How to Paint Light in a Seascape

How to Paint Light in a Seascape

In this painting demonstration I will show you how you can create of light in a seascape painting. This painting is inspired by a place called Owhiro Bay on the coast of Wellington in New Zealand. The beach is south facing and as it is in the southern hemisphere the sun shines from the north and directly onto the breaking waves.

Breaking waves are easier to paint when they are backlit but they can still look great in paintings even when the sun is shining on them. In this painting I have used a spotlight effect to emphasise the breaking wave. The foreground is in a half shadow from a cloud. The cliffs in the mid ground are also light with part shade. This also adds interest to the painting.

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