Painting Moving Water - Painting & Drawing Tips

We have twins in our family.  They are just over 28 months.  A little boy and a little girl.  So much fun to play with.  

2020 Small Waterfall - It's all about painting the shapes and catching the values.  In watercolour the whites are left untouched.  

They love to play with water.  Watering my plants.  Chasing Max around with the hose. Jumping and splashing in it. But the most fun of all on a cold, wet day is to saddle up to kitchen sink and 'wash dishes'.  Nothing beats pouring water from one container to another.  Watching it slip and slide along. For some reason the cascading pattern of water catches and holds us. 

Painting or drawing Moving Water is a challenge . . .

This summer for my Outdoor Sketching Classes we set up beside a small moving stream.  This allowed a really careful study of water movement.  Yes, you can take a photograph back to your studio and paint away.  But you will find that photograph does not tell the whole story.  

2020 Rocks and Water - Note the quiet pools next to the rocks and the faster water flowing by.  

Things my students and I noted while painting moving water:

1.  The water was many colours and none of them were blue.  We were in a treed area. The water was browns, greens, golds, grays but the blues of the sky never filtered through the trees to the water below. We could even sneak reds, purples in as well.  

2.  As you work, you need to continually ask the question 'What tells me the water is moving?'  

3.  Directional lines can describe movement but also there are bubbles, ripples in the water, ripples in the shadow lines.  The directional lines should echo the movement in the water - thick and thin lines, curved lines, loopy lines, dark and light lines. 

2020 Tree & Rocks - Directional lines can be many shapes and colours.  

4. There is a thin white line reflecting light at the point where a rock meets the water.  Especially when there is movement in the water.  

5. Painting water means having a value for everything except the whitest white.  This means there has to be shadows behind the white bubbles in order for them to be seen. 

6. Presenting your moving water in a setting that suggests movements helps.  In the case of my 2   waterfall studies the setting very much suggests the flow of the water.  Having leaves floating in the water reinforces this idea.  Also the contrast of little pools of still water further support the idea of moving water. 

7. Paying close attention to the edge of the rock where the water is rippling by.  This ruffled edge suggests ripples in the water.

2020 Rocks with Small Waterfalls - note the contrast between the moving water (top & middle) and the still water (bottom right) 

8.  The reflections in the water are mirror images of the surrounding area if the water is still.  But reflections that are ruffled and elongated suggest the water is moving.  The more distortion, the greater the movement. 

As our warm days slowly come to the end my scheduled classes are over.  I will head out with Max on a few more trips for a few more sketching trips.  I know your reference pictures are useful but nothing beats sitting by a small stream sketching, sunlight filtering through the trees and water trickling over the rocks.  It has a Zen Like feeling to it.  

Let me know if you would like to "Head Out" for your own Outdoor Adventure now or in the future.  I love having company.  

Check out my latest Video - Get Ready for Outdoor Sketching - Learn how to get your equipment ready for Outdoor Sketching.  Plan now and practice with it so you are ready for Adventure.  Spring will be here before you know it!!

Coming Soon - FACE-TO-FACE Gallery show!!

Artswest Showcase

October 1 - 31, 2020

Landmark Pop-Up Gallery - 15140 North Bluff Rd, White Rock

Full Covid Safety Rules in Effect - Only 6 in the Gallery at a time 

Open: Thur 10-5, Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5pm 

Come see what our Art Group has been doing - Lots of new Original pieces of Art, special One-of-a-Kind Art Items and special gift items for any occasion.  

Bonus Show Activities - Semi-Private Classes:

With Wendy:      Build Your Drawing Skills in a Fun Way
a.   Pumpkins & Ink:  Thursday, Oct 8 - 10-12:30pm 

b.  Christmas Cards with Candles & Ink , Friday Oct 23 - 10-12:30pm

Cost $50 ea  Supplies Included   Beginners to Advanced Welcome   Max 2 people  Contact Wendy to Register

   

Other Classes: Dates to be Determined. 

Beginner Acrylic;   Ceramics;    Fused Glass  

All classes will be 2 hr . Cost $50ea   Only 2 in a class!!!

Contact Wendy to get on Waiting Lists

Do you have big/small projects on the go?  

Looking for a sounding board, help, suggestions, techniques. You and your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions.  I am available for Online Coaching/Teaching  (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75). more info here.   

  
Many find this post helpful: Turn your Inner Critic into your BFF

 

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Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy