sailboats in watercolor

Jenna Rainey

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Watercolor Sailboat

Jenna .

This week, I'm teaching you how to paint a quick and easy watercolor sailboat landscape!

When I don't have a lot of time or I just want to play with colors and basic shapes, I paint loose-style. It's just whimsical and fun!

This watercolor sailboat takes less than 10 minutes to paint but includes simple techniques to inspire and spark creativity. This is a great tutorial for beginners, too!

Watercolor Sailboat Step by Step

00:00 – Intro. 00:32 – Color mixing. 01:06 – Painting the sail boat. 02:16 – Painting waves. 03:01 – Painting trees and background. 04:53 – Painting the sky. 06:14 – My thoughts on the painting. 06:51 – YOUR thoughts?

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How to Paint a Sailboat Watercolor Painting Tutorial

Sailing is one of my favorite things to do and painting sailboats is almost as fun! This lovely sailboat flew in the wind on Somes Sound on Mount Desert Island, Maine. It was one of those perfect sailing days. The light sparkled, the wind blew steadily and the last of summer heated the air. Since I didn't have a sailboat there, I sketched and took photos of the sailboats moving up and down the Sound.

The shimmering water is the tricky part of this painting. It's a great opportunity to practice your dry brush! This painting needs rough press paper to get that sparkling water. The rest of the painting is simple. Trees in the distance and a pared down palette. Keep the colors and your brush strokes simple. Sailing at its finest on a summer day in Maine!

Painting Tutorial Level

Skill Building

M. Graham watercolors

Painting Demonstration 1

Always sketch very lightly in watercolor since most pencil lines will show. You want the focus on the painting, not the drawing. Unless, of course, you're highlighting the pencil lines!

Since I'm painting a light object with a lot of brushstrokes around it (for the water) I can either mask it out, preserve highlights with wax or use white gouache. I decide on a combination of the last two since they feel more spontaneous than masking and I don't have too many bright highlights.

When you use a wax crayon, always remember it's there for better or worse. It will not come off and leave paper the same!

Disclaimer: Jennifer Branch Gallery is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. I receive a small rebate for your entire order (starting at 4%) if you choose to purchase through Amazon. Most items can be bought multiple places and I highly recommend local art stores if you have one! Any other recommendation links I receive no compensation for. These referrals help me support this website, and I thank you for any purchase you make through them. I will never recommend a product I have not used frequently and believe is the best tool for the purpose!

Painting Demonstration 2

I want barely there water sparkling in the background. Very pale highlights and dark shadows, so dry brush is the solution! Dry brush and texture is why I chose the rough press paper, after all.

With a tricky dry brush where every stroke shows, I like to test the brush a few times on an area of the painting that isn't quite so tricky or a scrap of paper. As you can see, I got the texture just right in the trees at the upper part of the painting. Some extra texture there is perfect and it will be dark enough the individual strokes don't show.

Since all those strokes show up in the water, make them count! Move your brush with the waves. Notice how highlights show up in horizontal swathes across the water. Work with the water, not against it.

A squirrel hair brush is perfect for hit and miss dry brush like this. It barely touches the ridges of the paper so you can really get that sparkle!

Painting Demonstration 3

Since this is dry brush, there's no time between washes! I continue moving around the painting, using slightly varying blues and values. This gives me that great water shimmer! If some of the dry brush hits a still wet area, great! that gives a natural feeling variation.

I still keep everything light in value in this wash. I don't want thick sludgy paint, but effervescent sparkle!

Artist Tips

Painting Demonstration 4

Now that dark background! I want a bit of a a golden glow, but subtle instead of harsh so I use quinacridone gold. This is one of the few paintings I never use a yellow in!

I paint a loose wet brush on dry paper wash of the gold, then drop in pthalocyanine green. I'm keeping it loose since the background is not the focus, the sailboat is!

The reflection of the sailboat is also a golden glow in the water, so I use quinacridone gold again. I'm still painting dry brush since I want the water to sparkle there too, not be dulled. The reflection is also a shadow which makes it quite complicated to paint.

Painting Demonstration 5

Now it's time to turn the golden green into hazy rich darks. While it's drying, I move maroon perylene into the trees to darken them. The rich red helps with the strong, clear color. Then I scrabble in ultramarine blue to make the trees green again. Finally, I add cobalt blue for the slightly opaque haze.

I dash quinacridone dry brush on the wooden mast. A bit of ultramarine blue and pthalo green gives shape to the boat.

Painting Demonstration 6

After the painting has dried completely, I start on the sail. The gorgeous sail is really the star of the painting so it's fun to finally start painting it! Still, it has to be kept simple since there really isn't much to the sail. Quinacridone gold gives the faint glow of the reflecting sun.

I continue adding texture and color to the waves. I need strong darks to balance out the background trees.

I keep a light hand on the waves since the lovely shimmering could be destroyed with a few strokes too many!

