This is a free how-to paint a ship sailing at sunset art lesson and worksheet.
Here is a good practice project and skill builder for any young artist or beginner.
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Teachers and parents will be able to use this in class or as a do-at-home project. It can be a lesson by itself or an extra activity.
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| How to Paint a Picture Worksheet Painting a Ship at Sunset |
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CLICK HERE for a PDF file.
Remember to set your printer to color.
A WORD ABOUT PRINTING THE WORKSHEET
For help with printing, CLICK HERE to visit my how-to-print page for some suggestions. or try one of the updated links below that should print better.
See an alternate version of this ship with two ship mermaids that you can trace onto watercolor paper in a larger size, CLICK HERE.
ART SUPPLY LIST
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. For these art lessons, I use Strathmore series 300 Watercolor paper. It is economical and available at Michaels and Hobby Lobby and online.
PRINTABLE NOTES.
BEGINNINGS
Trace the design onto 140-pound watercolor paper, this is the heavy paper that will not buckle. If the paper is too thick to trace through place it against a window with the light shining behind it and then you should be able to trace it easily.
CLICK HERE to see a larger more detailed version of this project.
SKY (NOT CLOUDS)
Wet the paper in the sky area. With a large wide flat brush lay watery violet, plumb, and lavender in the top area then blue in the middle sky, and light blue near the horizon. Use long horizontal strokes to lay it in. You may need to play with it a little to get the darker values at the top and lighter colors in the bottom. Every sunset is different so don't get too upset if it is not perfect. Use a paper towel to dry the brush and use a dry brush to help the colors go from light to dark.
AFTER THE SKY DRIES PAINT THE CLOUDS
Just like the background sky get the clouds wet with clear water. Use a small brush and drop watery colors into the clouds. Use rose, orange-yellow. Keep a paper towel near to dry the brush and use the dryer brush to move the colors around. Add a little VERY LITTLE grey dark blue in a few places to give the stormy look. If the clouds get too dark or too much color, use fresh clear water on a clean brush and get them wet then use a tissue or a paper towel to blot out the color.
AFTER THE CLOUDS DRY DO THE SEA.
Be careful to keep the whites, the splash at the front of the ship, and the highlights clean. Use small brushes for the area near the horizon and a larger brush for the sea in the foreground. The brushes should be not too wet. Stroke the colors back and forth starting at the horizon and going down. Mix blues, greens, and even black-browns into the sea. Mix the colors on the paper. When it dries you may want to touch it up. Sometimes a brush with clear water can soften the distant sea. REMEMBER to leave some white places for the sparkle of the sun on the sea.
Remember the sea is light near the horizon and darker in the foreground.
THE SPLASH AT THE FRONT OF THE BOAT AFTER THE SEA IS DRY
The splash at the front of the boat is almost white but not really white. use a very watery mix of blue-grey and a small brush and dab in some color.
DO THE SAILS AFTER THE SKY IS DRY
Use a medium brush and a watery almost clear mix of yellow for the sails. With a small brush edge the shadow areas with orange or violet.
AFTER THE SEA IS DRY DO THE SHIP IN STEPS.
You will use brushes differently for the boat, think of it as drawing with a brush and not so much painting.
Use the tip of the brush to paint the red railing, add a little purple for the shadow near the front of the ship.
Start the hull and cabin of the ship with light brown. Let the light brown dry then work in the shadows with a dark blue-brown but be sure to leave the sunny sides light
With brown use the tip of the brush and draw in the masts and wooden parts of the sails. Use a small brush and edge some dark brown with black for the shadow on the mast. The banners are red with purple shadows. Let the red dry before you add the purple.
Sign your work about an inch from the bottom so there is room for the frame.
(c) Adron Dozat 4/19/19
