Painting a Seascape Step by Step - Working On the Composition with a Sketch

I have started a new painting and this is the first step for a seascape painting in oil. My sketch is done in black and grey marker and I am working on the composition of the painting at this stage. As you can see this sketch is of two girls playing at the beach. So the background is water with sand in the front left corner. At the top is the orange floats that surround the swim area. I'm not sure yet if I will keep those in the painting, if they add to the painting then I will include them. So at this stage I am working out where I will place the focal point (the girls) and where the dark and lightest areas are in the painting.
Check back to see the next step in this seascape of kids playing at the beach. 

Sketching the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, CT

This is my pencil sketch of the Florence Griswold Museum located in my hometown of Old Lyme, Connecticut. In the spring when the daffodils were in bloom I carried my chair and sketchpad to the front lawn of the museum and made the sketch shown here. The daffodils complemented the colorful yellow house with green shutters so I wanted to include the flowers in the drawing. I spent some time getting all the interesting details of the building. Recording these details would help when I started my painting at later date.

The museum has an interesting history, follow this link to read about the artist colony that started here in 1899 www.florencegriswoldmuseum.org/thestory.   Many famous artists spent time here including one of my favorites Child Hassam.

This week I will start a watercolor painting from the sketch I originally did this past spring. Check back to follow along as I start painting. After I complete this first watercolor I have plans to also paint the museum in oil on canvas.
Thanks, PJ 

Seascape Painting - Second Step Is a Color Sketch

I painted a quick color sketch in oil on canvas textured paper. I worked small maybe 10" x 12" and used just a few colors, cerulean blue, burnt umber and white. I want to portray movement or action for the wave. There is contrasting value in the curl of the wave where inside the wave it is in shadow and the wave breaking next to that is white spray. There is not much detail in this quick painting, it's purpose is to give me an idea for the color I will be using for the painting.
My next step will be starting the painting on the canvas.

New Seascape Sketch from P.J Cook!

My idea for painting a scene on a wood chair is a seascape. The chair will be sold at auction to the highest bidder. Read my previous post for auction details. The chair will look great in a beach cottage.

The scene will be the view walking towards the beach on a path through the sand dunes. The path is surrounded by sand dune fences with the shadows coming from the fence across the footprints in the sand. The ocean will be at the end of the path with a few puffy clouds and maybe a few birds and a sailboat in the distance.

I will need to design a piece of wood that will be attached to the back of the chair. Then I will paint the scene on the wood. I want to be able to still sit in the chair so my wood back will be sturdy. The painting on the seat of the chair is the beach sand with footprints going towards the water. I will work from the seascape sketch to layout the painting on the chair.

Look for my next post later this week for a photo of the wood back to be attached to the chair. Follow along with my project!