Wind on the Beach

Wind on the Beach

The wind blowing sand into the air didn’t seem to bother the bathers at the waters edge.  Only when they were walking back to their cars would they notice the sand that had been whipped off the beach as it picked at their skin like little needles.

After pondering over the different beach photos I had taken a few weeks ago while visiting South Padre Island on Texas’ gulf coast, I decided on the view up the windy beach toward the sand hazed hotels.

Hmm?

Starting with my sienna pastel pencil, I sketched the basics of the scene.

Idea sketched out

Then trying something completely different, I grabbed a small foam paint roller from the garage.  I rolled it through a rough blend of Cerulean Blue Chromium and Titanium White, and using short strokes, covered the top portion of the canvas.

Sky

After a thorough wash of my roller, I painted the beach in the same manner using Titanium White and Yellow Ochre.

Sand

To ensure my hotels were straight, I outlined them with some masking tape…

Hotels

…and using a palette knife and the remaining paint from the sky and beach, I painted the distance buildings.

Hotels

For the sea grass covering the dunes, using a combination of acrylic pens, I stippled the different shades of green.

Sea Grass

After adding the beach umbrellas on the distant shoreline, I turned to what was everywhere; the blowing sand.  I thought I could use a glaze for the sand, but decided my recently procured air brush might provide a better effect.

Dust

All that was left was the yellow warning flag…

Wind on the Beach

 

Growing up spending my summers on the beach, I miss the sound of the surf breaking against the shore, the salt air blowing in my face and even the blowing sand.