In this full process tutorial I paint a boat at sunset and really lean into vibrant colour. I’m working from a reference photo (linked below) and building the scene in clear, simple stages: getting the big shapes in first, then pushing the sky and reflections so the whole painting feels like it’s glowing. The goal here isn’t to overcomplicate it—it’s to show you how I approach a sunset wash, how I keep the light areas clean, and how I control edges so the boat stays readable against all that colour. Palette-wise I keep it tight and do a lot of mixing on paper: Cerulean Blue Chromium, Hansa Yellow Medium, Quinacridone Rose, Ultramarine Blue, and Burnt Sienna. Those five colours let me hit the punchy warm sky, cooler water notes, and the darker accents without getting muddy. If you’re trying to get more confident with bold sunsets, this one is a great practice piece—especially for learning when to let colours blend, when to soften, and when to commit to your darkest values to finish the painting off.