Painting Demonstration 7

The last stage is the details and it's hard to keep them from getting too fussy!

I continue the details on the sail. I use the top mainsail reinforcement as an excuse to dull down the arrow pointing the viewer out of the painting!

To purchase How to Paint a Sailboat original watercolor painting, please click!

How to Paint a Sailboat Final Watercolor Painting!

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Watercolor Boat Painting Tutorial

Want to paint this watercolor boat painting? Follow the step by step instructions (including video at the end) and see how easy this can be!

I just can’t resist painting boats in watercolor. The colors, the details, the sun and shadow – all come together to make painting these watercolor boats so much fun. In this watercolor boat tutorial I break down all the steps and show you how you can paint this scene. Boat watercolor paintings can seem daunting but if you take things slowly it’s amazing how they come together.

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Watercolor materials needed.

• Mechanical pencil
• Watercolor paper (I like Fabriano Artistco 140lb cold press)
• Permanent rose
• Vermillion/pyrrole red/naphthol red
• Ultramarine blue
• Cobalt blue/cerulean blue
• Yellow ochre
• Lemon yellow
• Burnt Sienna
• Value Scale
• Color isolator
• Palette/paper towels/water pot
• Small spray bottle of water

Watercolor Boat Drawing

The drawing for this painting is pretty important. Sometimes I won’t put much detail into a drawing and just indicate the main shapes. For instance a landscape with trees can be pretty sparse in the drawing. All the detail and texture goes in by eye with just paint. But for this scene there is a lot going on and we want to indicate the position of a lot of different things.

Using a Grid Helps With Drawing Accuracy

I did this drawing by eye but, if you’re not confident with your drawing, you can grid up your paper lightly with pencil and draw it square by square. That way you can be sure you’re getting everything in the right place. It’s not a foolproof method but it gives you far less room for error. I’ve included a gridded up version of the reference below.

The aspect ratio of the photo is the same as for a 10″x14″ piece of watercolor paper. If you mark your paper into quarters on each side and join them up to make a 4×4 grid you can transfer the drawing more easily onto your paper.

Take Some Time to Make a Plan for Your Painting

Before we dive into the painting it always helps to take a few minutes and plan out what you’re going to do. It can be hard to do this – we want to jump straight in and get those brushes moving and paint splashing around. But a few minutes thought at the start always makes for a better painting. We can spot possible problem areas and make sure we know roughly how we’re going to proceed.

Which Direction is the Light Coming From?

I first make note of where the light is coming from and where the shadows fall. In this case the sun is on our right and the shadows are falling on the left. This is always good to keep in the back of your mind. If the reference is unclear in some areas you can work out how the lights and darks should fall even if you can’t make it out from the photo.

Where are the Lights and Darks?

The next thing I do is note where my lightest lights are and my darkest darks. Once we’ve located these then we know that everything else has to fall somewhere between those areas. In this case our lightest light is the white hull on the left boat. The darkest darks are in the shadow underneath the boats and possibly inside the cabins. I keep this in mind. Nothing else can be darker or lighter than these areas.

Where are the Main Shapes and Values?

This one is trickier but it pays off giving it some thought. Even though there’s a lot of detail going on in this photo I like to break it down into 4 or 5 main value shapes. In this case I would estimate (or measure using our value scale) the value of the following areas

• The hulls of the boats (in light and shadow)
• The cabins of the boats (in light and shadow)

This may seem like a lot to work out ahead of time but getting those big value shapes right is an enormous help getting a scene to hang together and getting it to be convincing.

Identify a Few of the Colors

Doing some test mixes of a few of the main colors can also be a good idea. It’s much easier to do this before the painting. When you’re in the middle of the painting there’s so much going on it’s hard to stop and think about this. It’s a bit like prepping for a recipe. Getting all the ingredients measured out ready ahead of time makes putting a meal together much easier. (Not that I ever really do that – but I should!) In this painting I mixed as I went along but it’s a better idea to try out your color mixes at the start. If you think you can’t remember how you mixed your colors then putting a pencil note next to the swatch is a good idea. It’s doesn’t have to be anything complicated – just a list of the colors is enough.

Watercolor Boat Painting – Finally we Paint!

So let’s start painting. We’re going to paint this in layers and build up the painting from light to dark. We’re first going to block in all the shapes with their lightest colors. Once those are dry we can go back in and add in the darks. This way of working takes a bit of getting used to. As we’re starting with the light colors of all the shapes things won’t start to look three dimensional until quite late on in the painting.

I have many more step-by-step tutorials and videos!

We want things to look flat to start with..

If we put in too much value variation in the early stages then the darks won’t make as much impact when we put those in. In these early stages try and match the color and value as best you can to the reference. And, most importantly, keep these early washes even. Don’t be tempted to try and make things look right at this stage. It takes a bit of faith but once you get used to it it will all make sense.

