Siesta

Every country should have one. Were we ever this innocent?

The tropics have so much to offer. The heat and humidity compels you to go for a swim in the water that refreshes you. What's next is a good excuse to just soak yourself in the sun and enjoy the partial shade from the swaying palms as the tradewinds blow.

   That's what a tropical vacation is all about. God has created these idyllic destinations so we can have a taste of paradise. Otherwise, we would have to invent them out of necessity. Unfortunately, some of us can only dream about a tropical holiday.

So  I hope that this painting lulls you to sleep and have your own siesta somewhere....in the South Seas. I've listed a few island getaways for you to visit. Maybe.

 Anyways, don't forget to slap on a generous amount of sunscreen and tanning lotion so you can smell the coconut oil...and make sure that your fruit cocktails get down with your island music.

Hawaiian Vacations

Mexican Riviera 

Cancun Cruises 

Rio de Janeiro

Tahiti Cruises

Cabo San Lucas

Bora Bora

Honeymoons

 Painting Tips and Techniques

To paint the ocean spray that creates the wet atmosphere, I've painted the forms with soft edges and loose brushwork. Many artists tend to copy photographs and totally miss the light and air quality. The camera is too mechanical and it sees too much. Because it cannot 'read' the true tonal values of the picture, some shadows appear black (underexposed), and the sky sometimes looks too bright (overexposed) when the camera focuses on the shadows.

This is why it's important to paint from nature. It is not easy even for advanced painters because in this battlefield you got a moving target! The light, clouds, waves, shadows... everything changes as you try to paint 'fast and furious'. But if you can capture even half of what nature presents to you, you will do so much better than just working from a photograph.

It will also give you the confidence to paint from your head and create something from your heart and imagination. Painting romantic, idyllic scenes can be risky if not executed convincingly. You also have to guard against sentimentalism and sugary tendencies... unless you're on a romantic honeymoon, of course!