Learn to Paint Sparkly Water Ripples with Watercolours, by Nianiani on YouTube. 19 min 55 s.
- Video length
- 19 min 55 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Sketch the ripple shapes on your paper with a pencil. Keep the lines light and loose, since heavy graphite can show through thin watercolour washes.
Shake the masking fluid well and paint thin dashes and small dots along the crest of each ripple. These protected spots become the sparkle later.
Leave the masking fluid to dry completely. Do not touch it while it is still tacky or you will drag it into the paper.
Wet the ripple area with clean water, then drop in azure blue and a little indigo. Tilt the paper slightly so the colour spreads on its own.
While the wash is still damp, add touches of vermilion and permanent yellow deep near the edges for warmth. Let the colours blend rather than stirring them.
Deepen the troughs between the ripples with indigo and a little permanent green. Use the size 8 brush and keep the strokes following the curve of each ripple.
Let the painting dry fully, then rub the masking fluid away with a clean fingertip or a soft eraser. The pale highlights appear underneath.
Switch to the size 5 brush and paint a few fine lines along the ripple edges to sharpen the shapes. Soften any harsh edges with a damp clean brush.
Tips and common mistakes
Wash masking fluid off your brush with soapy water straight away, because it ruins bristles once dry.
Test your colours on a scrap of the same paper first so you know how strong the mix looks.
Let each layer dry before adding the next one, or the colours turn muddy and the ripples lose their shape.
Questions
Can I use white paint instead of masking fluid?
You can, but masking fluid gives a cleaner, brighter sparkle because the bare paper shows through. White paint on top often looks chalky over a dark wash.
Does the paper type really matter?
Yes. Cold pressed 300gsm cotton paper holds the water and lets you lift colour without the surface breaking up. Thin paper buckles and the washes streak.
How long does masking fluid take to dry?
Usually a few minutes on watercolour paper. Wait until it looks matte and feels dry to the touch before you start painting over it.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
