Skirting the Shore

Welcome May, I hope dear May that you recognised that you are May and not March, we had hail and snow here yesterday! Let’s head off for warmer climes 

Skirting the Shore

30cm x 40cm 

In this seascape I was looking to achieve that lacy look when the waves flow over the sandy shallows, letting the sandy shades below peek through. 

My seascapes are making me consider my technique a lot more, creating the fine lines of waves breaking, or scooting over shallows is tricky with extremely soft pastels. Here I resorted to the use of pastel pencils a lot more than I usually do in landscapes. Meanwhile I've tried Faber Castell, CarbOthello and at the moment I'm using Caran D'ache pastel pencils in white and pale blue which I find give off the most colour when layering and are fine enough for those little lacy wavelets. 

My reference photo was of course from my holiday and sketching in Oman, fascinating was the intense changes of colour in the sea during the course of the day. Mornings we were in pale blues and around midday we were moving towards turquoise and emerald. 

This was putting down the first layers and finding a way to capture the movement and the coastline, trying to stay dynamic without getting too finicky (a tricky job!), I tend to want to draw every little crest and splash! 

Tell you this, no paddling in the shallows today, but I did get a peek of something that gave a little hope for better temperatures, the fist Lily of the Valley welcoming in May.