Painting a morning sky with watercolors can be a fun and rewarding way to capture the beauty of dawn. With some basic supplies, techniques, and practice, anyone can create a lovely watercolor sunrise scene. Here is a step-by-step guide to painting a morning sky in watercolor.
Supplies Needed
To paint a watercolor sunrise, you will need the following supplies:
– Watercolor paints – Look for a set with warm colors like reds, oranges, yellows, pinks, and purples to capture the colors of sunrise. You’ll also need blue and white.
– Brushes – A round brush for details and a large flat wash brush to fill in sky areas.
– Paper – Use thick paper like watercolor paper at least 140 lb to avoid warping.
– Palette – A palette for mixing your paint colors. White plastic or ceramic work well.
– Water containers – One for clean water, one for rinsing brushes.
– Paper towels or rag – For blotting and drying brushes.
Plan the Composition
First decide on the composition for your watercolor sunrise painting. Sketch it lightly in pencil on your watercolor paper. Include elements like:
– Horizon line – Where the sky meets ground/water. Place low or high on page.
– Clouds – Wispy cirrus clouds in sky glow colors.
– Sun – Peeking over horizon or hidden behind clouds.
– Reflections – Of clouds/sun in water below.
– Land/water – Silhouetted ground or water beneath sky. Keep simple.
– Birds – Flying birds add nice detail and interest.
Mix the Colors
Next, prepare your watercolor paints. The early morning sky uses warm pigments like:
– Reds – Alizarin crimson, cadmium red
– Oranges – Cadmium orange, burnt sienna
– Yellows – Cadmium yellow, lemon yellow
– Pinks – Permanent rose, opera pink
– Purples – Dioxazine purple, ultramarine violet
Mix very diluted paints to layer and build colors gradually. Also mix some neutral tints by adding small amounts of purple, blue, or green to dull and gray the bright colors.
Paint the Sky
Start painting the sky using large soft wash techniques. While the paper is still wet, drop in soft clouds by lifting color with a damp brush or paper towel. Create a smooth gradation from warm light tones at the horizon to cooler darker blues at the top of the sky.
Let the sky layers dry before adding details like:
– Bright touches of color along horizon
– Rays of light beaming through clouds
– Silhouetted trees, hills, or buildings along skyline
– Birds flying through the sky
Paint the Foreground
Once the sky is complete, paint the foreground. For water, use wet-on-wet techniques to drop reflections into damp paint. For land, glaze over dry sky paint with shadows and silhouetted details.
Let the painting fully dry. Then assess if any areas need more definition. Add final touches like:
– Sharpening cloud edges
– Darkening silhouettes and shadows
– Brightening highlights
– Adding details to water reflections
Tips for Painting a Morning Sky
Here are some helpful tips for getting great results painting your watercolor sunrise:
– Lightly sketch the composition in pencil first so you can paint freely over it.
– Start painting while the paper is completely dry so colors blend softly in the sky.
– Use a large wash brush to make smooth gradations in big sky areas.
– Create soft, diffused edges on clouds by painting wet-on-wet.
– Vary the values (lights and darks) to add interest and realism.
– Save very bright whites of the paper for the sun and its rays.
– Add darker values at the top and lighter ones near the horizon to suggest atmospheric perspective.
– Take photos of actual sunrises for color and lighting reference.
Common Problems and Solutions
Here are some common problems that can occur when painting watercolor skies and how to fix them:
Problem: Sky colors look muddy.
Solution: Allow layers to fully dry between applications to prevent mixing.
Problem: Clouds look hard-edged and unnatural.
Solution: Soften edges by painting wet-on-wet. Lift out soft sections with a damp brush.
Problem: Paint is drying too quickly.
Solution: Mix more water into the paint to slow drying time.
Problem: Sky lacks depth and vivid colors.
Solution: Build up multiple glazed layers of rich transparent color.
Problem: Paint bleeds under masking tape edges.
Solution: Ensure paint is totally dry before applying tape. Burnish tape edges to seal.
Conclusion
Painting a stunning sunrise seascape or landscape is very achievable with watercolor paints and some basic knowledge of wet-on-wet techniques. By following the steps on supplies, color mixing, composition, and process, you can create your own beautiful morning sky scene. Pay attention to light and color values. Be patient in letting layers dry between applications. With a little practice, you will soon be able to capture breathtaking watercolor skies full of radiant light, soft clouds, and rich glowing color.
The meditative process of painting a watercolor sunrise is extremely rewarding. As you apply the luminous washes of paint and watch the colors mingle and bloom, you feel connected to the beauty of nature. Displaying your finished piece will remind you of the peaceful inspiration you felt while painting a watercolor morning sky.
| Supply | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Watercolor paints | Thick paint for mixing sunset colors |
| Brushes | Round brushes for details, flat for washes |
| Watercolor paper | Heavy paper that won’t warp |
| Palette | For mixing paint colors |
| Water containers | For clean water and rinsing brushes |
| Paper towels | Blotting and drying brushes |
Tips
- Sketch composition lightly first
- Start painting on dry paper
- Use big wash for smooth sky
- Soften clouds painting wet-on-wet
- Vary values for realism
- Save whites for sun and rays
- Add atmospheric perspective
- Take photos for color reference
