The Magic of a Summer Watercolor Painting – How to Paint Your Atmospheric Subject

Painting is a wonderful way to bring joy and color to everyday life, recharge with positive energy, and find your own creative peace. This time, we'll take a cute summer subject as our model: a girl in a hat on a sandy dune beach. The artwork exudes a delicate play of light and shadow and a warm summer atmosphere.

And it doesn't matter if painting sometimes feels challenging – the most important thing is to pick up a brush and enjoy the process!

What tools and colors do you need?

You don't need a huge color palette for this painting. We can mostly manage with just four basic colors:

• Blue (e.g., ultramarine for the sky, sea, and shadows)

• Ochre & yellow (for sand and sunny highlights)

• Red (for accent color and small details)

• Brown or black (for dark mixes and deep shadows)

Other supplies:

• Watercolors and watercolor paper

• Brushes of different sizes (large for background, small for details)

• White gouache (opaque white paint for highlighting and lightening)

• Hair dryer (to speed up drying)

Painting Process Step-by-Step

1. Starting the Background and Large Areas of the Painting

Let's start with the base of the painting, i.e., the sky and the sea.

• Paint the blue areas all at once in the background.

• The sand dunes consist mainly of ochre and yellow.

• A rather contrasting shadow under the girl and bicycle should be painted at this stage.

2. Toning the Figure, Dress, and Hat

Once the background is sketched, move on to the main subject:

• Dress: Start painting the dress from the shadowed side with a neutral shade (even if it's blue).

• Hat and basket: The hat consists of the same colors as the sand, but you can add a little yellow and orange to bring warmth. You can add a basket to the composition, for example:

"The painting I'm using as a model doesn't show a basket, but I think it's nice to see it, even if partially – it showcases your drawing skills and makes the picture clearer."

3. Strengthening Shadows and Drying

Depth is created by contrasts! Strengthen the shadows throughout the painting: in the hat, basket, and especially on the ground.

• With ultramarine blue, you can build wonderful, strong shadows.

• Tip: Use a hairdryer in between to make the paint dry faster and allow you to continue with more precise layers.

4. Details and Playful Effects

Now the painting truly comes to life:

• Red flowers: Make with small, firm brushstrokes.

• Bicycle and boots: Lightly sketch the bicycle wheels and spokes. The girl's boots and legs are easy to refine over the already established shadow base.

• Leaves and ribbons: By mixing yellow and blue, you get the perfect green for the flower leaves. The most beautiful part of the painting are the red-toned ribbons fluttering in the wind!

5. Finishing with White Gouache

To bring even more sunshine into the painting, we use white gouache. Gouache is an opaque paint that mixes excellent with watercolor. Lighten and highlight lights, for example, on the collar and legs.

A lovely, pretty summer atmosphere emerged as if by itself!

Further Tips and Next Steps

Hopefully, this small guide brought you joy and inspiration for your own creative moment! Art is a wonderful way to make everyday life more colorful.

• Experiment boldly: Don't be afraid of even strong shadows and try combining gouache with watercolor.

• Which video to watch next? Watch the next human figure drawing and mixed media painting tutorial "woman in a cafe".

Great if I got you excited about painting! Please give a thumbs up if you found the video helpful and enjoyable to watch. Best of luck with your painting moments, and see you again.