One of the first things that students invariably ask is “How do I paint water?” It's a tricky subject, as fluid as the water itself, but it doesn't have to be. It follows the same simple rules as painting anything else—observation, logic and application, with a dash of adventure thrown in to season the pot. If you so choose, you can use traditional layering techniques to make this liquid subject much easier to handle; a simple step-by-step approach with drying time between steps can tame even the most turbulent white water. So let's “get our feet wet” and jump right in. The water's fine (and not nearly as daunting as it may seem).
In this chapter we'll cover still, reflective water—a matter of suggesting the glassy surface and adding reflections ; moving water, with its appearance dictated by the direction of the water's flow; choppy water, with its randomly broken surface textures; white water; and waterfalls. Armed with these suggestions, you should be able to tackle just about any situation that presents itself—or find a way to do it on your own. My examples are intended mainly to remove some of the mystery and to give you suggestions, not as hard-and-fast rules.
