Blue Lady - Step by Step

Step one was to transfer the outline of the image from the source photograph to the canvas. To do this, I scanned in the photo, then using Fireworks, I superimposed a 4x4 rectangle grid over it:

Then I divided the canvas up into the same kind of grid using a hard 2H pencil (you can't see the lines clearly here due to poor photography!) Once the grid is drawn, it's easy to sketch in the outline of the image, and a lot faster and more accurate than trying to draw it freehand:

I used a thin blue wash with a hint of green for the sky. This will be lightened later, and blended into a paler blue towards the boat. I've filled in a darkish green for the areas of the sea which reflect the sky. The rest of the water will reflect the boat, so that will be much darker. And finally I've applied a base layer of white to the cabin. A lot of this will be painted over, but it's good to get some paint on the canvas.

After the third stage of painting, it's starting to look a lot more complete. I've worked on the sky gradient, blending from a lightish cobalt blue with a hint of green, adding more and more titanium white as it gets closer to the horizon. I've filled in the blue hull of the boat with a dark phthalo blue mixed with paynes grey. The blue is actually still a little too bright, so I'll have to add a darker layer with more grey. I've put down a base for the reflection in the water beneath the boat. Obviously the hull is reflected in the water, so there is a lot of blue in there, but it also retains some of the green from the sea, so the basic colour is a dark blue-green, which will be highlighted later with lighter greens and whites from the cabin. Now the sky is done, I can get to work on the mast.

I've added the dark blue shadows to the hull, and painted the four fenders along the side. They look a bit wierd just floating there, but I'll add the ropes in the final stage as they are in front of everything else. Note the reflections of the fenders in the water. I need to add a little green to those, as they retain some of the green from the water. I then painted the anchor bracket on the bow, with a simple mixture of Payne's Grey and Titanium White. Next, a little detail on the windows and curtains in the back cabin, and I was going to finish for the day, but I just had a nice little blob of white paint left on my pallette, so I refined some of the edges on the cabin and sketched in the mast. Here, the white will show through later, ensuring the brown of the wooden mast remains bright. Finally I added the radar and little gadgets on the mast. Next I'll start to add some warm shadows to the white cabin and work on the mast some more.

Here's stage 5 of my boat painting, it's starting to near completion now. The main addition in this step is the shadow on the white cabin, which gives the boat a more three-dimensional feel. The shadow is mainly white with a touch of Payne's Grey, but there is also a hint of warm Yellow Ochre in there, showing the reflection off the yellow dinghy, and giving a real feeling of bright sunlight. I also added the woodwork along the hull, and the mast, which are a simple mix of Burnt Umber, white and Payne's Grey. I first added lighter green reflections on the water, then White highlights. These need another coat with a hint of yellow. The white strip where the boat meets the water has a lot of light green reflections from the water, complemented by the bright white highlights which again emphasise the sunlight, and the curved shadows of the four fenders again enhance the 3D feel. Now I just need to touch up certain areas such as the flag and the water, before I can complete the finishing touches like all the ropes, the anchor chain and the handrails.

In this final stage I refined the reflections in the water, and blended them into the surrounding green of the sea. Then I just had to add all the finishing details - the guardrails on the front and sides, the ropes on the mast and fenders, and the lettering and picture of Ariel the Little Mermaid (!) For the long ropes I used a ruler on it's side and leant the paintbrush against it. I prefer to draw lines freehand, but a taut rope has to be perfectly straight, and I didn't trust my unsteady hand!