Sea Painting Demonstration

This article appeared in the April issue of Painter's Online, website of Leisure Painter and The Artist magazines

Capturing a likeness of the moving sea with lighting and mood is a constant challenge for the marine or seascape artist. There is no substitute for observation and practice. However, there are a number of techniques, which if correctly applied in sequence, increase the likelihood of success.

I paint in acrylics, the rapid drying time gives greater flexibility for my impatient nature and I can concentrate on creativity rather than adapting technique to fit the medium. My canvas of choice is a medium tooth stretched linen canvas, size and proportion are dictated by my subject.

STEP 1 - Composition outline



In all aspects of painting composition is crucial and a successful outcome hinges on the structure imposed at this stage. A careful observation of waves is important to produce a convincing illusion of a moving sea. A number of simple rules can help in this regard: no two waves should be the same shape, use perspective (larger waves in the foreground reducing in size as they get closer to the horizon). Create the wave structure on a diagonal if possible it suggests more movement than a horizontal layout.

Using a round hogshair brush (No12) I quickly sketch in the horizon line and the basic wave position using pure Phthalo Blue, this will determine where the blocks of colour will be applied. Although it is preferable to be as accurate as possible don’t be too precious about the precise outline of the waves there will be time to correct and fine tune later.

STEP 2 - Sky and reflections



Prior to blocking in colour decisions must be made regarding the direction of sunlight and sky conditions, it is crucial that the highlights and shadows remain consistent or the illusion fails. For this work the light is coming from the left of the horizon so the waves facing the viewer are in shadow.

At this point we need to mix the dominant sky (and reflection) colour. My default sky would be Cerulean Blue lightened with Titanium White and a touch of Naples Yellow to add warmth. I work this into the sky area and also the waves facing the sun. (I usually create a number of small sketches in advance showing the highlighted and shadow areas and refer to them as required).

STEP 3 - Blocking in the waves



It is now time to mix the main sea colour. (This gives the overall colour key to the painting and will depend on the sea and weather conditions I wish to show). My default colours for this are Phthalo Blue or Ultramarine and Viridian Green, which create a deep sea green, Burnt Sienna is used to add depth to the shadow.

Most of the canvas should now be covered. This becomes the under painting, over which we will build texture. Areas between highlight and shadow should be blended together in a graduation from highlight to shadow giving the appearance of a blue/green mountain range.

STEP 4 - Wavelets



We now begin to “texturise”. Minimum detail is required in the narrow band close to the horizon, the colours should be a combination of sun, sky and light shadow shapes. The middleground is a combination of chops and swells more sharply defined than the horizon. These smaller wavelets and swells must be emphasized to give movement. Using a long bristled “rigger” brush, add in individual wavelets in the darkest tone of the chosen sky colour over the darker area of shadow. Repeat with a lighter sky tone and flick in as the graduation of the wave changes tone. These tiny wavelets should be applied from the foreground through to the middle distance but reduced in intensity and size as they move into the middleground.

STEP 5 - Highlights and foam



At this point emphasis moves to finalizing the point of interest. In a marine painting is likely to be a vessel of some sort. In a seascape painting the sea itself provides the interest. In either case additional texture may be required in the shape of sunlight reflection on waves or foam from breakers or whitecaps. Highlights and foam must be applied with restraint. Carefully plot where the sun would catch the edge of a wave and vary the flicks and spots of highlight. Foam tends to follow the direction of surface flow and spills down the face of a wave, the holes in the foam elongate along the direction of flow. It is not uncommon to have several layers of foam overlaid. Indicate the bottom layer in a lighter tint of the sea colour then over paint with a stronger tint in the palest of the sky colours, use Titanium white very sparingly.

You should now have arrived at a reasonable illusion of the moving sea. Practice will make the next one better and the one after that better still. As I said at the beginning these techniques assist in the construction of a seascape but the key to virtuosity is observation and practice.

Completed work


Lively Sea, acrylic, (40x50cm)

Blockade

A second piece in my World War One maritime series is now complete. I wanted to capture mood and texture rather than make it a straight ship portrait, so I chose a wave top view from a distance.

The subject is the British Grand Fleet in the North Sea. The presence of a large fleet of British warships in the North Sea prevented German maritime trade for the duration of the war and kept the German High Seas Fleet bottled up in harbour for almost the entire war.

