Do you ever feel stressed painting ocean waves, with brush strokes that seem hard to control?
Many people struggle at first. After painting many watercolor beach scenes, these calming exercises can help.
This post will share easy ways to paint peaceful ocean waves and lower stress through your art. Ready to create relaxing coastal views without worry or doubt?
Full credit to Artist Audrey Ra Design for this inspiring tutorial!
Preparation
Before we start painting, let's get our space ready. I like to create a calm spot with my paints, brushes, and paper laid out neatly.
Using washi tape to create a white border
Full credit to Artist Audrey Ra Design for this inspiring tutorial!
I absolutely adore using washi tape to create crisp, white borders around my watercolor paper.
It's a tiny trick, simple as pie, yet it adds tons of charm to my waves.
I carefully press the tape along each paper edge, making sure it's flat and smooth.
This acts as a handy little shield, keeping the paint exactly where I want it.
After the painting dries, there's nothing better than peeling that tape off—slowly, gently, sort of like unwrapping a gift.
It's honestly my favorite part. Suddenly, the wave painting has a clean, sharp border that just begs for a frame.
This easy little hack makes artwork look finished and ready to hang, even if you're no Picasso.
Relaxation and deep breathing
Every wave painting session starts the same way for me—with a small ritual.
I tear off strips of colorful washi tape, carefully pressing them along the edges of my paper, framing the scene.
It's oddly satisfying, peeling and sticking those neat little borders. Before grabbing any brush, I pause for five deep breaths.
Each inhale fills my chest, and each exhale blows away stray worries.
Painting waves isn't about pretty pictures alone. It quiets my busy mind and puts everyday stress on mute.
Dividing the sheet into three clear sections creates order from chaos. Each area waits patiently for new colors, unique patterns, and different strokes.
As I focus, my shoulders relax, and outside distractions slowly fade into the background.
Suddenly, it's just me and the rhythm of painting—brush, paper, water, color.
With each smooth stroke, my breathing settles, matching the gentle movement of waves appearing on the page.
Painting becomes meditation in disguise—soothing, peaceful, and honestly pretty darn fun.
Painting Exercises
Let's dive into some fun painting exercises that will help you create beautiful waves. I'll show you how to use different brushes and colors to make your ocean come alive on paper.
Using a 4-inch flat brush and blue paint for random curved lines
Full credit to Artist Audrey Ra Design for this inspiring tutorial!
I grab my trusty 4-inch flat brush for today's wave painting exercise. It's wide, it's chunky, and surprisingly a whole lot of fun.
I dip the bristles in bright blue paint and start swirling loose, curved lines across the blank page.
My wrist does a playful little dance, making thick sweeps and thin curves appear like magic.
Before long, those wiggly blue lines start looking like rolling ocean waves. Painting this feels like stretching after a long nap—soothing and easy.
My brush holds plenty of paint, allowing long, steady strokes without breaks.
Each wave forms effortlessly as my arm moves freely across the paper.
Some painters swear by this activity after a stressful day at work. Honestly, I can see why. The random curves remove any worry about getting things right.
Every line simply flows, leaving calming blue ripples behind.
It's like doodling with paint, pure creative bliss at its finest.
Using a round size 6 brush and permanent green color for horizontal tapered lines
Full credit to Artist Audrey Ra Design for this inspiring tutorial!
For the second exercise, I reach for my round brush—size 6—and dip it gently into permanent green paint.
It's a handy brush because varying pressure can shift your lines easily from thin to thick.
Starting at the left side, I glide across the paper with smooth, horizontal strokes.
Pressing firmly at first, then easing off as the brush moves to the right, gives each line that graceful wave-like taper, as if they're softly drifting onto the beach.
One trick I love is changing how wet the brush is, to get new effects.
Adding extra water gives the green a flowing, blended look; less water creates lines sharp enough to cut paper.
These green horizontal strokes form a pleasant contrast against the blue curves painted before.
With this round brush tip, you'll get excellent control to practice brush pressure, minus the usual headaches and hair-pulling frustration.
Using various blue hues and deep teal colors for diagonal wavy lines
Full credit to Artist Audrey Ra Design for this inspiring tutorial!
For this third step, I pick my trusty size 6, round brush. This is the fun part, feels almost like dancing across the paper!
I swirl together different blues—soft sky shades, deep navy, and rich teal tones that feel like the ocean floor itself.
My brush glides along, making diagonal, wavy strokes that look like moving water. The blues mingle naturally as they touch, just the way waves do at the beach.
I dip my brush back into the paint pretty often here, keeping the strokes fresh and fluid.
Best part is, your wavy lines don't have to be exact—real waves aren't perfect either, right?
Some artists tell me this step is their favorite. You get to relax, let loose, and just enjoy watching the colors flow.
Plus, those diagonal strokes give your painting life and movement, something you can't achieve with flat, boring lines.
Favorite Part of the Process
The best part of this wave painting process comes when I peel back the washi tape. I love seeing those crisp white borders frame my blue ocean waves.
It feels like putting the final touch on a beach memory that I created with just water and paint.
Removing the washi tape to reveal crisp white borders
Full credit to Artist Audrey Ra Design for this inspiring tutorial!
My pulse quickens as I finish the final touches on my ocean wave painting.
Slowly, I begin peeling back the washi tape—it's oddly satisfying, like pulling back curtains on a sunny morning.
Those sharp white borders come into view bit by bit, boosting my simple painting into something special.
Crisp edges elevate even my most casual brush strokes to something that looks carefully planned, almost professional.
Some painters speed through this step, eager to finish up, but I savor every second.
Peeling slowly saves the paper and adds to the fun, too, like carefully opening a birthday present.
Those clean white edges frame my turquoise waves so neatly that I almost forget the messy moments that got me here.
Seeing the splashy blues against bright white always pulls a silly grin out of me, every single time.
Details can be tiny yet powerful, so I celebrate this one.
Next time you finish painting, try peeling slowly and savor each small reveal—you might surprise yourself. Painting works magic in funny little ways.
Practicing mark-making and brush use
Full credit to Artist Audrey Ra Design for this inspiring tutorial!
There's such joy in mark-making practice. Something special happens, right before my eyes, as gentle blue waves appear from each careful stroke.
Every sweep of my brush teaches something fresh, maybe how paint drifts or where water pools into tiny beads.
One color holds my attention at a time; no plans needed, no stress allowed.
This slow, easy rhythm lets me notice little things—like the way wet colors swirl around each other, making tiny surprises. And the beauty of it all, friend, is that mistakes don't exist here.
Whatever appears on the page is exactly as it should be—no regrets, just happy accidents.
These sweet little waves let me play, practice my skills, and relax in peace all at once.
Painting, after all, doesn't always have to be serious business—sometimes it's enough to watch colors dance freely, enjoying the ride.
Conclusion
Watercolor waves are my shortcut to calm. There's something special about blues swirling gently into greens, creating a mini ocean, right on paper.
These quick wave paintings sharpen skills, sure, but mostly they soothe the busy brain.
And peeling away that washi tape at the end—you know, the pretty patterned one—always feels like unwrapping a tiny present.
Crisp white edges suddenly frame your soft watercolor swirls, pure magic.
Give these wave tips a shot today; your stress might just drift off with the current!