DEMONSTRATION Bright Spring Morning, Portishead Lake
A simple background, atmospheric cross light and a foreground of calm water and soft reflections.
STAGE ONE ▲
The sky was washed in first with raw sienna, a little permanent rose and cobalt blue. Once dry, I suggested the distant buildings with mixes of light red and cobalt blue, simplifying details throughout. The spring foliage was added with Winsor yellow and a little French ultramarine, darkened with burnt sienna where necessary
STAGE TWO ►
The middle-distance trees were quite dark, pushing the distance back and creating depth. Working light to dark with Winsor yellow, raw sienna and French ultramarine, I connected the shapes in one wash, dragging the brush to create rough edges. Trunks and branches were added while all was wet, using burnt sienna and French ultramarine. Shadows were added across the grass and pathway, along with a few figures to suggest scale and movement
STAGE THREE ▲
The water was very calm, but a gentle breeze kept blurring the reflections, so I decided to go with this effect. Wetting the paper first, I added the reflection of the sky, using the same colours as before
FINISHED PAINTING ▲
Bright Spring Morning, Portishead Lake, watercolour on Bockingford Rough 140lb (300gsm), 10314in (25.5335.5cm).
The shallow water and spring sunlight made the soft reflections a mid-tone khaki brown throughout. I quickly added these shapes while the first wash was still wet to create soft edges, using a mix of raw umber and a little French ultramarine for the darker notes
STAGE ONE ▲
I lightly sketched out the main elements then blocked in the sky and all the light and mid-tones of the riverbank in one continuous wet-in-wet wash. Raw sienna, Winsor yellow, light red and cobalt blue were used throughout, leaving the water and any highlights on the rocks as untouched paper
STAGE TWO ►
Once the under-wash was dry, I developed the distant grey hills using cobalt blue and light red, softening the edges against the sky to suggest low cloud. This was then allowed to dry
The tumbling white water stood out nicely against the surrounding dark rocks and autumn foliage.
STAGE THREE ▲
The background trees were added with dry brushstrokes using a strong mix of cobalt blue and light red. I developed the foreground rocks with darker mixes of burnt sienna and French ultramarine and the mossy riverbanks with light red, raw sienna and cobalt blue
FINISHED PAINTING ▲
Cumbrian Waterfall, watercolour on Bockingford Rough 140lb (300gsm), 14310in (35.5325.5cm).
The tumbling river was suggested with a dilute mix of cobalt blue and light red, dragging the paint with dry brushstrokes in the direction of the flow to suggest movement. A light touch is key as the untouched paper is vital for the effect to work. Finally, I splattered a little white body colour over the foreground rocks with a toothbrush to suggest spray. As with the dry brushwork, restraint is the key!