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Water Study
Step 1:
Gesso your board or canvas
Step 2:
Choose a painting or photo that features water (this can be a seascape, a bathtub, etc.). You may work from the entire composition, OR, in this particular project you may crop the image to focus on the water.
Step: 3
Sketch out the general composition on the board with pencil
Step 4:
Completely cover the surface with a translucent wash. While wet block in the large areas of dark and light by adding more painting or wiping off the wash with a rag to reveal the lights. At this point you may either let the underpainting dry or keep working wet in wet.
Step 5:
Develop the painting in full color using paying attention to areas of light, dark and middle tones so as to create a sense of volume. Step back frequently.
Step 6:
Keep in mind that the qualities that create the appearance of wetness are:
- high contrast
- reflection
Step 7:
Self critique and make changes to the composition, color, and surface where necessary. Finish.
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