Blockade, The Grand Fleet in the North Sea 1916

Turner and the Sea Article

As Vice Chairman of the National Maritime Museum Art Club I was asked recently to give an art club perspective of the current exhibition "Turner and the Sea". Below is the article in full.

It is no easy task to chart the career of the most important marine painter of his or any generation, but this is a “must see” exhibition for anyone interested in the sea.  It evokes the golden age of marine painting.

As a marine artist and member of the National Maritime Museum Art Club, I feel “Turner and the Sea” at the Museum presents a priceless opportunity to see Turner’s iconic marine work.  In particular, I found it is very exciting to see his unfinished watercolour sketches.  Some have never been exhibited before. Turner produced many such sketches, exploring a thought or a fleeting moment. Often they were not developed further but they give a tantalizing snapshot of his thinking.

Several other things stand out to make this exhibition remarkable.   Perhaps the most surprising is that this is the first major exhibition exclusively of Turner’s marine work.   It largely follows the chronology of Turner’s career with a brief diversion outlining influences as diverse as van der Velde the younger, Claude-Joseph Vernet, Richard Parks Bonington and John Constable. Many ‘A’ list Turner marine paintings are also on display including early narrative beach and fishermen compositions, his numerous storm and tempest paintings including, “Calais Pier” painted in 1803,  “The Shipwreck” painted in 1805 and the highly experimental “Rockets and Blue lights” of 1840,  an impressionist painting, thirty years before the term existed.

Familiar and previously unseen paintings are also there.  The majestic “Trafalgar”, commissioned by George IV, is not my favourite, nor was it in some of his critics’, eyes.  “The Fighting Temeraire was however, voted the Nation’s favourite painting in 2005.  It may be factually incorrect, but it is full of symbolism and part of Great Britain’s artistic DNA.

Bravo to Christine Riding, curator of the show. “Splice the mainbrace”!

Kevin Clarkson, Vice-Chairman National Maritime Museum Art Club

Edited by Ann Whitehead National Maritime Museum Art Club

Jutland

It can't have escaped many people that 2014 is the centenary of the start of World War One. There will be many poignant commemorations to come in the next four years as key events of the war are remembered.

I have been working a few ideas around the Battle of Jutland, the last major battleship fleet action in history. Most of the Royal Navy's 28 battleships were involved.

After a spot of research I chose to create a view from the Flagship HMS Iron Duke as the 4th Battle Squadron opens fire on the German High Sea Fleet Late afternoon 31 May 1916

Opening the Account, 4th Battle Squadron Jutland 1916

Sunsets

With over two months of wind and rain I felt it necessary to paint a few subjects that would hopefully raise my spirits. So I went back over my archive of visual material and found some quite interesting sunset photos taken in various locations and at various times.

It seemed a good opportunity to push on a slightly looser acrylic painting technique with which I have been experimenting. Painted on various smooth surfaced boards rather than canvas. The paintings are quite small, more or less A4 paper size. Four of the results are below.

Kent coastal sunset

Sunset in Antigua

Sunset near Mont St Michel

Antigua sunset 2

Portrait

I tend to consider myself a landscape or marine painter in general and have rather left portrait work alone. On something of a whim and with no particular plan in mind I decided try to capture a likeness of my son.

It was never going to be possible to keep him in one place or pose long enough to complete the work so I was obliged on this occasion to work from photographs. Wearing sunglasses gives him an air of mystery, it also made the painting somewhat easier since the eyes are the key to facial expression.

It is the first portrait I have done in several years I am quite encouraged, the result was a fair likeness and I think I may experiment more with portraiture.

Lawrence the enigma. Acrylic on canvas

Marine studies

I have been experimenting with my painting techniques in both watercolour and acrylics.

Having neglected watercolours for some time I have begun to put some time in and am getting back up to speed, at the same time trying to push the technique on a little bit, the first study is quite tightly controlled but the second, a study of St Malo marina after a passing storm, is slightly looser in definition. On the whole I think the experiment worked, I now need to loosen up a little more, a few more studies should do it!

The acrylic is similarly less defined and is on board rather than my customary canvas, this makes the brushwork much more obvious, paradoxically requiring more precision.

Fishing boats at Deal, watercolour

After the Storm, St Malo watercolour

The Marina St Malo, acrylic on board