Painting the Mendocino Coast: Shadows and Shallow Water

This painting is a scene from the beautiful Mendocino Coast in California. I wanted to show two key elements in this piece. The first is the way shadows fall onto the water’s surface, creating lovely shapes and movement. You can spot deep blues and neutral tints in the shadow areas, while lighter blues and greens play out in the sunlit parts.

The second objective was to capture shallow water and the way it looks over the rocks below. I mixed light greens, blues, and a touch of yellow to get that transparent effect. Painting these soft colours lets you see the stones through the water and adds real depth to the scene. The careful use of shadow and highlight gives the water a sense of sparkle and clarity.

Mendocino’s coastline is full of drama, bold rocks, and crystal-clear water. This painting is an attempt to catch that special light you get in California. If you’d like to own this piece, it’s for sale. Please contact me for more details.