Watercolor paints create soothing landscapes in tranquil colors
Watercolor paints create a texture all their own that allows for light, airy paintings. They are an ideal choice for a water scene; the ease with which they flow together makes for realistic reflections in a pond or lake painting. When painting reflections, consider the length and size of the reflection and the best method for creating it in the water. Discover the wet and dry methods, then test them out in your own works.
Laying Out the Image
Before you begin painting, laying out the drawing whether in pencil or simply in your mind will help you determine where the reflections are located and how long they should be. The closer you are to the water's edge, the longer the reflections, according the wetcanvas.com. Draw a line connecting the eye to the water and measure the angle created between the water and the line. Use this same angle to connect the top of the item being reflected with the water. Where the line hits the water, this is the top of the object's reflection. If the water is rippled, the image will be broken in the spots where the eye meets each ripple.
Using a Dry Method
The dry method involves painting the reflection first and adding the water over the reflection. Wetcanvas.com suggests a method for dry and wet reflections. To create the dry reflections, mix colors and create stripes and blocks of reflected color that mimic the general form of the reflected object. The fewer ripples in the water, the more details will be seen in the reflection. After the colors have dried, mix together blues, soft greens and yellow-greens to create a nice water color. Make the mixture thin and transparent, keeping in mind that the actual color of the water should be the dominant hue. Paint the water over the reflections. It should be a thin wash that allows the reflections to show clearly through. Add more water to thin out the mixture or use lighter colors.
Using a Wet Method
For the wet method, paint the water in first. While the water is still wet, add in the reflections. Instead of using stripes, fill the brush with the desired color and create lines. Allow the paint to run and bleed into the wet color of the water you already applied. The reflection will distort automatically as it mixes with the wet paint. For ripples, create chunks of the reflected object, leaving certain areas empty to show the breaks. If the paint starts to dry, you can add more water to your brush to drag the paint out and distort it.
