Create your own Distressed wooden beach scene, taught by Artist, Sheila A. Smith

What you will need:

White acrylic paint

Brown acrylic paint

Light blue acrylic paint

Dark blue acrylic paint

Turquoise or light green acrylic paint

Black acrylic paint

16x20" canvas

Old towel to paint on

Art pallet (or paper plate)

Paper towels/plastic cup

1/2" brush

1" brush

2" brush 

Rough sponge 

White & black puff fabric paint tubes 

Inspiration & your happy place for a peaceful and fun creative escape! 

(Mine happens to be my art room, light music, Starbucks caramel frapp., and my huge  Norwegian forest cat snuggled next to me, Eddie :) )

Step 1, 

Starting with the sky, and using a 2" diameter brush, grab white and light blue to make a solid sky color. Paint about 6" top of your canvas.
Switch to dark blue, then slightly mixing in lighter blue, and green for your ocean. Another 6".

Rinse brush.

Using a light brown, lightly coat the bottom of you canvas with a damp brush. Once the bottom is covered, dab your brush in white and add white for the tip of the wAves. 

This technique is almost a watercolor effect. Make sure your brush is very moist to ensure an even coat.

Step 2 / dry brush technique:
Allow your painting to dry from step 1, either by hair dryer or taking a break for 15 mins. Grab a big 1" diameter brush. Leave bristles dry and start using white paint as horizontal strokes for clouds, adding more white for waves, and adding dry brush strokes of white on sand. (Minimal amount of paint).

Grab a light blue and green, and add slight horizontal strokes of each color in your ocean with the same, dry brush technique. Rinse and clean brush.

Using an 1/2 slanted brush, (which I prefer, however a pointed brush would work fine for this step), add black horizontal lines, dividing your sky/ocean and sand. 

Dip your paint brush in water, dab on a paper towel, and slowly even your line out. (As shown) 

Taking a 1" rough bristled brush, (dry brush technique), first use a light brown for edges. Taking your brush and from every outside edge dragging the color in about 1 to 2 inches. Dragging your brush horizontal along the top and bottom only. 

(Note: I also added more black to deepen my lines in the middle. This step is not specified as it may, or may not, need to be done on your particular piece.)

Grabbing a small amount of black, I slightly darkened the edges of the am as by running my brush along the sides. The end result should as shown. 

Please allow for another break after this step, or grab a hair dryer for fast drying and to proceed to the final step.

The next step is to grab a rough sponge, dip one end lightly in brown paint, and Dab softly on your canvas in different places. 

Then, lightly drag your sponge horizontally over the dabbed brown paint. To imitate a wood grained finish.

Do this method as many times as you see fit. 

The end result should be as shown:

If you like the look of your canvas. You may end now! The hardest part of being an artist.. Is to know when to stop :) And some believe, an artist is never quite finished with any piece of art they have started. To proceed with more finer details, read on. Or, sign your name on your new beautiful addition! 

Another distressed trick is to dip the pad of your finger in dark brown paint, and lightly run it along the edges of the painting. Giving it a darker, un even, rough edge. 

Leaving this, as your finished piece. 

Ok,.. Now if you are feeling Adventurist.... ;) :

You can add a cool extra touch, by using fabric squeeze tubes in black and white, and adding extra lines, and swirls in the wood :) also, I used the black tube to once again, define the wooden lines. (These tubes are marvelous for an easier way to sign your name as well!) I suggest practicing with using the tubes on a paper plate, paper towel, or on your art pallet. 

Leaving this... as one's adventurist Creative's minds.. Masterpiece. 

(And yes, I realize that was a lot of Possessive's), glad you followed me this far! And happy painting my Creative Friend! 

It's an absolutely beautiful morning, and I find myself, painting more on wood, than canvas. I love the way the texture of the wood flows through the paint, and I find it interesting that I can paint the exact scene on canvas, and have a completely different "matte" look.

As a female full-time artist, I would never imagine,..picking up power tools.. yet now, I find myself more and more in Lowe's, Home Depot, and really the tool section of any store! You would be amazed at what stores throw out as well! I have a wide selection of old glass mirrors, old cupboard doors, wood from torn buildings, barn wood,.. and so much more in storage units around town.

I made all of these cool, awesome and unique pieces, from a wooden restaurant being torn down by the marina. I am big believer in recycling, and I really hate to throw anything away that could still be at use!  You can find these cool pieces in my store, and many more like it! It really wasn't my intention.. however, I am now becoming known as the "Artist that paints on wood" .. formerly, and also known as "Artist barbie on 30A" but hey, I will take any form of recognition as an artist.. as long as it IS RECOGNIZED :) I hope everyone has a very creative and inspirational day !

Had such an awesome time transforming my beach scene today~!  And I still have my bad habit of painting on the floor ! YIKES!