Keep Going With the Light Values

Keep going across all of the main shapes of the boats. One thing to remember is that we’re putting in the light value of each different shape but these values may vary from shape to shape. For instance, the hull of the red boat is a bright orange-red in the light. The actual value of this is around a 5 i.e. mid-way down the value scale. If we compare this to the beige area above we can see that it’s a little darker. The beige area in the light is around a 7 but it’s still in the light.

Similarly the red stripe on the left hand boat is around a 4 (i.e. darker than a mid-value) in the light. If you have a value scale and a printout of the reference you can measure the values directly. If the color is distracting (and it can be with bright colors like these) squint your eyes and it becomes easier to judge value.

Use the ChromaMagic Tool to Measure Color

Alternatively you can load up the reference in ChromaMagic and click on different areas. It will show you the three components of the color – hue, value and chroma. The color notation is part of the Munsell way of measuring color. It is incredibly useful in painting and makes color very straightforward to analyze.

Paint in the Sea in the Background

The sea in the background goes in next. This is a fairly dark blue and helps to tie the boats in the scene and give us some depth.

As you can see at this point the painting isn’t looking three-dimensional. Don’t panic! This is exactly how it should be looking at this point.

Paint in the Sand Around Your Watercolor Boats

Next we’re going to put in the sand. I really like this bit as we get to put in some texture with our spray bottle. One thing to be careful of – sand isn’t yellow. Or rather it is yellow but a very grayed out low chroma yellow. In this scene it’s a kind of beige so make sure you add in some black to your mix to take out some of the brightness. I’ve made the mistake of painting sand far too bright in color many times. Again mixing a swatch of color beforehand helps a lot as does using ChromaMagic for checking the chroma.

Use a Spray Bottle to Add Texture

While your sand wash is still wet take a spray bottle of water and lightly spritz the surface. If the paper is the right level of dampness the water will add small sparkles and splodges in the paint. It adds some interest and texture to the foreground. This can take a bit of practice to get right. If the paper is too wet the water will just disperse and disappear. If the paper is too dry the water won’t do anything at all.

Watercolor Boat Painting – Add the Sky

Note: I’ve got the order slightly wrong here. I’ve already put in some of the darks on the boats before doing the sky. The order doesn’t really matter. You can put in the sky before the shadows and everything should work out fine.

Let’s put in some sky now. The reference photo doesn’t really have much in the way of clouds and I didn’t really want a big expanse of blue up there. So I’ve invented some cloud shapes. You have a lot of freedom here. Put in some blue around wherever you fancy the clouds to be. While the paint is wet take a clean (very clean) damp brush and soften the edges of the clouds. The blue pigment will diffuse out into the damp areas of paper making lovely soft and convinving clouds.

Watercolor Boat Painting – Second Layer Darks

Now this bit is where the painting starts to come to life. We’re going to put in the shadow sides of the objects and make them look three-dimensional. Adding in these contrasting areas also helps the visual impact of the scene and it will make the image more interesting as well as more realistic.

Don’t Add Color in the Light!

We’ve already painted in the light sides of our objects so we won’t be putting any color in there at all. We’re just going to paint in the shadow colors on mostly the left sides. Make sure your colors are at least a couple of shades darker than your light sides and things will start to take shape. When you get to the insides of the cabins we’re even darker as very little light is getting in there – you don’t need to paint things – just a few dark shapes at different angles will suggest a lot of detail.

Be careful with the shadow on the white hull. We don’t want to go too dark here and keeping that shadow light will really suggest strong sun.

Add a Cast Shadow to Anchor the Boats to the Ground

Finally add some cast shadows on the sand and right at the bottom of the boats. This will make the boats convincingly anchored to the ground.

The Magic Bit – Details on Your Watercolor Boat Painting

By this point you should have something that’s looking pretty three-dimensional. This next bit really adds sparkle and interest to your watercolor boat painting! We’re going to put in some lovely details. Put in the masts and rigging with a small synthetic brush. Make sure they’re not too dark – a mid value gray is plenty dark enough here. The other thing to take care with is not to make your lines too continuous. Leave a few gaps here and there as it will make the masts more convincing than if you carefully paint them in one continuous line.

Continue with the masts and smaller details. Add in a few lines for the railings and the ropes holding the buoys. A few light lines on the white hull will also suggest their structure. I hope everything is looking really good by now!

Flags and Signs

We’re right at the end now. A few red marks for the flags will add a pop of color. The signs on the boat go in with an almost black background. The lettering is suggested with a little opaque white.

Final Thoughts on This Watercolor Boat Painting

If you tried this painting I hope it turned out well. I would love to see your results – please feel free to send them to me. I have also videoed the whole process and you can paint along with the full painting.

