plate no. 0150

Sea Shore

Leon Dabo, 1911

oilTonalismmarinaseabeachskyfigureshorizonwaves

suitable for beginners

This painting is excellent for practicing subtle color blending and atmospheric perspective. Recreating it will help students understand how to create depth using tonal variations and soft edges.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a light ochre or raw sienna wash.
step 02
Sketch a basic horizon line, dividing the sky and sea/beach.
step 03
Block in the sky with a light, warm color, gradually adding subtle variations in tone and color.
step 04
Paint the sea with horizontal strokes, blending colors to suggest depth and distance.
step 05
Add the suggestion of waves with slightly lighter values and soft edges.
step 06
Paint the beach area, blending it into the sea with similar colors.
step 07
Add the figures on the beach with simple shapes and minimal detail.
step 08
Soften edges and blend further to create a hazy, atmospheric effect.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw sienna · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt umber · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue

Achieve the subtle tones by mixing white with small amounts of raw sienna, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt umber. Use alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue sparingly to create subtle pink and blue hues in the sky.

techniques