How to paint sea and clouds in watercolor : Try a layering technique
February 5, 2013 2021-07-03 17:44How to paint sea and clouds in watercolor : Try a layering technique
![Layering watercolors to paint clouds and the sea on ARTiful, painting demos by Sandrine Pelissier](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/painting-demos.com_.png)
How to paint sea and clouds in watercolor : Try a layering technique
Learning how to paint sea and clouds in watercolor can seem tricky. A technique you can try that works well with clouds and sea is to layer your watercolors. Until now I have been using a layering technique with watercolors mostly for portraits because I find this is a great way to convey the subtle tones of skin and to avoid hard edges. For a seascape I wanted to try that technique to paint the clouds and the sea.
I did mount the watercolor paper with my drawing on board before I start painting.
If you are interested in that technique you can read the post here: Mounting Watercolor paper on board
Here is how to paint sea and clouds in watercolor using a layering technique
When layering watercolors I am always starting with the yellow layer as I am going to be using Yellow Ocher and this is the least transparent of all the colors I will use.
![How to paint sea and clouds in watercolor painting the yellow watercolor layer](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/1yellowwatercolorlayer.jpg)
I start painting only with yellow ocher watercolor. I am wetting the paper with plain water before I start painting the sky, so I am sure all the edges will stay soft. I am also creating some white areas by removing paint with a tissue paper
![ultramarine and cobalt blue watercolor to paint sea and clouds in watercolour](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/bluewatercolor.jpg)
For the blue layer I want to use two tones of blue, a warmer ultramarine blue and a colder Cobalt Turquoise blue
![painting the sea with ultramarine blue](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/3paintingthebluewatercolorlayer.jpg)
Once the yellow layer is completely dry I start adding a layer of Ultramarine blue to the sea.When dry I start painting the boats and add details to the sea.
![adding details and preserving whites with masking fluid](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/4maskingtheblueboats.jpg)
Before painting the clouds, I protect the boats I just painted with masking fluid so I can paint with large gesture and not have the dark blue on the boats bleed into the sky.
I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.
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Daler-Rowney Masking FluidThis fluid is used to create striking white highlights or to mask areas for overpainting at a later stage. It forms a fast-drying, water-resistant film on watercolor paper and board, and is easily removed when dry. |
![masking tape for clean edges between sea and sky before painting](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/5usingmaskingtapeforthesea.jpg)
I am also using masking tape to keep a clean edge between the sea and sky.
![painting a watercolor sky wet into wet](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/6completingthebluelayer.jpg)
I am then wetting the sky area with plain water before painting the clouds, I am using ultramarine on the top part and cobalt on the lower part.
![alizarine crimson red to paint watercolor clouds](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/redwatercolorpaint.jpg)
For the red layer I am going to use Alazarin crimson watercolor.
I am a Blick Art Materials affiliate and I receive a small compensation for sales. That does not effect in any way the cost of the purchaser’s order but it helps me keeping the content of this blog free.
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Yarka St. Petersburg Professional Watercolor PansSame palette of traditional colors the great masters used a century ago. Liquid-poured means semi-moist pans respond instantly to a wet brush. 24 pans in plastic case. Also individual pans. – Master Set |
![layering watercolours to paint the shy and sea](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/8Startingwiththeredwatercolorlayer.jpg)
I then add a very light layer of red on the sky and sea areas, I am also adding some red to the boats
![scrubbing off watercolour paint](https://paintingdemos.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/getting-a-new-perspective-medl-res.jpg)
The last step I am taking is scrubbing off a bit of color with a stiff brush and lots of water, then adding a bit more white with a fine layer of gouache.
Click on image to buy Print or Original Painting.
Here is a time lapse video that will show you the whole process in about 4 minutes
Comments (4)
Mercedes
I loved the post, and the painting seems to me to be exceptional. I have two questions to you. Do you remove the paint with a thirsty brush or with paper tissue? and, as you extend gouache, Is it white gouache diluted with a brush? Thank you for sharing. Respectfully Mercedes
Sandrine Pelissier
Thanks Mercedes:)
When I remove a bit of paint, I use a stiff brush with water and then I use tissue paper to take off the paint I just scrubbed off.
Yes the white gouache I used here was diluted with a bit of water.
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