2 thoughts on “ Watercolor Boat Painting Tutorial ”

Hi Michele, Kathy Martinez here. I am working with the ColorMagic tool. Love it except for one problem I am having. My monitor is a Cintiq 32 inch display that I have supposedly color corrected with an i1 display gizmo. The colors for the Munsell chips from

Kathy your program don’t come through to match my big book Munsell chips. It is way off. My cintiq screen pretty matches my Ipad. Do you have any suggestions? I have just been finding the chip I have that matches the color swatches from ColorMagic, even though they aren’t the same as described in the program.

Hi Kathy – I replied by email. I was thinking that it may well be hard to match chips directly to the screen. I’m going to try with a setup that I know the colors off and see how it goes. ColorMagic will report the colors in the photo accurately but whether you can match to the display directly may not be possible. Screens give out light and chips only reflect the light so comparing them side by side is going to make the chips always look dark. But maybe there’s something else going on! We’ll see. If it’s fixable we’ll fix it.

Comments are closed.

Come "Sailboat" Away In This Watercolor Sailboat Tutorial

Join us in this smooth sailing watercolor sailboat tutorial artist william "bill" dunn demonstrates how to use different techniques to paint this scene of a harbor in fort bragg, california..

"Anchor" yourself into this easy tutorial that shows you how to paint a watercolor sailboat! With artist William "Bill" Dunn captaining this lesson, you'll learn how easy it is to paint this idyllic yet quaint scene of Fort Bragg. Want to watch the video version? The full tutorial is available to members of our  Beeblys WatercolorPainting.com .

Materials Used In This Watercolor Class:

• Reference picture of a harbor in Fort Bragg, California (click  here  for Bill's picture)
• A block of Arches cold press watercolor paper (140lb, size 12″ x 18″)
• Pentel Graphgear 1000 automatic drafting pencil, 0.7mm lead size with 2B lead
• ½" Artist's or masking tape
• Painting palette for watercolor paints
• Auxiliary plate or palette for gouache paint
• A container of water
• Paper towels or a rag
• A tabletop easel or a box to prop your painting on
• A spray bottle with clean water
• Kneaded eraser
• 10" Hyde curved spring aluminum paint shield (or any paint shield)

Paints (Holbein Artists' Watercolors)

• Cadmium Lemon Yellow
• Brilliant Orange
• Pyrrole Red
• Cobalt Violet Light
• Mineral Violet
• Olive Green
• Cobalt Green
• Cerulean Blue
• Cobalt Blue Hue
• Prussian Blue
• Yellow Ochre
• Burnt Sienna
• Burnt Umber
• Neutral Tint
• Ivory Black

Daniel Smith's Extra Fine Watercolors

• Chromium Green Oxide
• Carbazole Violet

Holbein Artists' Gouache

• Permanent White
• Escoda Perla Joseph Zbukvic Series: Round brush (no. 8)
• Escoda Perla Joseph Zbukvic Series: Round brush (no. 12 )
• Escoda Perla Joseph Zbukvic Series: Round brush (no. 20)
• Neef Rigger Supreme Taklon Series: Long handle rigger brush (no. 8)
• Neef Rigger Supreme Taklon Series: Long handle rigger brush (no. 12)
• Winsor & Newton's Cotman Brush Series 111: Round brush (no. 1)
• Loew-Cornell: Chinese bamboo brush (size 2)

Step 1: Anchors Aweigh!

Step 2: A "Wet-In-Wet" Forest

Step 3: How To Paint Tree Shapes

Step 4: "Wet-On-Dry" Buildings

Step 5: Water, Water, Everywhere

Step 6: Adding Contrast, Details, And Texture

Step 7: Details On A Watercolor Sailboat

Step 8: White Paint And More Details

Step 9: Finishing Touches And Painting A Watery Reflection

Step 10: Lettering And Making It "Pop"

Step 11: A Final Sky And Signature

March 23rd, 2018

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How to Paint a Tall Ship Sailboat in Watercolour

Skill Level : 2 Intermediate

Medium : Watercolour Painting

Subject : Seascapes

Tutor : Dennis Clark

Class Length : 2 hours 20 minutes

Avg Rating : No Ratings Yet

Silver Level or Higher Class

Class Description

• Read Class Reviews

Gone are the days when the ocean was filled with all types of sailing ships. Fortunately there are still some sailboats sailing the high seas. It is certainly a grand sight when a tall ship sails into a modern harbour. The sight conjours up the imagination of pirates and gun ships in battle.

In this lesson you will learn:

1.  How to paint a stormy sky to offset the light coloured sails 2.  How to paint the seas to give the impression of waves in motion 3.  How to add colour to the sails 4.  How to simplify the deck detail and shrouding and more ...

Latest Reviews

Dennis: I really enjoyed this class. Thank you for an informative lesson. Kathy KathyKuz

Unlock the Follow Along Class HERE

Short class video.

