Sea side composition

I did reply to a challenge posted on IWS Canada.ca for the Summer 2026 to paint a composition based on a beautiful photo reference posted on that website. I chose mine with a focal point on the buildings surrounded by palm trees on the opposite side of the bay, leaving the dark gray rocks in the foreground.

Yesterday, I painted a small study in my sketchbook (Fabriano 1264 – Watercolour, Coldpress 140 lb 7×10 in) to get familiar with the scene and to understand the light as captured in the reference photo better.

Feeling ready to take on the painting task on a larger, quarter sheet paper (Arches 140 lb, cold press), I started with sketching the outlines of the important shapes in the composition.

Followed by the first wash using a paint of the consistency of the following selection of Daniel Smith paints:

• Cobalt Blue + Quinaquedon Red for the sky,
• Ultramarine Blue for the sea,
• Cobalt Blue + Burned Sienna for the rocks,
• Cobalt Blue + Gamboge Yellow for vegetation,
• Ultramarine Blue + Burned Sienna for other grays.

After leaving the paper to fully dry, I applied the medium shades after premixing the coffee-and-milk paint (half tones).

Eventually, I painted to highlight (the dark tones) and made some corrections, such as to darken the sky and the sea on the right side of the painting, as the Sun seemed to shine through the clouds from the top left of the photo reference.

That was it.