Low Tide at Cockwood Harbour in Devon

I recently spent some time painting at Cockwood Harbour in Devon. It is a lovely little spot near the Exe Estuary that I always enjoy visiting. When the tide goes out, it leaves behind a very interesting landscape. The harbour floor has such a beautiful warm colour which I wanted to capture in this watercolour. I used a mix of Burnt Sienna and Yellow Ochre to get that earthy, sandy look of the mud and silt. The low tide gives a great chance to paint the boats sitting on the ground rather than floating in the water.

In this painting, I focused on the different shapes of the small boats scattered across the harbour. I used some Cerulean Blue and Ultramarine Blue for the sky and the covers on the boats to give a nice contrast to the warm ground. The white buildings in the background help to frame the scene and keep the eye on the middle of the picture. I kept the trees quite simple with some dark greens to make the lighter parts of the painting stand out more. It was a very peaceful afternoon and the light was just right for a quick sketch.

I really like how the shadows work on the uneven ground at low tide. I used a bit of Neutral Tint and Cobalt Blue to suggest the damp patches and the long shadows cast by the boats. These little details help to show the texture of the harbour floor. I also added some small bits of Cadmium Red for the buoys to give a tiny pop of bright colour. If you would like to buy this original painting, please contact me for more information as it is currently for sale.