How to Paint the Sea

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   Create a value chart of colors. You'll need to determine which colors to use in your painting to best convey how the sea looks. ^[13] It can help to make a value chart of colors before starting to paint your sea drawing.

   • Gather your paints together, focusing on the colors you're most likely to use. For an ocean, that will likely be blues, purples, greens, and whites.
   • Pick a color and, without diluting the paint in water at all, draw a small line of it on a sheet of paper. This is the strongest shade of this particular color. Then, add a small amount of water and draw another line. Continue this process until the color slowly fades into white. This will give you a sense of the full spectrum of that color and an idea of how much water you should add to get your desired shade. ^[14]
   • Repeat this process will all the colors you're going to use on your painting. ^[15]
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   Add your lightest color first. You should begin painting by adding your lightest color first. This allows you to form a foundation. ^[16]

   • Use a brush and gently paint the areas on your canvas that need to be lighter. ^[17] Running water tends to be lighter, as do the tips of waves and swells. The time of day also affects color. For example, water may be lighter earlier in the day. ^[18]
   • Once you're done painting, wait for the lighter areas to dry. While you're waiting, you can use something called masking fluid to make the areas where you plan on adding foam to any waves in your painting. The masking agent will prevent other colors from leaking onto these portions. ^[19]
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   Paint on the darker colors. Once the lighter colors have dried, move to painting on the darker colors. Use broad strokes when necessary to indicate shape and movement in the water. Try to blend the dark colors in with the lighter shades in order to create a smooth transition between the lighter and darker shades. ^[20]
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   Be conscious of reflection. Reflection can be one of the trickiest parts of painting water. Depending on the time of day, certain objects like mountains, ships, and rocks may be reflected in the water's surface.

   • Keep shade in mind. What's dark on dry land will be lighter in water and what's light on dry land will be darker in water. ^[21]
   • Colors are less saturated in water reflections. Even shades like white should be toned down slightly when drawn as a reflection in water. Also, obscure details. Really, only the basic smudges of images are needed in water reflections. ^[22]
   • Not all water reflects objects equally. Moving water, such as a stormy scene, will be unlikely to convey reflection. Also, water ripples can also obscure reflection. When in doubt, look up a variety of photos of the types of water you're painting to see how reflection is or is not present. ^[23]
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   Pay attention to the water's depth. The depth of the water can affect many aspects of your painting. Be aware of the water's depth while painting to portray it accurately. ^[24]

   • Shallow water tends to ripple more, which can cause the reflection to break. You should use quick and light brush strokes when painting shallow water. ^[25]
   • Deep water tends to move more slowly. Use broader brush strokes, and bigger brushes, and keep your movements slower when painting deeper water. ^[26]
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   Add in small details using colored pencils or finer tipped brushes. Once you've finished the main aspects of painting, use water color pencils or thin tipped brushes to fill in small details. These are usually things like individual shadows, bubbles, or foam from crashing waves. You may also notice you missed a small spot here or there, which you can use a thin tipped brush or colored pencils to fill. ^[27]
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   Take a step back from your painting and consider what's missing. Once you finished filling in any missing spots, step back from your painting for a moment. See if anything else
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is missing. If so, try to add or alter the painting the best you can.

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   • Foam from waves is typically one of the last thing a painter adds. You might have to add small dots of bubbles and foams. To do this, use a small liner brush and acrylic white paint. ^[28]
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   Allow your painting to dry and then hang it up. Once you're finished, allow your painting to dry. This may take a few days. If you're happy with the painting, buy a frame for it and hang it up in your home. Keep in mind it may take a few different paintings before you're really happy with your work. Drawing and painting are like any other skill in that they require practice for proficiency.
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