Painting water is a fairly complex subject.

REFLECTIONS

Water, is affected by its surroundings, reflections, depth and clarity.

Deep water generally ebbs and flows more slowly with a smoother surface. This calmer water gently reflects its immediate surroundings and color of the sky. Deep ocean water is generally very deep blackish blue.

Shallow water generally ripples and moves its course over rocks and debris. This causes a complex pattern of broken reflections.

Shallow ocean water is lighter, often turquoise in color.

•Lights are darker when reflected on the water.

•Darks are lighter when reflected on the water.

Claude Monet was a Master painter of water and reflections.

The painting of oceans, rivers, lakes and ponds can be beautiful, but managing to get the water and reflections to look like actual water can be challenging.

Simple Reflectionsof SailboatMATERIALS Needed

Today:

• 5” X 7” Canvas Board *• #8 Filbert brush• Palette paper• Water• Acrylic painting medium- slow dry

COLOR PALETTE:

• Cerulean Blue• Cobalt Blue• Yellow Ochre• Burnt Sienna• Unbleached Titanium • Titanium White• Mars Black (I will provide)

1.With the mixture of Unbleached Titanium and Yellow Ochre, sketch the basic outline of a sailboat, water line and reflection. Using warm color for this step will help to balance the cooler colors you will be applying in the following steps.

2. To make a color that will represent the shadow side of the sail, mix Unbleached Titanium with a small amount of Mars Black. Paint the left sail.

LIGHTS ARE DARKER WHEN REFLECTED ON THE WATER.

2A. Add a tiny amount more of Mars Black to the mixture. Use this to paint the sail’s reflection in the water directly beneath.

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3. To give the impression of a distant cloud bank on the horizon, use a mixture of Cerulean Blue and Unbleached Titanium.

•Apply small horizontal strokes of this color to the reflection on both sides of sailboat.

•Apply this color to form clouds just above the horizon.

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4. For the sky above the clouds mix Cerulean Blue and Titanium White.

Also, apply this color to the edges of the reflection.

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DARKS ARE LIGHTER WHEN REFLECTED ON THE WATER.

5. To balance some of the cool blues and grays, use Burnt Sienna render the shadow side of the boat.

5A. Mix a small amount of Unbleached Titanium to the Burnt Sienna. Use this to paint the reflection.

When painting the reflection in the water; use broken strokes to indicate the waves in the water.

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6. Add Cobalt Blue to the water at the edges of the painting.

This will give the sense that the water is a deep blue hue.

7. Clean up the sails with Titanium White.

7A. Add a tiny amount of Mars Black to the Titanium White.Paint the reflection of the sail.

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