Class Tutorial

Tall sailing ships have always captured the imagination of the adventurous. Pirates with eye patches and a hook hand and all that. What we are going to do is paint one in watercolour.

This is the photo we will be working from:

We will unfurl the last sail so that we have a better looking ship.

Masking the Sails

There is a lot of white areas to be protected so use masking fluid to do this. About ½ inch or 15mm around the edge of the sails should be enough protection.

When you have protected all areas that need to be, gently blow dry before proceeding.

Painting the Sky

With a large flat brush wet all the sky area and then float in some Cobalt Blue.

Be careful to keep the horizon straight.

Add more blue pigment to the sky mix and bring a touch of Burnt Sienna to warm it up a bit. Drop this colour into the wet sky and move it around to suit. We are looking for a darkish sky in order to contrast with the light sails. This will ensure a lovely dramatic painting.

With a bundled up tissue dab some areas to give the impression of cloud billows.

Painting the Sea

Make up a light mix of Blue and Viridian and paint the sea with horizontal strokes. Don't paint it too evenly. To be able to indicate some nice windswept waves use the two colours in horizontal lines and intermingled.

Keep the foreground darker at the lower end of the painting and lighter towards the horizon.

Now we can begin to add in the curved lines for the swells and waves. Don't overdo it and make the waves too wild. The waves will get smaller into the distance.

Because clouds show reflections from the sea surface, very carefully glaze in a few light sea colour on sections of the clouds. This creates a colour harmony between sea and sky.

Use a small round brush to paint in the shadow areas of the waves. Note that each swell will have a light refection on the top edge.

A word of warning: Don't make the swells too large in relation to the size of the ship.

Paint the dark reflection of the ship.

Dry the sea area before continuing.

Enjoying This Tutorial?

Painting the sails.

Remove the masking fluid off the ship.

With an Orange/Brown colour begin painting in all the spars and the masts. To keep them straight and even it is best to do so with a series of short strokes.

The sails are made out of a very strong cotton cloth or canvas and unless they are new sails, they will be slightly discoloured and yellow from being exposed to the harsh elements.

To achieve the aged look, start painting, or rather glazing, some Yellow Ochre over the sails.

When that has been completed, mix up a light Blue/Gray for adding the shadows on the sails. Remember to show any folds in the sails themselves.

Continue working on the shadows and eventually adding the darkest shadows under the spars. Touch up, with a light Gray for the seams at the edge of the sails.

Carefully add the other details in the sails and the shadows on the masts.

Touch up all the other smaller details in the sail areas, including the flag.

Painting the Ship

With a very dark mix of Brown made up from Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna, paint the hull of the sailing ship and the lighter strip on the side.

Now comes the interesting part of this painting, and it is all the small details on the deck. In the reference photograph there is a ton of detail. Now, we are NOT going to paint all the detail as shown in the photograph.

We are going to simplify the lot by blocking in the main shapes only. Slowly build up the various tones and colours. Be careful to keep the general shapes of the sailors.

As you can see there is simply a suggestion of all the items on the deck and no details whatsoever.

Once the shapes have been painted we can now, with a small round brush add the railings.

Add Finishing Details

Paint in a gull or two for some extra movement and interest. This close-up shows just how simplified all the details are.

With some Chinese White, straight out the tube, touch up all the small areas that need White, such as the tips of the spars.

For this size of sailing ship we would not be able to paint in the thin ropes with a small brush. They would just be too thick. We will add them in with a very sharp-pointed pencil. A 0.5mm Mechanical pencil works very well here.

Notice that I am only adding in the main rigging and leaving out all the lesser ropes. It is not necessary to add them all in. The brain is well able to add them in for you.

Again, with Chinese White, add the bow wave of the ship as well as the highlights in the deck area and some of the wave tops.

To finish off I want you to notice that each sail has a slightly different brightness than the others. Don't try to keep them all the same colour.

This is what the final painting looks like:

About Dennis Clark

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November 7, 2017

Watercolor Sailboat Painting Tutorial

Los Angeles-based watercolor artist Maria Raczynska demonstrates how to paint a beautiful birds-eye ocean scene with a sailboat in this video tutorial!

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Flowing Waters Art

Creating art for harmonious living.

Watercolor Sailboat – Tutorial

I enjoy sailing, but never seem to do it enough. It is so very peaceful to sail in the open waters. I love listening to the waves splash against the boat as it zips through the water at the mercy of the wind.

I created this painting last month from an online tutorial. My art for this week is a bit behind schedule with the Thanksgiving holiday but I’m working to catch up. It was my first try at painting waves with watercolor and it was harder than I originally thought. I used a pen for a little outlining and that was it.

This is probably the only painting I’ve ever done without adding bling with Stickles. It was hard to do, but thank goodness I survived, lol.

I hope it inspires you to create!

Thanks for stopping by.

