CurrentsД®ven a very still day, there can be movement in the water from currents, swell or tides such as in the photos below. Moving waterДЄs soon as there is movement in the water the reflection will start to look a little distorted, pixelated or even disappear completely. That way you have got another reference to work from. If you are cropping off the top of the scene to create a more pleasing composition, such as in the photo below, make sure to take some extra photos of the scenery that has been cut out but is still showing in the water. This will create a mirror image of the scenery above the waterline which you can use to give you a really clear idea of what exactly should be shown in the reflection. So, another thing you can do, thanks to the marvels of modern technology, is to flip your photo horizontally with your deviceвЂ™s photo-editing software. Sometimes, even when using this upside-down method, it can still be difficult to picture in your head exactly what should be in the reflection. ThatвЂ™s why I recommend painting from photos (preferably your own) to get the best results. If you are copying from another painting then you are going to be limited by the ability of the original creator of the artwork. will be facing in the opposite direction so you will need to turn the photo you are working from upside down as well to get the correct reference. Of course, as it is a mirror image, whatever your subject is. Along the way I like to check that I have got the proportions correct by measuring with a ruler to make sure each object extends that same distance above the waterline as below. Then I turn the canvas upside down and try to repeat the same thing exactly. I always like to start with the easiest bit, so first I paint in the trees, boats, buildings or whatever your subject is that is above the waterline. The bridge is reflected as a mirror image This can make it easier to paint in some ways but also more difficult in others because there is not much room for error. When the water and the wind are both perfectly still then the reflection will basically be a mirror image. The main ones are movement and viewing angle. However, when painting reflections on horizontal surfaces, there are additional things I like to consider. My golden rule for painting water is that horizontal surfaces reflect what is above and vertical surfaces show what is beneath. I believe that when you examine the reasons why things appear the way they do, it makes it easier to recreate them on canvas and, more importantly, to remember how you did it so you can do it again and again. So today I want to share with you the techniques and also the thought processes I use to tackle painting reflections on water. It is no wonder that many painters struggle in this area. As with most subjects, especially when painting from nature, there are many variables to consider and there is no one right answer because reflections can look different every time.

Painting Reflections on Water in AcrylicsДЄ lot of people ask for help when painting reflections on water.

Water reflection