Canvas or Paper? Why I Create Seascape Oil Paintings on Paper

Oil Sketxh 2024-8

Seascape Oil Paintings on Paper: A Creative Choice

As a painter, when I am about to start a new painting, I often face a very simple question: canvas or paper? Well, I’ve discovered that painting seascapes in oil on acid-free paper offers me an immediacy and raw honesty that canvas sometimes cannot.

In this post, I’d like to share why I turn to paper for my original seascape works and what this choice offers both to me as an artist and to collectors of my works.

My Need to Work Fast And How Paper Helps

Painting seascapes can feel like chasing the horizon. Moments of effortless flow, and others when I overwork the piece, tightening it until it loses life.

During those times, working faster becomes essential. Small sheets of paper encourage me to move decisively, trusting instinct over perfection. My brushstrokes loosen; my compositions stay fresh. Just like the sea itself, the process becomes dynamic and alive.

Discovering Canvas-Textured Paper for Oils

At first, I painted with oils on plain acid-free watercolor paper, primed with gesso or even wood glue to seal my surface in order to hold the oils. While this worked, it added time and sometimes resulted in

uneven textures.

After a while, I discovered canvas-textured, acid-free paper designed to hold oil paint beautifully, without priming. Its texture welcomes glazes and multiple layers, letting me build depth and translucency very much the way I build them on canvas. With this paper, I can paint just as freely, with even more spontaneity.

From Big to Small and Back Again

Painting on paper isn’t just about size. It’s also about perspective. Moving between large canvases and smaller paper works sharpens my eye and keeps my process fresh.

Smaller works force clarity: every mark matters, every shape must hold its place. These studies often resolve questions I face in larger paintings, acting like visual sketches that guide me forward. Returning to big canvases after this feels renewed and more focused.

Paper Feels Less Intimidating And More Playful

There’s something psychologically liberating about paper. A blank canvas can carry the weight of expectation to create something “important.” But paper feels lighter, inviting exploration rather than judgment.

On paper, I can try new ideas and work faster without overthinking (or at least I think so). Often, what begins as a sketch transforms into a finished deeply personal piece. Especially during long breaks from larger works, painting on paper keeps my creative energy flowing.

Affordable, Original, Collectible

Original seascape oil paintings on paper also bring something special to collectors. They’re smaller and consequently more affordable than large canvas works, yet remain completely original and handmade.

For new collectors, these smaller works are an approachable step into collecting art, offering a unique painting that carries the same depth of emotion and story. For seasoned collectors, they add intimacy and variety to a collection.

To me, art should feel reachable. Anyone who feels drawn to the sea should be able to become a collector, starting with one single unique work of art.

The Practical Beauty of Oil on Paper

Some practical notes worth sharing:

• The canvas-textured, acid-free paper I use is archival and resists yellowing.

• These works can be framed behind glass or be mounted, preserving them beautifully for years.

• They’re lightweight and easier to ship worldwide, making them perfect for collectors wherever they live.

But beyond practical details, it’s the freedom and honesty in each brushstroke that makes these pieces matter.

OIl Sketch 2025-2

Why I Keep Returning to Paper

Painting original seascape oils on paper isn’t about choosing paper over canvas forever. It’s about keeping the creative process honest, immediate, and alive.

For me, it’s a way to stay curious and open, to explore movement, light, and emotion without overthinking. For collectors, it’s an invitation to share in that exploration, bringing the spirit of the sea into your home in a unique, one-of-a-kind way.

🌊Thank you for taking the time to read this post!

Exploring the sea through small oil paintings on paper has become an important part of my practice and I would be glad to hear your own thoughts in the comments.

If you wish to view more of these works, you may visit my Oil Sketches Collection or subscribe to my mailing list by clicking on the button below to stay updated.

Until next tide,