plate no. 9180
Open Sea
Emil Carlsen, 1912
suitable for beginners
This painting is great for learning how to create atmospheric perspective and how to suggest movement in water. Students will practice blending techniques to achieve soft transitions in the sky and water.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the horizon line and basic cloud shapes.
- step 02
Block in the sky with light blue, gradually darkening towards the top.
- step 03
Add the clouds using white and light gray, blending edges softly.
- step 04
Block in the sea with darker blues, creating horizontal bands.
- step 05
Add highlights to the waves using white and light blue, following the direction of the waves.
- step 06
Refine the wave shapes and add details like foam and spray.
- step 07
Soften edges and blend colors to create a sense of atmosphere.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · cerulean blue
secondary · raw umber · payne's grey
Mix blues with white for the sky and sea. Use raw umber and payne's grey to create darker shades and shadows. Mix small amounts of secondary colors to create subtle variations in the blues.
techniques
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·broken color
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details in the waves.
- →Creating harsh lines instead of soft transitions.
- →Using too much white, resulting in a chalky appearance.
- →Ignoring the atmospheric perspective, making the background too sharp.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·cerulean blue oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use a medium-grain canvas for better texture. Consider using a glazing medium to enhance the depth of colors.
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