Painting Reflections in Watercolor - Three Easy Steps

▶︎Free Video Lesson: 8 Ways to Avoid Overworking Your Watercolor Painting www.learntopaintwatercolor.co...
There is something about water that attracts us, something about it that begs to be painted. It's such an exciting subject for watercolor painting. But when the scene you choose includes water, you also face the challenge of depicting reflections.
In this week’s video, I show you the 3 tips that have helped me the most when it comes to painting reflections. It is these tips that have made the difference in my paintings.
Check out my recommended watercolor brush collection.
www.amazon.com/shop/m.white.art

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

▶︎Free Video Lesson: 8 Ways to Avoid Overworking Your Watercolor Painting www.learntopaintwatercolor.com/opt-in

[@oliverhill113]

Many thanks Matthew. Your videos are really helpful. I was an oil painter but am now spending more of my painting time using Watercolours, thanks to artists like you!😊

[@rebeccatompsett3442]

Practice on a separate piece of paper to paint cleanly and confidently in single shapes is a helpful tip. In general it really helps me to understand how to approach a landscape.

[@michaelrussell220]

I like your calm, unhurried, stress free style of presentation. So much better than trying to listen to a motormouth where the important points get lost in in a torrent of words. I think you have a winning formula here.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thank you Michael. I appreciate that!

[@user-mc4if2ku9b]

Thank you very much.

[@govindmatondkar7502]

The first painting is actually good one

[@marybryon8854]

I enjoy Matt's tutorials the most. He is so helpful 😊The tip that helped me the most was the reminder to paint in layers, loved the effects.

[@kellydanson2121]

I like the tip you did with turning your paper. Doing the reflection first I thought was a great idea for me. Thanks Matt! Looking forward to painting my vacation beach pictures!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad it was helpful!

[@susanmerila4958]

Thank you. Talking through how to see the way forward in simplifying a scene is most valuable to me.

[@juliabroadley8411]

Calm cool collected your easy to follow and it's easy on my ears thankyou for sharing your knowledge

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

So nice of you. Thanks!

[@karlab9557]

Very helpful tips...all three.

[@biogalera8480]

Eu gostei bastante destas dicas, não tinha noção de como fazer reflexos na água .

[@alysonevans5469]

I love how clear your instructions are.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

thanks!

[@awatercolourist]

Very informative video. It’s interesting that you painted the reflections before completing the boats.

[@lucasmyint8140]

Thanks a lot. You explained well and painted masterfully. Your English is very clear.

[@carlycharlesworth1497]

Wow, as a complete newbie to watercolour, I found this information, so, so helpful! Thank you for this video Matthew, much appreciated. God bless you and your family.

[@joyparsons7224]

Great tips…like the step by step approach and encouragement Thanks !!

[@daynamclaughlin6470]

The best tip was to make the reflections seamless but I will need to practice a lot as I still paint like your first one too! Thanks so much! Love your instruction.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

So glad you liked it!

[@elainethompson3845]

Big help, thank you. I’m looking at all your tips now.

[@jerrymckay5786]

Good tips. I need to sincerely work on "quit fiddling", just messed up one this morning because I wanted to "improve" a shadow.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

I know the feeling!

[@billmeadus4343]

Thanks. Those are much appreciated tips.

[@eldoretsykes]

Thanks so much. Beautiful painting

[@amyspring8367]

You are so helpful! I think most helpful is to paint confidently and cleanly. I am spent 30 years doing plaster and acrylic murals, and now am playing with watercolors. I am so glad I found you...you are a wonderful teacher, gifted artist, and always pleasant. My best to you!!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the kind words!

[@sharondempsey9329]

Thank you so much for sharing your skills, I live in a country with no English speaking teachers so I am so grateful!

[@susanrose6502]

I love how clear your tutorials are!!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

I'm so glad!

[@lindaevanoff1883]

You explain it so well. ❤Thank you

[@damienessemusic5108]

Thinking of the reflexion as onde big shape was a great advice for me ! Thanks !

[@colorfulwater5070]

I loved doing the reflections first!

[@michaelcody3829]

Thanks Matt, a great video and yes I find painting reflections difficult, but I like your tips and look forward to trying. Thanks for how you encourage everyone too. Greetings from Australia 🇦🇺 mate.

[@holly_kay5570]

Helpful tips. Thank you!

[@Diego_SanCA]

Great content. Matching reflections. Overworking.

[@paint_me_blue-art_watercolors]

Thank you for your beautiful tips and advice, I just subscribed to your mailing list and watched the video about overworking a painting, have been struggling with this. 🙂Cheers ♥️

[@maryannegunter115]

I really enjoy and appreciate these videos. I'm especially interested in water reflection and shading in paintings.

[@DavidMiltonJones]

Marvelous! Thanks, Matt.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@manetch6943]

Thanks so much, matt..cant wait to give it a go.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad to help!

[@1Skymed]

Thanks Matt. As always your videos give us all something to reflect on.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

I appreciate that!

[@maryvernau9500]

Thanks Matt! Beautiful painting!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You're welcome! Glad you liked it.

