Cape Surf, Chris Reed, 2024, oil on canvas

Painting ocean waves with oil paint is very liberating. When painting near the ocean, learning to be loose with your brushwork and trusting the creative process may help you discover how to allow your brush to flow in sync with the waves.

However, working from photos can be helpful when starting.

As you acclimate to painting waves with oil paint, I suggest making small compositional oil sketches (6” x 6”, for example) to train the eye.

The goal is to see the basic structure of a painting.

This basic structure of a painting primarily includes

Value
Color
Shape
and Form

The Backrush, Winslow Homer, circa 1895, oil on canvas

Detail is developed later in the process.

Below, I have outlined the steps involved in painting ocean waves with oil paint, along with a supply list.

You can substitute regular Gamblin for the Gamblin 1980 student-grade paint for greater saturation.

Supply List

Gamblin 1980 37 ml tubes in the following colors:
- Cadmium Yellow
- Lemon Yellow
- Cadmium Red
- Alizarin Crimson
- Ultramarine Blue
- Cerulean Blue
- Titanium White 150 ml
Gamblin Solvent-Free Safflower Oil Medium, 8.5 oz.
Palette knife
Princeton Snap brushes:
- Bright 8
- Filbert 4, round 2
Frederic Canvas Pad 9” x 12”
Masterson Palette Seal, 12” x 16”
Strathmore Palette Pad, 12” x 16”
Mason jar
Masters 1/4 oz. Brush Cleaner
Paper towels or a rag
Strathmore Canvas Paper, 6” x 6”
Any board for taping a canvas sheet

Sea Piece, William Henry, 1897, oil on canvas

Step 1. Mixing Oil Paint

Start by inserting a sheet of palette paper into the palette box.

Next, apply a small amount of oil paint to your palette:

Ultramarine blue
Cerulean blue
Cadmium yellow
Alizarin crimson
White

Add a few teaspoons of safflower oil to the center of the palette paper.

Mix equal amounts of ultramarine blue and cerulean with a dab of cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson, and white (more can be added as needed).

The mixture will mute the blues slightly.

Step 2. Applying the Colors to the Canvas

It’s important to be as loose as possible when applying your paint. Hold your brush toward the end of the handle to help with gesture. Apply the light blue in broad sweeps across your canvas until it’s mostly covered. Let the canvas show through in places.

Also, it’s important to give your results a “choppy” look by varying the size of the brushstrokes. The important thing is to have fun experimenting with the brush-handling and playing with different ways of moving the paint on the canvas.

Step 3. Building Impasto

Turbulent Sea, David Barnes, 1985, oil on canvas

Using your palette knife, scrape the white paint together on your palette to ensure it’s thick enough. With the flat side of the palette knife, apply it to the crest of the waves in a dabbing effect.

Continue dabbing and smearing until the impasto is applied along the lightest sections. This includes the ocean spray and the foam rolling along a beach.

Step 4. Creating Contrast

Darker tones can be created by mixing ultramarine blue with some alizarin crimson and a dab of cadmium yellow and titanium white.

This would be added under the crest of the waves for contrast. Try adding random marks for distant waves, or in the foreground, add some stippling for sand and rocks.

The sky could be “blocked in” (loosely sketched to establish the basic structure) for the top third of the painting, with a light cool blue for the sky. The bottom edge of this will create the horizon line. The mixture should be cerulean blue with titanium white and a very small amount of cadmium yellow and alizarin crimson. The painting should be composed of roughly three main sections.

Step 5. Fine Tuning

For the last steps of your painting, consider adding a bird or two flying in the distance towards the center of the painting to create a focal point.

Alternatively, you could paint a boat drifting near the horizon. Softening the edges of the horizon line will accentuate the feeling of depth. Consider adding some warm tones for a sunset. The “canvas” is your oyster, so run with it!

Contact Me

If you want to learn more, consider enrolling in a plein-air class or a private lesson. Feel free to reach out with any questions. I hope to see you outdoors!

Learn How To Paint Ocean Waves With Oil Paint