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2 thoughts on “ Watercolor Sailboat – Tutorial ”

I also love being on the water. Peaceful. The mind slows down. Yessss. I love the sky in your painting. It contains the essence of watercolor.

Like Liked by 1 person

Thank you Gretchen! I’m glad you liked it 😊

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Louise Jackson Painting Classes

Learn how to paint using watercolor or acrylic paint.

Sailboat in Summer

Learn how to paint a peaceful scene featuring a sailboat on a lake in summer with the instructor and master decorative artist, Louise Jackson. As a bonus, you'll also get a downloadable and printable painting packet so that you can create a second painting featuring a swan on a lake in the fall.

Learn how to paint a ship on the ocean

Instructor: Louise Jackson

Skill Level: Beginner

Duration: 48 mins

"Sailboat in Summer" Online Painting Class

If you want to bring the beauty of the ocean into your home, you are going to love learning how to paint this "Sailboat in Summer". In this painting lesson, Louise will share her technique for creating dramatic whitecaps on the water using masking fluid. She'll also share techniques for creating dramatic crashing waves and a serene sky.

In this video lesson you will learn how to create:

• white sails on the sailboat using masking fluid
• a pastel sky filled with puffy clouds
• movement in the water using various shades of paint
• inked sailboat with watercolor shading

When you have finished this painting lesson you will have an amazing painting to hang on your wall, to give as a gift, or to sell.

What can I expect in this video lesson?

Louise's calm teaching style will allow you to relax and enjoy your painting journey. She'll share over 50 years of painting experience with you giving detailed explanations of each step of the painting process.

Louise paints at a pace that is easy to follow so you can paint right along with her. She'll show you how to paint every detail of this painting including the whitecaps, rocks, sand, water, sky, and moon. You can start and stop the video as often as needed, rewinding and fast-forwarding as needed.

All of Louise's paintings can be created using either watercolors or acrylics and she'll share tips for painting with both.

Class Materials

• full-color picture of the painting (without the watermark)
• written instructions
• color swatches
• supply list
• one PDF file with a single sheet line drawing that will need to be printed at a print shop in full size
• one PDF file with a multi-sheet line drawing that you can print at home on 8 1/2 x11 paper then piece it together

See the F.A.Q. page to answer any of your questions.

Bonus - Complimentary Painting Packet

The "Swan in Lake" Painting Packet

• As a bonus, you will receive a complimentary painting packet so that you can paint a second painting that uses similar techniques that you have just learned in the video painting lesson.

The packet includes:

All the images used in this website are the property of Louise Jackson, M.D.A.. © Copyright 2019 ~ All Rights Reserved.

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How To Paint Boats In Watercolor

Miscellaneous, how to paint boats in watercolor: simple rowing boat, step 1: initial sketch, step 2: painting the first wash, step 3: painting the background, step 4: painting the boats, step 5: foreground boat & cast shadows, step 7: adding foreground texture, step 8: foreground foliage, step 9: final details, watch the video, materials list.

Ultramarine Blue: Winsor & Newton | Daniel Smith Dioxazine Purple: Winsor & Newton | Daniel Smith New Gamboge: Winsor & Newton | Daniel Smith Burnt Umber : Winsor & Newton | Daniel Smith Paynes Gray: Winsor & Newton | Daniel Smith Alizarin Crimson: Winsor & Newton | Daniel Smith Cadmium Red: Winsor & Newton | Daniel Smith

Rigger Brush (For thin tree branches etc) Bu y from Amazon 1″ Hake Brush Buy from Amazon Synthetic Squirrel Flat Brush Buy From Amazon Princeton Synthetic Kolinsky Mop Brush Buy from Amazon

Arches watercolor paper block, cold press, 9″ x 12″, 140 pound Buy from Amazon

Easy release painters masking tape Buy from Amazon Adjustable desktop easel Buy From Amazon

This simple rowing boat can be painted with just one brush. A 1/4″ flat brush.

Begin by painting a loose background wet into wet using Ultramarine and Dioxazine Purple. Leave the paper dry where the boat will be as the paint can only flow only where the paper is wet.

With the edge of your flat brush, paint the darker interior of the boat with a flat wash of Dioxazine Purple and Payne’s Grey.

Paint the exterior of the boat with Cadmium Red. Thin your paint mixture with water as you progress down to the boat’s reflection in the water. The reflection should be lighter and have a less saturated color than the boat itself.

While the paint was still wet I dropped in some shadows along the rear and particularly around the bottom of the boat.

Here’s a pro tip for painting shadows. Never use gray, or black to darken your colors as this just makes them dull and lifeless. In this instance I’ve added Ultramarine to my Cadmium Red. This darkens the color, as well as cooling it, making for a much more convincing shadow color. For more on this this see my detailed post on color theory and how to mix watercolors for the best results.

