Turbulent Paradise

The power of a place like McWay falls is in it's class with the elements, but it's gentle design, and it's mythic looking waterfall, that has surely inspired a thousand artists.  The object here was to use more powerful brushstrokes, which can be difficult in acrylics, due to the shrinkage in the paint,  I had to build up the paint on the brush more than normal to get this meatier look.   Here is a step by step of  my view of McWay Falls as taught in the recent Reddi Arts classes.

Right: The reference photo I worked from. This is difficult light, as it is midday and darkens the details too much in the camera.  As a painter you have to color correct, and paint in the haze and luminosity as you remember it.  Don't slavishly copy photos. Pick out and edit what you want to keep and eliminate or alter.

1. Lay in a preliminary sepia half tone, a classic way to begin.

2. Halftone complete, I start high and work down, sky first, keeping the premixed colors wet into wet, juicy open strokes, not too blended.

3. Start adding distant neutrals.  Trees and rocks in distant have a bit of haziness, so tone the greens down with white and blue, just block them in.

4.  While doing step three, bring lighter neutrals to the rocks. Have a variety of blue greens premixed so you can just dip the brush in and go.  Much more efficient, so you can work wet into wet.

Above: A closeup

5. Start blocking in the water.

5. continued -  Using a variety of aquas and purple greens. 

I started some in the grasses with raw sienna

6. Getting a bit more action in the surf

 7. Added dark greens, blocking in shadow areas.  Using a bit of sepia in the green for depth.

 8. Adding a variety of greens in a side corner stroke with the square 

brush or filbert to add movement and color to the grasses.

9. Adding light colors on the dark blocked in scaffold of color, to add luminosity and definition.

 Closeup Note: see mauves in water, make the water deeper and appear to have sea grass underwater.

 Closeup of surf and rock

10. Adding finally touches, flowers , brighten highlights.