Seascape of Block Island Beach - Follow Along Step by Step

I have started  a small seascape of a rocky beach and cliffs. This is an oil painting on canvas and I started with a fast line drawing seen on the left. I liked the composition so I went ahead and started the painting. This scene is of the cliffs on Block Island, Rhode Island. It is a beautiful spot located near the Southeast Lighthouse on the island. There are stairs to get down to the beach, many many stairs. But it is worth effort.

The following picture is the actual painting with the areas blocked in, I did a line drawing with sienna paint and you can see some of that showing thru at the bottom. I painted quickly at this stage to cover the canvas. I step back and view this from a distance to see how it looks. Any adjustments can easily be made at this stage. What steps do you take when painting a small canvas?

Check back for the next stage of this 8" x 10" oil painting on canvas.  

Starting A Seascape Painting - The First Step is a Value Sketch

My next painting project is a seascape in oil. I am going to work from photos I took near Beavertail Light in Rhode Island. The shore is very rocky there, it almost looks like the Maine coast. I have a few nice photos of waves breaking near the rocks. My rough sketch shown here I did in black and grey marker. I wanted to establish the basic values of the painting to see if the composition worked. The long breaking wave with the curl and spray will be the focal point. It has beautiful green color under the curl of the wave. I pay attention to the light source and the shadows. There are dark wet rocks in the foreground and foam from the breaker. My next step will be a color sketch done in oil but painted quickly. I will take the time to do this step to decide on the colors I will use for the painting. I will have the next step in a couple days.