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Indian yellow
Quinacridone gold
Orange
Madder brown
Cobalt turquoise
Helio turquoise
Blue violet
Ultramarine
Water is always a very emotive subject and never more so than when it is cascading over rocks and boulders, through woods and forests, and verdant pastures.
Follow Barry Herniman to paint Downhill Torrent in watercolour.
Downhill Torrent, watercolour, (45.5x35.5cm)
1
Using a palette knife apply Schmincke Watercolour Ground to my chosen support
After coating the canvas board with the ground and allowing it to dry, draw in the main elements of the scene with a 2B pencil.
To keep the drawing down to a minimum concentrate on the rocks and a few of the main water highlights
2
Using a No. 8 brush and a mix of Indian yellow and cobalt turquoise begin to lay in the green moss highlights on the rocks.
Moving up into the river bank using yellows, blues and orange diluted to a lovely creamy mix, start to brush in the bank colours, moulding the brushstrokes around the boulders, leaving white areas here and there.
Allow the colours to bubble and boil over the surface, creating some lovely textures
Notice how the paint sits over the coarse ‘stucco’ type surface, which is miles away from painting watercolour on paper and such a fresh, stimulating way to paint watercolours.
3
Moving back into the rocks and boulders, use brown, orange and blue mixes to begin establishing the shapes and textures.
With a much stronger, creamier mix of my rock colours paint in the foreground boulder.
At the end of this stage you will have established all the basic rock colours
4
With a mix of orange, madder brown and Indian yellow begin working into the main flow areas of the water where it cascades down the rocks.
Keep the paint consistency fairly fluid, allowing the paint to ‘flow’ down the painting like the water would do.
The quieter, sunlit areas of water are painted with a dilute mix of cobalt blue, madder brown and a touch of violet.
5
With all the underlying colours of the water painted by keeping the paint flowing in the direction of the water course, begin to move back into the scene, building up colour strength in the background bank and the boulders with a richer, creamier mix of rock colours.
Drop in some pure orange in places to add a little shimmer.
6
All the main elements of the painting are now in place.
Strengthen all the shadow areas in the rocks and within the water.
Then establish some of the foam highlights within the rushing water to give it some sparkle – using a rigger and some creamy white gouache, starting off by using a fairly dilute mix, which will dry a fairly muted white.
7
Then go in with a stronger mix (which will be much whiter) and flick some paint into the spray areas
8
Downhill Torrent, watercolour, (45.5x35.5cm)
The white gouache gives the flow of water that little added movement; but be careful not to overdo it, just a little here and there to emphasise the motion and add some sparkles.
FOLLOW BARRY TO PAINT ANOTHER RIVER SCENE
Barry Herniman organises and tutors painting holidays at home and abroad. He is also available for workshops and demonstrations to art societies.
His Cloverleaf paintbox is available online at: cloverleafpaintbox.com. You can order a selection of books by Barry in our online bookstore.
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