Step 1. Paint the water

The first thing I like to do is lay out all the supplies I need. By doing this I can really get into the flow without having to stop and search for the right colors or brushes. I suggest you develop the same habit and I promise it will make your painting experience more enjoyable. 

I squeeze out Cerulean Blue, Yellow Green and Titanium White on my palette. I mix together the Cerulean Blue with some Titanium White and paint over half of the canvas. To this mixture, I add a bit of Yellow Green and continue to cover the rest of the canvas. Now, I want to make a gradient between these two colors, so I make sharp horizontal strokes to blend them, creating a subtle new shade. 

TIP: To help you feel uninhibited and free to make big, broad strokes be sure to lay a sheet of paper or a drop cloth under your canvas. This way you don’t have to worry about your table getting paint on it. 

I hasten the drying process by using my hairdryer. The painting must be completely dry before I proceed. 

Step 2. Paint the pool deck

Before beginning to work on the pool’s deck, I place a dollop of Rose on the palette and mix it with Titanium White. Using the masking tape, I cover the center part of the canvas. I start from the outside and place the tape at an angle. Then I cut strips of masking tape to cover the entire area inside the tape. 

TIP: It’s important to use tape with a low adhesive that’s removable. I will be lifting this tape off and I don’t want it to take off any paint or tear or damage the surface below it. 

Next, I cover the entire canvas with a large flat brush in the pink hue I’ve mixed. For the look of a tiled edge, I use a medium-sized brush with just the white to place short strokes along the edges of the tape.

Step 3. Add pool accessories

It wouldn’t resemble a real pool if it didn’t have some sandals that look like they’ve been kicked off to swim, as well as an inner tube floating on the water. To make these, I put Lemon Yellow on the palette and with my small brush, I draw a tiny pair of flip-flops in the foreground. Now it’s time to remove the tape and reveal the crystal blue water of the pool! 

With Cerulean Blue I add a strip of darkness to the right edge to give the pool a shadow. This gives it some dimensionality. Then, I draw the rubber float using the small brush, in Lemon Yellow, so it looks as if it’s sitting on top of the water. To make it look more three-dimensional, I take a little more Cerulean Blue and place a shadow under the front of it. 

All pools have stairs to help you get in and out. I add some to the right side of this one by using a touch of white with my fine detail brush. They’re simply thin lines that curve up and over the edge of the pool. I use this same brush to add the reflections of the ripples in the water as well as to fine-tune the tiles. To finish up, I place some little shadows under the flip-flops. 

Step 4. Plugin some plants

The angle of the pool suggests that the viewer is looking at it from above. To reinforce this perspective, I’m going to add some palm fronds that are hanging over the pool. This will also give it a tropical vibe. I squeeze out some Phthalo Green and mix it with Yellow Green. With one of the smaller brushes, I draw the leaves in the vacant spaces on the right and the left, drawing the stem first, then each blade. I blend together some Rose and Cerulean Blue and use this purple shade to paint in some shadows under the fronds. 

Step 5. Finishing touches

To complete this work, I refine some of the details, such as the shadowing under the float and adding highlights to it with dabs of white. 

Ahh, I feel like it’s time to take a dip! How about you? This is such a fun painting and I hope it’s shown you that painting with acrylics is a lot easier than you thought.