Watercolor Wednesdays: How to Paint Sand

by Miriam Schulman

Adding texture to your watercolor landscapes is a great way to fool the eye into thinking there is more meticulous detail than there really is. One of my favorite (and easiest) tricks is to use salt, and I especially love that effect when creating sand on the beach.

Salt Effects: 7 key points

1. Sprinkle salt on damp washes (not soaking)
2. Salt creates a crystalline pattern as it absorbs the wet paint– and the pigments separate
3. Different salts have different effects– try rock salt, kosher salt and table salt
4. Different papers have different effects! try this on hot pressedn, cold pressed, rough and smooth papers!
5. Brush the salt off after it has dried!
6. Build up elaborate textures with layers of washes and salt
7. Try adding a little salt to your wash before applying it to the paper for a delicate textured effect over the entire wash area

Steps:

1) Apply a mixture of yellow ochre, cobalt blue and burnt sienna and sprinkle salt when damp
2) Layer on shadows
3) You can blot with tissues while the salt is drying for more interesting textures
4) shadows painted again for rich effects.

Other blog posts you might like:

• Watercolor Wednesdays: How To Mix Green Paint

• Are you making these 3 mistakes with your watercolor paintings? 

• Watercolor Sketchbook: watercolors of Maurice Predergast

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In case we haven’t met yet…

I’m a watercolor and mixed media artist. My art has been featured in numerous publications such as Somerset Studio, and I’m the founder of The Inspiration Place  where I give my students stepping stones to create beautiful art as well as the emotional support they need to stay inspired. See the art I create at schulmanArt.com or learn how to paint with me at TheInspirationPlace.net