11 am - 2 pm
Topic: Boats
Location: Kemah
Painting a boat in water under bright sunlight with watercolor beautifully captures the vibrant interplay of light and reflections. How to go about it? You might want to start with a light pencil sketch to outline the boat's shape and position on the water. Use bold, warm
tones for the boat to highlight the sunlit areas, and softer, cooler colors to suggest shadows and contours. The water can be rendered with fluid, transparent washes of blue and green, capturing the shimmering reflections of the boat and the play of light on the water's surface. Pay attention to the bright highlights where the sunlight strikes, and use soft edges to blend the boat with its reflection, creating a realistic sense of water's movement. The translucent nature of watercolor lends itself perfectly to depicting the clarity and sparkle of the scene, making the boat appear both solid and part of the shimmering landscape.
This Plein Air event will focus on painting boats.
Plein Air - Recommended Supply List: Plein Air - Supply List.docx
Below are some helpful YouTube video demos to practice at home before going to this event on location. With YouTube videos, I usually first watch the entire demo to see the result and make notes of important points. Then, I start the video again and paint along. I like the convenience of YouTube demos that they can be paused and so I can paint and learn in my pace.
I hope you enjoy practicing in advance and are excited about our topic – painting boats in Plein Air!
Secrets of Paining Watercolor Outdoors by Andy Evansen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYNWmOZTTpU
Virtual Demo, Lighthouse Plein Air Festival by Vladislav Yeliseyev
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDd8pCh2Vdg
How to Paint Watercolor Landscape Painting by Joseph Zbukvic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gpth9P7diOo
How to Paint Many Boats in a Seascape: Step by Step Process of Painting a Complex Scene by Ina Xi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vFGbp9BkFM