How to Paint a Seascape Mural

Use artist's paint and brushes for your mural.

If you have painted seascapes in watercolor or oil on paper or canvas, you can probably paint a seascape mural on a wall. Think of your mural as a much larger version of what you have painted before. If you are new to the world of seascape painting, take your time and refer to photographs or paintings of seascapes for inspiration. It may help you to practice a few seascapes on paper before starting on a wall mural.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Tracing paper
• Painter's tape
• Liquid detergent
• Primer or paint -- optional
• Level
• Acrylic mural paints
• Artist's paintbrushes
• Clear varnish

Instructions

1. Sketch an outline of your seascape composition on paper. Draw your horizon line first. To make your mural more interesting, place your horizon below or above center rather than directly in the center of the scene. A low horizon means the sky will take up more space than water; a high horizon means there will be more water than sky.

2. Attach tracing paper to the back of your sketch with painter's tape.

3. Clean the wall with liquid detergent and warm water to remove all dust and grease. Leave it to dry. Apply a fresh coat of primer or paint to the wall if you need to even out any color variations.

4. Tape your sketch and tracing paper to the wall using a level to make sure it is straight. Stand back from the wall and make sure you are happy with its position before you proceed.

5. Draw over your seascape outline, pressing firmly to transfer the shapes onto the wall. Remove the sketch.

6. Paint the sky with a large, soft artist's paintbrush. Select your colors depending on the mood you want to create. Use pale blue for a clear sunny sky or dark blue, gray and purple for a stormy sky. Thin the paint with water to create a washed effect and prevent your sky from looking too solid.

7. Paint the clouds with white and touches of blue and gray using large circular motions. Leave spaces for the sky to show through. Extend your clouds low, taking some of them below the horizon line, to give the feeling of depth. Dab the top edges of the clouds with a paper towel or sponge to soften them.

8. Paint a second layer of clouds, either slightly lighter or darker than the first layer. Allow parts of the sky and the first layer of clouds to show through.

9. Paint the sea in horizontal strokes of ultramarine blue and green. Vary your strokes to create the impression of waves. Darken the water in the foreground with green, purple and brown paint, leaving it lighter in the rear. Add lighter color along some of the waves with the edge of your brush to accent swells. Add a few dabs of white to form splashes.

10. Paint the sun using short, circular motions in yellow, orange and red paint. Add dark red and purple to create a setting sun. Add pale yellow and white for a sun high in the sky.

11. Leave your mural to dry. Paint it with a protective coat of clear varnish.

Tips & Warnings

• If the mural is to take up an entire wall, keep costs down by using acrylic mural paints for the small details and regular household paint, such as interior latex paint, for large areas of color.

• Choose paint with a matte or eggshell finish to prevent light reflecting off the mural.

References

• Silverspoon Murals: How To Paint A Simple Seascape - Learning To Paint; Julie Shoemaker
• "Techniques for Painting Seascapes - Oil Painting"; Borlase Smart; 2011