How to paint water drops on a horizontal surface in four easy steps. By Karin Wells

This little 8″ x 10″ painting has a lot of water drops. I like to add fun (and fast) details to a dry painting surface at the end.

I posted the largest file allowed for this so you could see better detail if you click on the above picture.

Here’s how to do it when the light source comes from the upper left:

DROP STEP 1

I use a dark color – raw umber works for me but any transparent dark will do. You are making the shape of a drop. A cast shadow will be on the lower right (i.e., Darker).

This particular view is from the side on a horizontal surface. If you had a top view, for example, you would draw it differently of course, but the principle is exactly the same.

Detail (above)

DROP STEP 2

You will be looking through the water and it creates a soft shadow on the top left and the harder, sharper cast shadow on the lower right.

More detail (above)

DROP STEP 3

Light will be reflected on the top right and will define the top of the drop.

I use Zinc White so the original color shows through. The light does NOT touch the shadow and the color of the surface shows through between the light and shadow.

DROP STEP 4

Add a highlight in the shadow area. I use Titanium White for this as I want it to be clearly defined and opaque.

Painting drips and drops is really a piece of cake, isn’t it?

Above detail from Cherries Still Life.

And bugs are fun too.

Grab a cup of virtual coffee and stop by my Painting Studio to see what’s happening. Also come visit my Portrait & Landscape Galleries.