Cape May Sketches

victorian beach town

I’m back from a great week at the beach! D and I had a wonderful vacation at the Victorian seaside town of Cape May, NJ. It’s one of my most cherished spots in the world.

I do love the beach-really at any hour, but mornings on the beach when the light is soft and it’s just you and the ocean are my favorite. One morning I brought watercolors and a few scraps of cold press watercolor paper with me during a stroll in the sand. D was kind enough to sit and let my creativity flow. He was sneaky and snapped a few photos of me “in the zone”!

AbbyDora Design watercolor

I sat near a lifeguard chair and row boat. It was fun just to combine the pencil and loose watercolor washes. No pressure, just letting the paint flow.

watercolor illustration

D got a little closer!

en plain air watercolor

I look so serious, but I truly had a blast painting in the sand! For my last watercolor sketch I looked down the beach to all the emerging beach goers and beach gear. I focused on the pops of color.

watercolor beach sketch

It was so much fun to sit in the sand and paint. I wished I had one more morning to do this again. I did take several photos of the beach and around town. I’m planning on turning a few of those into watercolor paintings too. After this vacation, I feel refreshed and energized to start creating again.

Where is your favorite vacation spot?