8892 The Lighthouse
Jerry Yarnell – Inspiration of Painting PBS Television Series

A glowing lighthouse stands high upon rugged coastal cliffs overlooking rolling ocean waves beneath a soft evening sky. The contrast between the bright lighthouse and the dark rocky shoreline creates a dramatic seascape filled with atmosphere, movement, and peaceful coastal charm. In this beginner level acrylic painting lesson, Jerry guides you step-by-step through creating this beautiful shoreline scene in a 98 minute session on an 18x24 canvas.

You’ll learn how to build a strong coastal composition using the rocky cliffs and sweeping ocean water to lead the viewer’s eye naturally toward the lighthouse focal point. Jerry demonstrates how to block in the major shapes first, then gradually refine details while maintaining depth and atmospheric softness throughout the painting.

Special focus is given to painting ocean waves, rocky cliff textures, and soft sky transitions using layered color, highlights, and value changes to create movement and realism. You’ll also explore how to paint the lighthouse structure itself, including lighting effects and perspective that help it stand out against the coastal surroundings.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll gain confidence in painting seascapes, rocky shorelines, and architectural focal points while learning how to balance atmosphere with detail in a natural setting. This is an excellent project for beginners looking to strengthen their landscape painting skills while producing a bold and visually engaging lighthouse scene.