If you follow my work, you know I love to paint water. Lakes, rivers, streams, even puddles present a tremendous challenge for me. Even a small amount of water in a scene can make or break a composition. I welcome the task since it seems to add so much life to my art. Each little ripple and wave has its own character and it took me a lot of trial and error before I began to understand the play of light. One side of the wave may reflect the sky. The other may allow you to see below the water’s surface. In between there are a myriad of transitions showing the hues of the surrounding landscape. The entire scene is often punctuated by brilliant dashes of pure sunlight that dance upon the surface like twinkling Christmas lights. So… is it hard work painting “realistic” water? Very much so. Is it worth the effort? Absolutely. 
Included with this post are two sections of the lower portion of my latest undertaking. Judging by these small samples, if the painting doesn’t work out as a whole, I’ll be able to cut it into several smaller paintings!
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