Catch a Wave in watercolor?...it isn't easy!
Water is the most mesmerizing subject to capture! It is emotional, as it can be ominous and brooding as a storm approaches, or, peaceful and quiet on a sunny day at the beach. And watercolor is the perfect medium , in my opinion, to attempt to paint it. It is reflective, often moving in several directions, has foam and tiny particles in it and changes color with every ripple. So for my March class I decided to start with a giant ocean wave as it reached its peak. I suggested using transparent watercolors so that the colors could be seen as glazes were added and I painted on a 15"x22" piece of paper to honor it's size. So....how do we recreate a massive force of nature with all of its elements on a flat piece of paper? Here's how we attempted it: 1. Using a reference photo which was copied in color and also black and white ( easy value study), I sketched a transferrable image. Some did their own but I usually provide the sketch.