Painting a Marine Still Life with Watercolor

Painting a Marine Still Life with Watercolor

Class | Available

94 Stafford Ave. Manahawkin, NJ 08050 United States
TBD
Intermediate and Advanced
8/12/2026 (one day)
10:00 AM-3:00 PM EDT on Wed
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$100.00
$75.00

Painting a Marine Still Life with Watercolor

Class | Available

Designed for intermediate and advanced watercolor artists, this studio workshop focuses on strengthening composition, subject editing, color balance, and value control while you create a realistic, marine-themed still-life painting.

“Paint what you know” is a helpful reminder, so we’ll begin by working directly from observation. Before you put brush to paper, you’ll handle buoys and rope and study the surfaces of weathered wood to better understand their forms and textures. A life-size still life with cast shadows will be set up in the studio for close viewing and sketching.

Working with a limited palette, you’ll explore materials and techniques for building believable texture and shadow, along with strategies for overlapping shapes and creating depth so your finished painting reads as three-dimensional.

  • This is a guide, bring what you have. There’s no need to run out and buy a specific color or brush that you’re missing from the list.


    • Watercolor Paints – tubes or pans.  I use a “limited” palette which consists of a few blues, reds, and yellows.  For the record here’s what I typically have:
    • Winsor & Newton
    • Payne’s Grey, Ultra-Marine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Cobalt Blue, Burnt Umber, Cad Red, Turner’s Yellow
    • Daniel Smith
    • Neutral Tint
    • American Journey
    • Yellow Ochre
    • Watercolor Paper – medium (140#) to heavy weight (300#).  I typically use Arches rough or cold pressed.  11”x14” or larger. Bring several sheets.
    • Watercolor brushes – a rigger, various sized rounds such as a 4, 8, 12, 18.  A large flat 1-2 inches, or a large mop brush. Bring what you have.
    • Palette with LARGE mixing wells
    • Two Water Containers (bigger than a coffee cup please)
    • Painting board/surface to support your work (foam core, gator board, plywood, etc.)
    • Artist’s white or tan masking tape (no blue painter’s tape)
    • Easel or painting prop to slant your painting surface
    • Paper towels
    • Pencil (HB, B or a good-old No.2) and kneaded eraser
    • Sketch and note paper

    Nice stuff to have but not mandatory

    • A “Fine Mist” Spray bottle like an “Atelier” or “Holbein” Fine Mist Bottle
    • Value Scale

Joe Milligan

Capturing the Essence of Time and Place Through Watercolor

As an artist working in the tradition of American realism, my creative journey is deeply rooted in a sense of place and temporal reality. Each painting is a window into moments ordinary and profound. I strive to portray scenes that resonate with authenticity driven by a personal connection to my subjects. I seek out scenes that speak of solitude, hope, nostalgia, or contemplation. 

In an era increasingly defined by technology and daily distractions, I find myself longing for a life more attuned to nature and the rhythms of the authentic human experience. My artwork reflects this aspiration: I wish to honor the beauty in simplicity, the richness of the overlooked, and the stories whispered by our lived environments. 

My paintings are beginnings and I invite you to immerse yourself in these scenes, to bring your own experiences and interpretations, and to find meaning. I encourage others to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the world and themselves.

Enjoy the Brushwork!