[@ArtistJiban]

thank you so much sir😊

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Most welcome

[@MrsJones-qw2yo]

That's really helpful! Thanks a lot. I have a tendency to overwork my paintings.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bensongoh9789]

I like the very first tip on layering, and what each layer seeks to achieve in the entire process. Very enlightening and practical. Thank you!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad it was helpful!

[@barbaramain6381]

I truly gained soo much from your reflection tutorial, sincere thanks!! Warm regards, Barbara from Australia

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad it was helpful!

[@maggiew5483]

So helpful! Thank you! Beautiful paintings.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You are so welcome!

[@jamessaretta8278]

Thanks Matt - good tips here!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You're welcome. Glad to help!

[@donnareval8687]

Amazing

[@armandosrd.l9610]

Thank you Matt for the Tips….I always struggle with thin línes…. Loved the tip of practicing in another piece of paper before. Looks fwd for more videos. Thks

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad it was helpful!

[@luisaavelar4134]

Excellent helpful advices! Thanks for sharing 👌😊

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You're welcome! Glad you liked it.

[@lindathaxton1994]

Nice! Thank you

[@ferdopiano7372]

Excellent instruction.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thank you!

[@hellovicki6779]

You are very good at teaching these elements of water colour painting. While familiar with these tips, you were able to teach me a fuller understanding. I am off to have a go now, I am sure your video will help me. I wish I had seen your video at the beginning of learning water colour.

[@lisarusso6746]

Thank you!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You're welcome!

[@hArtyTruffle]

Thanks. You keep it nice and simple. I struggle with all aspects of painting an actual painting but this is very helpful. ✨🙏✨

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad to hear that!

[@reginafernandez8827]

Matthew, thank you for this fantastic video. It is inspiring and exciting. It's beautiful, wonderful, how you paint incredible how well you explain. Congratulations and many thanks.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thank you! Glad you liked it!

[@zenaschristian3626]

Great lesson 👍

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Thanks! 😃

[@crowbabies]

Thanks for this! I am really struggling to understand how much the paint will lighten as it dries. Great tips!

[@artbykcappadona5166]

Thank you Matthew. It was helpful seeing the stages of how the painting progresses. In other words which step to do first.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad it was helpful!

[@annedanielarodgers8830]

Hi Matt, I really like your teaching style, so concrete and calm 👍
Could you make a video of the real time brushwork? How you’re mindful about the speed, concentration, how to lure out different brush marks or whatever else you can think of. I’d be delighted 🙂Thanx a million!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

So glad you are liking my videos! I will keep these topics in mind.

[@robertnelson2486]

Thanks Matthew

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You're welcome! Glad you liked it.

[@yunzers]

Great video thanks. I’m having trouble knowing how wet the paper is and how thick the paint should be, trying to keep water out of my brush. This was helpful!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Glad to hear that. Best of luck in your painting!

[@donaldnorlie3773]

Great lesson Matt, do you have a way to determine the color of the reflection, like using the color of the boats, or a darker color of the water ? Thank you, for your time, and a good video..

[@abdlatifsirim4299]

Thank you very much. Its a good lesson and tips. I really appreciate. May I know what colours you used in this painting especially for the reflection? Tqvm

[@carolluery8042]

So beautiful! I am new to watercolor and new to painting. It was so helpful when you named the colors you were using at the beginning, but then you stopped. It would have been helpful if you continued specifying which colors you used. Thank you!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Good feedback. I’ll try to do that more.

[@mcwombat73]

Thank you! Great tips and - like all your videos - very practical and down to earth! You are quickly becoming my go-to-resource on waterpainting :).
Two questions, though (and maybe you have covered them elsewhere):
1) How do you avoid "blotches" when painting wet on wet? When I paint darker values on a lighter background, the colors have a tendency to create blossoms that - when dry - have sharp and ugly edges?
2) I noticed that the horizon is darker near the bottom than near the top. Why is that? In a another video you said that usually you paint the horizon dark near the top and lighter near the bottom.

[@IcaroBenjamin]

Very tnks! Brazil lol

[@justinwr092]

Are you using neutral tint for the darks?

[@samuelbrynolf]

Thank you so much! Great tips and a such a great painting!
I’m interested in the brush you are using for the most thin lines, applied last the brush that held more water and gave a sharper edge. I’ve been looking for it since I saw you paint birds in distance and branches…. But when I Google it I always end up with the more common rigger. Can I have the exact brand and version because I have given up finding it myself 😄. If you want to. Thank you!

[@pamelahulland8439]

He called it a sign writer’s brush, it is also known as a sword brush. Hope that helps.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

You can find on my link here. www.amazon.com/shop/m.white.art Hope that helps!

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

Here is a direct link to that brush. www.amazon.com/dp/B07K8T2LX6?ref=exp_m.white.art_dp_vv_d

[@samuelbrynolf]

@@learntopaintwatercolor Great!!! Thank you 😀

[@donotsmudge]

Hi Matt. which paint manufacturer are you favouring today. I don't recognise all the colour names. Thanks.

[@learntopaintwatercolor]

I use primarily Daniel Smith.

[@standox2]

!!

[@1aliassmith]

Are you using 300 lb paper?