Easy-to-Make DIY Beach Scene Painting

Bring the ocean right into your living room with this fun, easy-to-make DIY beach scene painting. Make it on your own or at a paint night with friends. And the best part is, it’s easily adaptable to any size or shape canvas you already have.

February 09, 2022
Overhead Beach Scene with Pink and Purple Umbrellas

Let Dry

Let dry completely and then you can display your finished beach artwork.

Photo by: Karen Kavett

Karen Kavett

Dreaming of your next great beach vacay? Put brush to canvas and show off your crafty side with this DIY beach scene painting.

DIY Overhead Beach Painting
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Materials + Supplies

  • canvas
  • paint - light blue, teal, tan, yellow, white, purple and pink
  • paintbrushes (1-inch flat brushes, small bristle brushes)
  • paint palette
  • plastic wrap
  • card stock
  • pencil
  • ruler
  • craft knife
  • cutting mat

Prepare Your Palette

Prepare your palette with light blue, teal and white paint. Make a light tan color by mixing tan, yellow and white paint. Mix that new color with more white paint to get a lighter, tan color.

paint palette for DIY beach scene painting

Prepare Palette

Prepare your palette with light blue, teal, and white paint. Make a light tan color by mixing tan, yellow, and white paint. Mix that new color with more white paint to get a lighter tan color.

Photo by: Karen Kavett

Karen Kavett

Start Painting the Ocean

Paint the top two-thirds of your canvas light blue with a 1-inch flat brush (Image 1). Using the same brush, add streaks of teal paint on top and blend the colors together (Image 2 + 3). Be sure to paint the edges of your canvas as well.

Paint the Sand

Using a different 1-inch flat brush, paint the bottom third of your canvas with the lighter, tan color. Blend in streaks of the darker tan color.

sand of DIY beach painting

Paint Sand

Using a different 1” flat brush, paint the bottom third of your canvas with the lighter tan color. Blend in streaks of the darker tan color.

Photo by: Karen Kavett

Karen Kavett

Blend the Colors Together

Use another 1-inch flat brush to add white paint where the sand and the ocean meet. Blend the colors together, adding more blue or tan paint if necessary until you’re happy with how it looks. Place plastic wrap over your palette to save your paint while the painting dries.

Two-Thirds of Canvas Paint Blue, One Third Painted Tan

Blend Together

Use a third 1” flat brush to add white paint where the sand and the ocean meet. Blend the colors together, adding more blue or tan paint if necessary until you’re happy with how it looks. Place plastic wrap over your palette to save your paint while the painting dries.

Photo by: Karen Kavett

Karen Kavett

Add Details

Use a small bristle brush to dot white paint onto the bottom of the ocean to create waves. Add a small amount of teal paint the same way underneath the white. Press the bristle brush into the paint in an up and down motion to blend them together (Image 1). Add dots of your darker tan color to the top of the sand the same way. Let dry completely (Image 2).

Make an Umbrella Pattern

Make a pattern for your umbrella by drawing four intersecting 1/2-inch lines on a piece of card stock (Image 1). Cut it out to get an octagon shape (Image 1 + 2). Make a separate pattern for each umbrella color you will be painting.

Paint Your Umbrellas

Use a tiny paintbrush to paint a small U-shape between each point in the pattern (Image 1). Carefully remove the pattern (Image 2). Fill in the shape with more paint and go over the edges to pull out the points and finish the edges (Image 3). Repeat this to paint as many umbrellas as you want, using a separate pattern for each color (Image 4). Let dry completely.

Fill in Umbrella Details

Draw lines between each point of the umbrella with a second color (Image 1). Fill in every other triangle (Image 2). If necessary, wait for the paint to dry and touch up the first color so the two colors are evenly balanced (Image 3). Repeat for each umbrella on your painting.

Let Your DIY Beach Scene Painting Dry

Make sure you let your beach scene painting dry completely before putting it on display.

DIY beach scene painting complete

Close Up: Overhead Beach Painting

Learn how to create an overhead beach painting with step-by-step instructions on HGTV.com.

Photo by: Karen Kavett

Karen Kavett

Sit Back, Relax and Enjoy Your New Artwork!

Welcome the ocean and sand into your home with your completed DIY beach scene painting.

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