OVERVIEW: Paint a beautiful stream by understanding how to manipulate your image and maintain focus of artistic intent. The trick for water is to know when to simplify and know the rules of reflections so you can add or delete items (such as increase transparency or add rocks). See Water Lecture video to fully review these concepts. In the demo video posted I review briefly art concepts (such as value and grouping of shapes) as relevant to this scene.
WATERCOLOR: The demo is in oil, however watercolor or gouache artists can see the water media study created by using the same concepts presented. Transparent watercolor artists should start with a wash of 'lights and brights' and plan to 'kill' these as needed with progressive mediums and darks. If you need to, put in a 'good dark' that is strong at the base of the near cluster of trees.
BEGINNERS: Don't assume this is complicated or 'advanced'. Anyone can paint anything. Beginners must exit the 'catalog' thought process in order to paint water. Do NOT focus on: shoreline, blue water, or green trees. Focus on: shapes, value and collections (grouping). Make a crude study first with blocky shapes if you want to. Simplify detail. Start with the V of the sky and the V of the water. Make a loaf shape for the trees and the far trees, and a ruff of light vegetation for the light shrubs. Next paint the water with the 'less than' ideas presented in the Water Lecture video.
Lesson 1: River Reflections
Copy the demo setp-by-step or use the ideas presented to work from your own material. My photo reference is attached.
OIL: Try to stay in the block in stage as long as you can to make sure your shapes are working well. This can be hard to do. The art might look very ugly or amateur for a while, don't worry! Refining and adding detail at the end will solve this problem.
WATERCOLOR: The demo is in oil, however watercolor or gouache artists can see the water media study created by using the same concepts presented. Transparent watercolor artists should start with a wash of 'lights and brights' and plan to 'kill' these as needed with progressive mediums and darks. If you need to, put in a 'good dark' that is strong at the base of the near cluster of trees.
BEGINNERS: Don't assume this is complicated or 'advanced'. Anyone can paint anything. Beginners must exit the 'catalog' thought process in order to paint water. Do NOT focus on: shoreline, blue water, or green trees. Focus on: shapes, value and collections (grouping). Make a crude study first with blocky shapes if you want to. Simplify detail. Start with the V of the sky and the V of the water. Make a loaf shape for the trees and the far trees, and a ruff of light vegetation for the light shrubs. Next paint the water with the 'less than' ideas presented in the Water Lecture video.