I am delighted to share with you my free printable how-to-paint an ocean wave lesson and worksheet.
I enjoy creating art and helping others to learn how to paint pictures. I often take my pocket Windsor Newton watercolor paint set outdoors and paint different scenes. This picture was inspired by a trip to Ocean City, MD, where we had a holiday. The Atlantic ocean there is peaceful, and the waves are long and low. This worksheet will help the young artist begin to gain confidence with watercolor. It is a simple project and uses very few colors.
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| Easy How To Paint An Ocean Wave Worksheet |
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You can use any watercolor paint. I prefer my small Windsor Newton paint set; it has a nice selection of colors. I also use Grumbacher Paints in the tubes. You can easily find these at any craft store like Lobby Hobby or Michaels. (Look for coupons online.) You can collect lots of paintbrushes, but it is better at the start to keep it simple with a few small, medium, and medium-large brushes and a combination of flats as well as rounded paintbrushes.
Trace the basic design of the picture onto 140 lb watercolor paper; this is the heavy paper that resists buckling when wet. I like to use Strathmore series 300 Watercolor; it is an economic watercolor paper, and you can easily find a coupon for it at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. If it is too thick to trace through, hold it against a window with light shining through and tracing it.
REMEMBER: The splash is white, so don't do anything to it until the very end.
THE FIRST WASH.
* Starting at the top wet the entire sky and then wash in watery light blue. While it is still wet, add a little darker blue at the top.
* The background sea is darker than the wave, but the sea is lighter on the horizon. Mix a little black with the sea just above the wave but very little.
* The top of the wave is light blue.
* Put a little watery tan or grey-brown in the sand
* The lightest blue is in the water between the wave and the beach. Keep it watery and use back and forth sweeps of the brush.
SECOND WASH
* The darkest part of the wave is at the bottom inside the wave's curl; use darker blues and a little touch of black.
* Use a little dark blue and black to put a shadow under the edge of the foam and the edge of the curl.
* There are ripples in the water in front of the wave; use a little dark blue and black to draw them in with the very tip of your brush.
THE SPLASH
The splash is white, but it has a little shadow in front of it; use a watery, almost clear blue-grey and wash the bottom part of the wave. Use your smallest brush and drop in a little slightly darker blue-grey to make it splashy.
LAST DETAILS.
If you have white paint, use your smallest brush and put some shiny spots in the far sea and on the edge of the wave. There are curved lines inside the wave and curved lines going down over the top of the wave; use the small brush to "draw" these lines with white and dark blue. Draw some lines back and forth in the front wave with the white. Draw some lines back and forth in the sand. Add a little watery yellow, orange, and tan in the clouds.
(c) Adron D. 11/22/15PRINTABLE ART LESSON NOTES
FIRSTTrace the basic design of the picture onto 140 lb watercolor paper; this is the heavy paper that resists buckling when wet. I like to use Strathmore series 300 Watercolor; it is an economic watercolor paper, and you can easily find a coupon for it at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. If it is too thick to trace through, hold it against a window with light shining through and tracing it.
REMEMBER: The splash is white, so don't do anything to it until the very end.
THE FIRST WASH.
* Starting at the top wet the entire sky and then wash in watery light blue. While it is still wet, add a little darker blue at the top.
* The background sea is darker than the wave, but the sea is lighter on the horizon. Mix a little black with the sea just above the wave but very little.
* The top of the wave is light blue.
* Put a little watery tan or grey-brown in the sand
* The lightest blue is in the water between the wave and the beach. Keep it watery and use back and forth sweeps of the brush.
SECOND WASH
* The darkest part of the wave is at the bottom inside the wave's curl; use darker blues and a little touch of black.
* Use a little dark blue and black to put a shadow under the edge of the foam and the edge of the curl.
* There are ripples in the water in front of the wave; use a little dark blue and black to draw them in with the very tip of your brush.
THE SPLASH
The splash is white, but it has a little shadow in front of it; use a watery, almost clear blue-grey and wash the bottom part of the wave. Use your smallest brush and drop in a little slightly darker blue-grey to make it splashy.
LET IT DRY BEFORE FINISHING TOUCHES
After the splash is dry, use your smallest brush to put dots of blue-grey all over it. If you have white paint, the last step would be to use the smallest brush and put dots all over the splash like water flying up.LAST DETAILS.
If you have white paint, use your smallest brush and put some shiny spots in the far sea and on the edge of the wave. There are curved lines inside the wave and curved lines going down over the top of the wave; use the small brush to "draw" these lines with white and dark blue. Draw some lines back and forth in the front wave with the white. Draw some lines back and forth in the sand. Add a little watery yellow, orange, and tan in the clouds.
