After a relaxing day at the beach you decide it’s time to pack up and head out for dinner. As you’re walking along the path, you turn around one last time and catch the moment as the sun is going down producing stunning colors in the sky.

The Inspiration

Those stunning colors are what inspired Pastel Seas, painting #82. This is an original painting.  No Bob Ross episode, no tutorial, not even a direct reference photo. I had a few general images in mind, but the layout and color choices were my own.

Originally, I planned to paint this on an 11×14 canvas using leftover paint from my previous piece. I’d wrapped the palette in plastic to preserve the colors, but during some repair work at my house, the palette got uncovered and everything dried out. So I called an audible and moved to my standard 16×20 canvas with fresh paint.

Materials Used

Colors

• Alizarin Crimson
• Bright Red
• Cadmium Yellow
• Dark Sienna
• Indian Yellow
• Midnight Black
• Phthalo Blue
• Sap Green
• Titanium Hwite
• Van Dyke Brown
• Yellow Ochre
• Don’t forget the Liquid Hwite!

Equipment

• 2 Inch Brush
• 1 Inch Brush
• #6 Fan Brush
• Large Palette Knife
• Script Liner Brush

Notes From the Easel

I like this painting a lot. There’s not much to it. It’s a basic seascape. There’s not even a big wave or anything. That’s what I love about it. The simplicity of the painting. I love the colors and how they all come together.

Tips for a Wave‑less Seascape

This part is surprisingly simple.

• Water reflects the sky.
  The base color of the water should match the sky — at least mostly.
• Block in the sky color first.
  Put it exactly where the water will be.
• Add your water tones on the sides.
  Browns, sea greens, blues — whatever fits the mood.
• Blend with a fan brush.
  Gently pull the colors together so they intertwine. That’s where the softness comes from.

If you look at the painting, you’ll see exactly what I mean.

Capturing Sugar‑White Sand

The beaches where I live are almost pure white — like sugar. Painting that convincingly is trickier than it sounds. I ran into the same challenge with my White Sands painting.

This time, I laid down an under‑color and some subtle shadows before adding the main sand tone. It’s not perfect, but it’s a step forward. Next time will be even better.

Hope you enjoyed reading about my Pastel Seas painting. I thoroughly enjoyed doing this one. Remember, I have an Art Store where you can see all the paintings I have for sale.

If you have any questions about any one of them, feel free to comment below or shoot me an email. Consider joining my email list for new works and studio updates.

Happy painting!