Explore the Serenity of Acrylic Beach Painting
Are you searching for a simple and delightful beach painting idea using acrylics? Look no further! This beginner-friendly tutorial will guide you through creating a stunning artwork featuring tropical waters, a sun-kissed sandy beach (complete with real sand texture), gentle ocean waves, and a mesmerizing seafoam shoreline with an adorable starfish.
Before we dive in, if you’re new to acrylic painting, make sure to check out our comprehensive guide on how to paint with acrylics for beginners and explore our collection of 65+ easy painting ideas for more inspiration.
If you’re in the mood for a summer-themed masterpiece, you can also try our serene and tropical beach sunset painting or the majestic underwater scene of how to paint a sea turtle.
Let’s get started!
How to Paint an Easy Beach
Beach paintings are perfect for beginners as they offer simplicity and beauty with minimal colors required. To capture the essence of the beach, you’ll only need five basic colors.
For the sky and captivating turquoise ocean waters, gather these colors:
- Ultramarine blue
- Phthalo green
- Titanium white
To create the warm sand color, you’ll need:
- Cadmium yellow medium (or any yellow)
- Burnt umber (or any brown)
Additionally, white will be useful for painting the seafoam on the beach and distant waves.
If you’d like to add a delightful starfish, a bit of cadmium red medium is all you need!
How to Paint Ocean Waves for Beginners
While waves may seem intimidating to paint, they can be simplified into basic shapes. Begin by painting a thin horizontal line using titanium white. This line will serve as the top of your wave.
For crashing waves, envision a reverse triangle shape. Using a small flat brush and titanium white, sweep down from the line to create the triangle shape, with the middle portion having the longest “sweep down.”
To soften the edges of your wave, gently use a Q-tip in circular motions, creating a smooth and soft transition. Repeat this technique wherever you desire waves.
Easy Tip for Wave Painting
Remember that waves further in the distance appear smaller. By utilizing this concept, you can create an illusion of depth in your artwork.
How to Paint Seafoam on the Beach
Seafoam on the beach possesses a beautiful lace-like pattern. Start by drawing the edge of your waves on the sandy shore using titanium white.
Next, create squiggly vertical and diagonal lines (as random and diverse as possible) pointing towards the middle of the ocean above. This will generate an illusion of depth.
Connect these diagonal lines by painting more squiggly horizontal lines, forming small wavy “pools” of water. The pools should become larger near the shore and gradually smaller as they extend into the ocean. Keep this in mind while painting the horizontal squiggly lines.
Creating Sand Color
No need to spend extra money! Mixing your own sand color using colors you likely already have is simple and cost-effective.
To achieve the desired sand color, combine equal amounts of cadmium yellow medium and burnt umber (or any yellow and brown shades you prefer). Gradually add small amounts of titanium white until you’re satisfied with the hue.
If you’re interested in exploring different sand, sky, and ocean color paint recipes, take a look at our tutorial featuring various recipes that would be ideal for beach scenery painting.
Tip for Mixing Sand Color
If you’re using student-quality or level 1 acrylics, it’s advisable to mix the sand color one or two shades lighter. Cheaper paints tend to dry slightly lighter than when wet. Gradually add titanium white until your sand color is light enough.
Incorporating Sand into Acrylic Paint
Absolutely! Mixing sand directly into your acrylic paint is an easy and inexpensive way to add texture to your beach artwork. You can either mix the sand directly with your paint on your palette or sprinkle it over wet paint on your canvas.
If you choose to sprinkle sand over wet paint, ensure that you seal the sand onto your canvas by applying another layer of sand-colored paint on top.
Adding Texture to Your Paint
There are various techniques to add texture to your acrylic paint. One method is to mix a coarse pumice medium into your paints, resulting in a sandy and bumpy texture when dry.
For those seeking a DIY approach, mixing the following inexpensive items with your paint can create unique textures once dried:
- Sand
- Salt (coarse or fine)
- Rice
- Crushed eggshells (clean and dried)
- Tiny pebbles (gravel)
