honolulu, Hawaii - Tropicals #9

Ilikai Marina sits on the western edge of Waikiki.  I am told it is the site where the Skipper and crew of Gilligan's Island began their adventure.

Ilikai Marina

I painted this original watercolor from the 11th floor lanai (balcony) of the Ilikai Marina Condos looking down on the boats at anchor.

This piece was painted at a time of day when the sun was higher in the sky than in my early morning scenes. The stronger sunlight turned the water a bright shade of turquoise and created strong shadows and highlights making this a colorful painting!

"Ilikai Marina" original watercolor is available for sale in my Original Art Shop!

Boat at Harbor in Waikiki - watercolor painting Tropical 8

"Harbor at Waikiki" original watercolor

This original impressionist painting of an early morning scene, shows a boat harbored in a little cove on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu.

I painted this scene very early one day looking out from the lanai (balcony) of the Ilikai Marina condo where we stayed. The colors are soft and muted since the day is new, but the breeze is strong. The palms tree fronds are rustling and swaying in the wind.

This painting is sold. If you like this scene, ask me about having a print or a similar painting created for you.

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!

Honolulu, Hawaii - Ala Moana Park and Beach Cove - Tropicals # 6

From the 11th floor lanai of the Ilikai Marina Condo, I had a beautiful view east and west along the south shore of Oahu. Depending upon which direction I faced, there was always something new to paint.
This is the second time I painted this scene which includes portions of Ala Moana Park. It is painted on handmade paper so there is a lovely random textured effect in the far hills and sky.  Because I was looking out on an early morning scene as I painted, colors and contrasts throughout the painting are muted and a mist envelopes the distant hills. Perhaps you can see a couple of people who were strolling on the beach.

More Hawaii seascape paintings.

Mahalo! Thanks for visiting.