Gilgo Beach House

One of the beach areas here on Long Island that was always popular with surfers is Gilgo Beach. Unfortunately it was one of those places where you had to be a resident of a particular town to gain access and park without paying a high price. Since I didn't surf and there were so many wonderful beaches I could go to I was went to Gilgo during the season. I have visited off season when you can park without a problem. There is a small area with a road and maybe about a dozen houses. I drove over there the other day with my Strathmore Toned Tan Sketchbook, my pens (including my white Signo gel pen), my watercolor pans and watercolor pencils. I sketched this house on Cottage Lane.

I wasn't really happy with the way the white looks. It seems too bright for the other colors. I tried going over the white with a dry watercolor pencil, but it didn't do much to tone it down. As much as I love having a white pen that works I do wish they made it in more of a cream color too. I've checked at Blick when I've shopped there but didn't see any other light colors. I'll have to check online.

Gilgo Beach & Overlook Beach

Driving back from an appointment this week I took a route called Ocean Parkway that goes along a small barrier island that has a number of beaches along it. 

As a teen I always heard about the surfers on Long Island going to Gilgo Beach to surf. I never went to the beach there then but sketched there last year and went back there again this week. I focused on the bay side looking over the marsh. Someone asked me if that was a cross out in the marsh but it is actually a platform for osprey nests. This is about 4 inches square.

Then I continued along the road and stopped at Overlook Beach. This is a beach where you have to be a resident of Babylon, which I am not. Right now you can park because they aren't officially open. I was able to park up close to the dunes...which in case you didn't notice the sign, they want you to keep off of.

"Floral Fantasy" my fake blog, has been updated for today.

floralfantasybyjoan.blogspot.com

Gilgo Beach

Like Tobay Beach which I painted yesterday, Gilgo Beach is along Ocean Parkway and is a beach mostly for the residents of the town. They have a bay side and an ocean side. There is a passageway beneath the parkway to get from one side to the other. Gilgo Beach has long been known on Long Island as one of the surfer beaches. Again, I hadn't been to this particular beach before. From the parking area you can also drive along a road to a number of private homes that are along the water...some cottages and some bigger houses. I sat in the car in the parking lot to paint this view of the beach grasses and the back of one of the cottages.