Impressionist’s Approach …painting water

Posted bydebirileyPosted inart, nature, paintingTags:, , , ,

Rules. Basics. Secrets. More rules…..

For the beginner watercolorist, it can be, all very overwhelming to try to remember it all!

You don’t have to.

 

 

Painting Water

My thoughts on painting water.

 

Keep it super simple.

For Beginners:  Short easy sessions,  that you focus on just one technique at a time are the key.

 

Just one process you want to get down.

Not the  whole shebang at once. 

You can have a lot of fun, keeping it simple,  learning to paint water. 

 

 

 

Impressionist Approach

Keep it nice and loose.

Carefree.  Fun.

In an   Impressionist’s approach. 

 

 

 

impressionist approach painting water, watercolor land and water easy techniques, debiriley.com
Impressionist Moods of Water

 

Its really about Your impression of the subject you paint.

Its more about how you are feeling about the subject that makes the difference.

Its how you personally are interpreting it, what dialogue you have between the two of you… that counts most.

Just let us know,  show us.

 

 

paint emotion, impressionist watercolor, mist on water, Northwest inlet watercolor landscape, debiriley.com
paint emotion

 

 

Sometimes the water appears bright and tropical,  fun and summery. Light and easy.

So.  Paint it that way.

Utilise white sparkles of the paper shining through,  to accent and highlight this point.

Don’t allow it or yourself, to get all bogged down and tight; the work filled with hard edges won’t capture the fun loose and carefree vibe.

 

 

 

Sometimes the water appears dark.  Choppy.  Moody and Sullen.

Well,  paint that feeling!  cool, stormy colors with short choppy strokes will evoke this sensation.

 

beginners impressionist watercolors, painting water in watercolours for novice painters, debiriley.com
practice…water techniques

 

 

 

Leaving white of the paper is a big help.

Painting a few squiggled lines for ‘ripples’ is another fast and simple method that works quite well many times.

Graded washes,  light -mid – dark tones in your water,  is another key factor to remember.

 

The other thing to remember about water, is that the farther away it is –   white waves will be ‘greyed off’ not stark white,   and the less detail, the less color intensity,  the less contrast,  the less strong dark deep tones it will have.

That right there,  is worth jotting down!

 

 

beginners watercolors painting water techniques and ideas, debiriley.com
water techniques

 

Beginners Watercolors

Beginners at watercolor,  may find it useful and easier,  to begin with simpler designs.

Simple basic easy shapes.

Starting right at the beginning.

 

Nothing too complicated or complex, no matter how much our minds are leaping to do so.

I know.

We are yearning to…. paint that busy harbour scene filled with action.

Boats, sailors, shipping lines, cargo carriers, seagulls in flight, reflections shimmering, sailboats flying in the wind.

 

 

But,  I have discovered, small steps.

One thing at a time, works.

Sinks in.

 

So that week by week,  month by month we do see incremental improvements.

Then, we can paint the more involved scene.

Such as the shadowed fir trees reflected in the misty early morning waters of the Pacific Northwest.

 

 

 

 

follow on posts….

Watercolor water 

Watercolor loose and free and easy 

Watercolor Impressionist  –   John Peter Russell    

 

 

 

 

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Published by debiriley

The act of creation, in any media is a fascinating and magical process. I simply love to create. Expressing in color, line, tone, texture - as if, they were words upon a page. Creating a uniquely me, interpretation. Enjoy More of my "one-of-a-kind" expressive art at society6.com/debiriley and, redbubble.com/people/debijriley/shop

24 thoughts on “Impressionist’s Approach …painting water”

  2. Your paintings are so dreamy I wish I could fly or dive into one, and live there 💋❤

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    1. that is a beautiful sentiment Sawsan, thank you! its lovely when the feeling and mood of a subject can be felt all the way across the globe 🙂 have a wonderful day, cheers Debi

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    1. I could give it a bash! its not my ‘forte’ per se I do a little bit and have a lot of fun. so I could put it on the to do list. if you go to Sharon Mann’s … make art magic happens blog she does quite alot of work, digitally. so you also could pick up bits from her too. thanks for sharing your thoughts and feedback – cheers, Debi 🙂

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    1. I’m smiling. That was funny.
      you Don’t see… the stacks of “omg, what WAS I Thinking!?”
      and my personal favorite, “HOW Long, have I been painting?! …REALLY?” laughing now. 🙂

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