How to paint a seaside

"The sail"

The palette knife oil painting technic is both expressive and demanding. Here, I offer a brief insight into the principles I apply to each of my artworks. To explore more of my creations, visit the GALLERY page, and for details on available works and rates, see the PRICES page.

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I begin by sketching the composition with an HB pencil on a stretched canvas measuring 46 × 38 cm.

Next, I start painting the sky, using a blend of cobalt blue and a touch of titanium white. I prefer cobalt blue over cerulean for its deeper, more vibrant tone. I apply the paint with a medium-sized palette knife with a rounded tip.

“I always paint my landscapes from top to bottom, and from background to foreground.”

Following this approach, I apply a richer blue tone toward the top of the canvas, gradually lightening the shade as I move closer to the horizon, while carefully preserving the white areas where clouds will later be formed.

Using a large palette knife, I gently smooth the blue of the sky to achieve a very fine, even surface. After each stroke from right to left, I clean the blade with a sheet of paper to maintain its precision.

I then redraw the outline of the sails with a pencil to preserve the boat’s proportions.

“It is essential to use the back side of the knife blade and never apply paint with the top edge.”

To paint the shadows of the clouds, I start with a purple hue. I mix the leftover cobalt blue on the palette with a touch of quinacridone pink to create this rich purple. Using the medium palette knife, I apply the paint in small, rounded dabs.

For the illuminated parts of the clouds, I also use small, rounded dabs, applying a lighter yet vibrant mix of Indian yellow and titanium white. This technique adds volume and a natural, three-dimensional quality to the clouds.

Once the sky and clouds are complete, I move on to the sea. Using a medium palette knife, I apply pure phthalocyanine blue in horizontal strokes. I start by placing the blade’s edge along the horizon line and drag it downward, then continue this horizontal motion from left to right, layering the paint evenly.

I mix phthalocyanine blue with titanium white to create subtle shading variations on the water’s surface. Using the same palette knife technique as before, I apply the paint and then gently smooth it by moving the knife , horizontally first from left to right, then from right to left, holding the blade parallel to the horizon line.

“Unlike a brush, the palette knife is less flexible, so its blade must follow the natural movement and form of the subject, whether it’s grass, leaves, clouds, or waves.”

To avoid a flat, uniform appearance, I gradually shade the blue from the horizon toward the foreground waves. In the foreground, I add cobalt turquoise and a few touches of cadmium yellow medium; this mixture with blue creates a rich dark green tone. Throughout, I carefully preserve the pencil outline of the sailboat.

As I approach the rocks on the left, I depict the sea foam using pure white, enhanced with touches of Naples yellow and additional white highlights. On the right, I use the tip of the medium palette knife to apply small, horizontal dabs of dark and light blue, creating subtle variations in the water.

I complete this stage by painting the foam both in front of and behind the sailboat.

The rocks are painted quickly and deliberately, starting with burnt umber and yellow ochre. These colors are carefully layered without blending on the canvas, allowing distinct textures and contrasts to emerge.

I complete the sunlit areas of the rocks using a blend of Indian yellow and titanium white.

The pine tree foliage is painted with pure sap green for the shaded areas, while the sunlit parts are created using a mix of sap green, Indian yellow, and white. The tree trunks are rendered with pure burnt umber.

To paint the foreground wave, I begin with a green base. At the wave’s base, I use pure emerald green, gradually adding cadmium yellow medium toward the crest. I then smooth the paint by moving the palette knife in the natural flow of the wave, enhancing its dynamic movement.

Next, I paint the shadowed areas of the wave’s foam using a mix of cobalt blue and white. For the illuminated foam, I apply pure white, followed by subtle touches of a blend of Indian yellow and white to add warmth.

To create the effect of splashing water at the wave’s crest, I gently tap the surface with the flat side of the palette knife, adding texture and movement.

In the foreground, I begin painting the beach sand, including two rocks using the same colors as before.

The sand displays varying tones between dry and wet areas: the dry sand is lighter, painted with Naples yellow and a touch of white, while the wet sand is darker, created with yellow ochre and a small amount of white. At the base of the wave, I apply an even deeper shade of sand using pure yellow ochre.

Next, I paint the wave’s projected shadow on the sand, as well as the shadows cast by the rocks. For these, I use the purple tone previously mixed for the clouds, blended with yellow ochre. I apply scattered touches of this mixture across the sand to add subtle texture and depth.

Using a small palette knife, ideal for fine details. I paint the mainsail with a blend of cadmium yellow and a hint of Indian yellow, filling the area carefully from the outer edges inward.

I complete the sailboat by delicately painting the small sail with a soft blend of Naples yellow and white. The hull’s base is rendered in pure phthalo blue, while the upper sections are coated in crisp white.

Using the knife’s tip, I add subtle, colorful touches to suggest the presence of figures on board, bringing life and narrative to the scene. The rigging is finely traced with burnt umber, applied along the knife’s edge to achieve precise, slender lines. I carefully capture the sails’ reflections shimmering on the water’s surface, enhancing the painting’s realism and depth.

The final steps are signing the artwork and applying a protective varnish once the paint has fully dried, sealing the piece and enriching its colors for years to come.