It’s fascinating to see how different artists handle similar subjects on their travels. Take a look at these five interpretations of the ocean. They’re great reminders that there is no one right way. Let your travels speak to you!
Marc Taro Holmes simplified this sweeping landscape and used wet washes with no previous underdrawing.
Nina Khashchina used a pen and black ink to loosely sketch the forms before her, making written notes along the way. Then she added quick washes of color.
Canadian watercolorist Shari Blaukopf concentrated on the shape of the shoreline rocks and the buildings, using an ink pen with a fine nib and the fresh washes she’s known for. The people on the beach give us a sense of scale. Try introducing people in your sketches to make the scene feel more human.
I did this ink, watercolor and colored pencil sketch while sitting in a restaurant in Malibu, California, with my husband as a fog bank crouched at the horizon. I paid special attention to the shape of the sand hills as well as to the action of the waves. My supplies were simple and lightweight and didn’t get in the way of our meal.
Painting in the Dominican Republic, Swedish artist Nina Johansson kept her colors fresh and her washes clean and simple.