Sailor by the Rushing River — Watercolor Study

Watercolor painting of a weather-beaten sailor standing on a muddy riverbank beside a rushing river. The sailor wears a damp navy pea coat, a worn cap, rolled-up sleeves, and a rope coil at his belt. White water crashes over rounded stones, spray glistening in the air. The river surges with strong current; wind bends the trees along the banks, mist rising from the churn. Background washes of soft blues and greens—deep ultramarine, cobalt, turquoise, and emerald—bleed into warm ochre and sunlit skin tones. Rendered with wet-on-wet watercolor: loose edges, subtle pigment granulation, delicate bleeds, and feathered gradients. Late afternoon light casts a golden glow, creating long shadows and highlights on the sailor’s face. A distant gull arcs above; a small boat drifts downstream in the mist. Overall mood: solitary, contemplative, and resilient in the face of nature’s rush.