Rapids, Rock and Rough Water

In Michigan on the Betsie river the former lake comes into the lower place where the dam was this makes a fast water rapids. What a great place to paint.

Take time when you frame a photo for your reference library. I tried to get the best of the water/rapids and the rocks. Now to add some fore ground. I have the grasses and buried rock.

Here again paint the dark first, start with the water. Scrub in the browns and greens for the under painting.  Now on top of that add your light colors off white to pick out the boiling water.

The rocks can be a scrubbed in dark gray or a mixture of greenish brown. then pick out the high lights where the sun hits and slowly add more light. This makes the rocks come alive.

The grasses are the easiest part and you can change the seasons just by changing the color of the grass. By adding blue and white you have snow.

Well now its time for getting your brushes wet and paint on.