Study: Moon Over the Ocean

A full moon breaks through the clouds over a dark sea, its light spilling across the water in shimmering gold and cream, while a lighthouse stands silent on the rocks at the edge of the world.

Rich, layered blues and purples build the depth of the night sky, and the reserved whites of the paper hold the moon's glow without a single stroke of opaque paint. The scattered light on the water was lifted and flicked, letting the paper do what only watercolor can.

A student asked me how to paint a nocturne, and this was my answer. The secret is trusting the darks completely, and letting the light find its own way through.

A piece for anyone drawn to the mystery of moonlit water and quiet coastlines, at home in a bedroom, a reading nook, or anywhere the night feels close.

• Medium: Original watercolor on paper
• Size: 5×7 inches
• Signed by William Palm
• One of a kind original painting
• Ships carefully packaged and insured