How to Paint Boats In Watercolor: “Boats In The Harbor”

Here is the original reference photo for my painting “Boats in the harbor” taken from a video that I took.

Although the final painting was actually completed in the studio, I also did some tonal Plein Air studies on location. A tonal study is a monochromatic painting, or pencil sketch that is done to help understand just the light and dark values. I was also trying to get a feel for the structure and perspective of the boats.

This painting of a couple of boats anchored on the Kaipara Harbor in New Zealand, shows how it’s possible to portray a convincing looking boat with only a few brush strokes and a couple of tonal values.

Total Time: 45 minutes

My initial sketch, is quite rough, as you can see but there is just enough detail to show the structure of the boats. The rowing boat in the foreground is just a few simple lines but the little cabin cruiser at the water’s edge has a deceptively complex shape and took a bit longer to get right as it is positioned in such a way that makes it necessary to add perspective.

When drawing three dimensional objects in perspective I find that it try and visualize them as collection of simple geometrical shapes such as stacked boxed and then I add the finer details after.

I began by painting the sky and water in simple broad strokes. The painting was set up on my desktop easel angled at about 45 degrees.

For the first wash I used a 1/2 inch Hake brush with Cerulean Blue diluted to a weak tea consistency. I left plenty of white paper showing through especially around the boats. For the dark wet sand and mud in the foreground, I brought the wash down to the bottom of the paper. I picked up some Dioxazine Purple, Payne’s Grey and Burnt Umber and allowed this to mix and blend on the paper.

The boats will be the main focus of this painting. They are the elements with the strongest contrast and strong contrasts tend to draw the eye immediately. To keep things simple and uncluttered, I’m going to keep the background elements quite loose and undetailed.

With a 1/4 inch Flat brush I painted a variegated wash of Greens mixed from New Gamboge and Prussian Blue and Burnt Umber.

A flat brush is perfect for creating the sharp straight edges needed for the clean lines of the boats. Begin by blocking in just the boat’s shadows, with a 1/4 inch flat brush. I used a strong gray-violet which was mixed from Payne’s Gray, Ultramarine and Alizarin Crimson.

I gave the foreground rowing boat a little more detail and tonal variation than the cabin cruiser, as it is closer to the viewer. Here I am adding the finishing touches to the outboard motor. Don’t forget to indicate the cast shadows on the sand as this little detail will really serve to make the boats feel solid and well grounded in the scene.

Add the texture of sand and stones by flicking paint with an old toothbrush. I’ve used a sheet of paper as a mask to ensure that the paint doesn’t go into other areas of the painting. Ensure that the paper is at least an inch above your painting, otherwise it will create an unnaturally straight line of spatter.

Use a small mop brush to paint the leaves and foliage in the foreground. A mop brush is perfect for creating leaf shapes. It also forms a sharp point, which is ideal for thin branches.

With 95% of the painting completed, all that’s necessary now is to add the darkest details such as the anchor lines and other small lines (often referred to as calligraphy) with a Rigger. Here I am adding the windows to the cabin cruiser with the edge of a flat brush.

If you found this post useful check out the links below

How To Start Watercolor Painting: Essential Beginners Guide

6 Easy Beginner Watercolor Painting Ideas You Can Do!

35 Beginner Watercolor Mistakes & How To Fix Them

Black Friday! Get the EVERYTHING Bundle. ALL my courses & Ebooks for only $225 $ 49 See courses here

Seascapes and Sailboats

Some PLace Far Away

22″ x 30″ Watercolor

A Place in the World

Down by the Sea

Nothing Is All

And God Created Fog

Sailing with My Baby Down the San Francisco Bay

Sounds of Silence

Opening Day

Rhythm of Life

Time After Time

15″ x 11″ Watercolor

Grandmother Ocean

Any Dream Will Do

Wishing You Were Here Again

A Very Special Place

Seagulls on Beach

Seascapes by catherine anderson, ask a question, send a comment, or place your order here.

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Watercolor Sailboats

Award-winning artist Pam E. Webb captivates viewers with her stunning watercolor sailboats. Her artwork brings to life the beauty, adventure, and serenity of sailing in various settings. Below, we explore several of her remarkable pieces, each offering a unique glimpse into the world of sailboats.

Dolphin Encounter

In “Dolphin Encounter,” Pam E. Webb masterfully depicts a playful scene featuring a sailboat and a group of dolphins. Three dolphins break the water’s surface, curiously peeking at the sailboat. Below the boat, two more dolphins frolic underwater, showcasing their agility and grace. The sailboat, with its sails billowing gently, seems almost secondary to the dolphins’ joyful dance. Webb’s use of vibrant blues and greens highlights the crystal-clear water, making the viewer feel as if they are right there, witnessing this magical encounter. The painting captures the harmony between the sailboat and the dolphins, celebrating the natural beauty and playful spirit of marine life.

