Reverse Beach Day

Mixed media on gessoed panel
30cm by 30cm
 
I love discovering hidden beaches. The inspiration behind this painting is a beautiful cove in South Sardina by the name of Spiaggiò del Morto. We happened upon it at my favourite time of day… late afternoon when the intensity of the midday sun has passed, and you can bathe in the gentle warmth of the sun setting. Spiaggiò del Morto is astonishingly beautiful… the rock formations have an almost marble like quality and the sea water is crystal clear. 
 
I made a watercolour painting of the cove while I was there which helped to lock it in my mind and used it as a base for this painting. The palette I used was of teal, phthalo blue, red oxide, yellow oxide, raw sienna, naples yellow burnt umber and buff titanium. I used a glaze of Nickel azo yellow which conveyed the warm glow of the sun.