Lesson 8 - Rocks
Rocks is perhaps a funny title for this lesson but quite frankly I can't think of another one.
In many landscapes the earth's crust is showing somewhere, lofty mountains in the distance, a muddy or earthen cart track, or tiny grains of sand on a beach, plus every size in between. I would like to introduce to you some other ways of creating texture which is particularly suitable to these subjects but could also be used in others too.
Rocks are a subject many artists struggle with but are an important part of a painting, no more so than in waterscapes where their solid structures contrast against the ever changing fluidity of the water. They are not easy to get to grips with because of their unusual shapes full of nooks and crannies, different materials and often coverings of mosses etc.
If you are short of reference materials when depicting rocks take a look in the garden for small rocks, which when enlarged can represent natural features right up to the size of mountains. Or simply crumple some paper into the required shape and light with a spot lamp to give the impression of the shape and shadows.
Where rocks are secondary features in the background they can be treated quite simply but there are times when they are part of the focal point and require much more detail, and texture.
Let us begin by looking at techniques we have already learned and how they can be used.
A flat wash is all
that is needed for those distant mountains.
Use a dry brush for mountains with a little snow left on them.
Or Wax resist.
To add texture to nearer rocks use the cling film method to form random creases.
Or blot off with crumpled tissue to reveal highlights.
Splattering with a toothbrush can give an interesting texture for distant sands used wet into wet.
Closer to you try splattering wet onto dry to define those tiny bits of shingle.
Sprinkling salt onto the drying wash creates a wonderful crystalline effect, though it will take much longer for the paint to dry. Here I have used ordinary table salt, try the technique with rock salt etc of differing sizes.
It is possible to buy special colour shapers from your art supplier but an old credit card will do the job just as well. Simply move the paint as it dries by scraping.
A good understanding of your paints properties is useful when painting rocks. Choose colours with good granulating properties. Here I have mixed french ultramarine with burnt umber quite loosely in the palette so that the brush picked up patches of different colours. Resulting in subtle colour variations on the rocks.
The blues and earth tones granulate well and spread beautifully when depicting rocks. Here the rock is painted loosely, missing patches work as highlights and shadows were dropped in wet in wet, cracks can be further defined by wet on dry strokes.
Drawing rocks can be daunting, begin by simplifying shapes into blocks and balls etc and then knocking the corners off. Finish by adding the tonal shadows.
Step by step lesson
Paints
french ultramarine
light red
lemon yellow
and burnt umber
Brushes
flat goats hair
number 4 round
number 10 round
and
white candle wax
colour shaper or credit card.
Step 1
Begin with a light sketch as always. We need to get the perspective correct and when drawing complicated subjects like this and buildings I find it much easier to draw onto sketch paper and transfer the elements onto the watercolour paper when I am satisfied. Think of the waterfall as a series of steps over which the water flows. Refer to the section on perspective to help get the drawing correct.
Begin with the top most block.
To save a confusion of lines you will see I have erased the construction lines with each step but have maintained the important horizon line and vanishing points.
Add another block changing the dimensions.
Continue with as many blocks as you require.
Erase the unwanted lines,
And roughen the edges.
As you can see, with all the lines left in the image can become very confusing.
Having established the construction of the fall I transfer this to watercolour paper, by covering the back with pencil and placing the paper onto the watercolour paper and bearing down over the required lines with a biro. Take care to only use as much pressure is needed to transfer the image, as too much will damage the papers surface. Then complete the sketch by adding the surroundings.
Step 2
Use the white candle wax to describe the white water of the fall. Use your large goats hair with a graduated wash of french ultramarine to paint the entire page weakening the wash towards the centre and strengthening again as you reach the foreground. Allow to dry.
Step 3
Create a mix of french ultramarine and light red. Wet the mountain area almost to the top edge with clean water and as the glisten goes off use the number 4 round to paint the top of the mountains allowing the brush to touch the wet edge creating a misty low cloud effect. Allow to dry and repeat strengthening the nearest mountain just a little.
Step 4
With a thin wash of raw sienna and french ultramarine and the number 10 round, block in the area of the foothills taking the wash right down to the rocks. Allow to dry and add a further glaze missing the furthest foothill.
Step 5
Mix a green with lemon yellow and french ultramarine. Using the tip of the number ten brush dot in the lightest leaves of the bushes. Allow to dry and strengthen the mix with a little more french ultramarine ad add the mid toned leaves. Dry again and adding a little light red add the darkest tones to complete the foliage.
Step 6
Mix strongish washes of the following colours in separate wells of your palette, french ultramarine with light red, burnt umber, and raw sienna. The rocks cover a substantial area, be sure to mix generous quantities of each wash. Also prepare smaller washes of lemon yellow and light red.
Begin with the rocks closest to you and wash the whole area with raw sienna, drop in burnt umber and the blue/red mix wet into wet. As the glisten begins to leave the surface use a colour shaper or credit card to mould the rocks. Add touches of the lemon yellow and light red here and there to the boulders at the foot of the fall where the rocks would get regularly wet, to show lichens.
Dilute each of the mixes slightly and repeat for the rocks on the far side of the fall, this time sprinkle a little table salt onto the drying paint where spray from the fall is desired. The thinner paint is a little more difficult to shape but the softer lines will help to establish recession, be sure to push the darker paint to the base of the rocks where they are splashed by the water and to keep the base of the rocks level. Allow to dry thoroughly before brushing away the salt crystals, note this will take longer than usual.
Step 7
Wet the water area with clean water leaving a thin dry strip at the base of the rocks, as the water begins to dry drop in the reflections of the rocks with the same colours.
Step 8
Using a thin mix of french ultramarine and light red, with dry brush strokes add some darker tones to the water.
With a strong mix of the same and the tip of the number 4 brush define the nearer rocks with some cracks and crevices.
Copyright Jane Grainger 2004