Elbow Reef Lighthouse

“Elbow Reef Lighthouse” features a quintessential Bahamian scene with a sailboat anchored peacefully below a majestic lighthouse. The lighthouse stands tall on a green hill, its red and white stripes contrasting beautifully against the lush greenery and the clear blue sky. The anchored sailboat rests in calm waters, its reflection adding a serene touch to the composition. Webb’s attention to detail brings the scene to life, from the texture of the lighthouse to the gentle ripples in the water. This painting evokes a sense of tranquility and timelessness, capturing the peaceful coexistence of human-made structures and the natural environment.

Island Sunset – with Two Watercolor Sailboats

“Island Sunset” transports viewers to a serene tropical evening where two watercolor sailboats sail off into the sunset. The silhouettes of the boats, framed by three elegant palms on the shore, create a striking contrast against the glowing sky. The sun sets behind distant hills on the horizon, casting golden rays that dance on the turquoise water. Webb’s skillful use of warm colors and soft brushstrokes conveys the peacefulness of the moment, inviting viewers to experience the calm and beauty of a sunset sail. This painting beautifully captures the romance and allure of sailing into the horizon as day turns to night.

Jiffy Regatta Sloop – Competitive Watercolor Sailboats

In “Jiffy Regatta Sloop,” Webb captures the thrill of competitive sailing. A bright red sailboat, filled with determined team members dressed in matching red, races through the turquoise Bahamian waters. The boat’s white sails are taut in the wind, propelling it forward with speed and precision. Other sailboats can be seen racing alongside, creating a dynamic and energetic scene. The distant hills on the shore add depth to the painting, emphasizing the vastness of the waters. Webb’s vibrant colors and detailed depiction of the sailors’ focused expressions convey the excitement and intensity of a regatta.

Lucayan Lady Regatta Sailboat

“Lucayan Lady Regatta Sailboat” immerses viewers in the heart of a Bahamian regatta. Skilled sailors navigate their vessel through pristine turquoise waters, working together as a team. The men’s synchronized efforts and the sailboat’s graceful movement create a sense of harmony and coordination. Webb’s use of bold colors and fluid brushstrokes brings the scene to life, capturing the essence of teamwork and the thrill of sailing. This painting celebrates the beauty of the Bahamian waters and the skill and dedication of the sailors who navigate them.

Parrot Point

“Parrot Point” brings to life a serene coastal scene, featuring two vibrant parrots and a sailboat, a classic schooner, gliding on calm waters. The parrots, perched on branches, add a splash of color and tropical charm to the composition. The sailboat, with its sails gently unfurled, drifts peacefully in the background. Webb’s delicate brushstrokes and vivid colors create a tranquil and picturesque scene, inviting viewers to enjoy the beauty of nature and the simplicity of coastal life.

Sloop Lady M

“Sloop Lady M” captures the serene beauty of a moored sailboat amidst turquoise Bahamian waters. The sailboat rests with its sails down, indicating a moment of rest and relaxation. The calm, blue water reflects the boat’s hull, adding depth and tranquility to the scene. Webb’s attention to detail and use of soft colors create a soothing and peaceful atmosphere, inviting viewers to appreciate the quiet moments of sailing.

Tida Wave 73 – a Watercolor Sailboats Regatta

In “Tida Wave 73,” three watercolor sailboats compete fiercely in a regatta. Each boat, expertly maneuvered by teams of men, slices through the turquoise waters with precision and speed. The sailors, with their determined expressions and skillful handling, bring a dynamic sense of movement and excitement to the scene. Webb’s vibrant colors and energetic brushstrokes capture the intensity and thrill of the race, making viewers feel the adrenaline of the competition.

Sloop Windrose

“Sloop Windrose” centers on a beautiful white sloop floating gracefully on calm, blue water. The boat’s hull reflects the light, adding depth and a sense of tranquility to the scene. The sloop’s sails are neatly furled, indicating a moment of rest. Webb’s use of soft blues and greens creates a peaceful and serene atmosphere, inviting viewers to appreciate the beauty of the sailboat and its surroundings.

The Man O’ War Regatta Sloop

“The Man O’ War Regatta Sloop” brings the excitement of sailing to life. This vibrant piece captures a lively regatta scene, featuring a sleek sloop cutting through the turquoise waters. The dynamic composition, with the boat racing forward and the crew working in unison, conveys the thrill and energy of the regatta. Webb’s bold colors and detailed depiction of the sailors and the boat create an engaging and exhilarating scene, celebrating the joy of competitive sailing.

Watercolor Sailboats: a Summary

Finally, Pam E. Webb’s watercolor sailboats offer a captivating glimpse into the world of sailing. Each piece showcases her exceptional talent and ability to capture the beauty, excitement, and tranquility of maritime life. Through her art, viewers are invited to experience the allure and charm of sailing, whether it’s the thrill of a regatta or the peacefulness of a sunset sail.