Thursday, December 9, 2010

Trevi Fountain - Step 8


Most of my attention at this point is on the rocks, waterfall, and water. Water is usually best rendered with soft edges and this is a key part of this piece. The softness of the water contrasts nicely with the harder edges of the figures and achitecture in the background.


For the water in the foreground, I've added some little ripples. It's naturally choppy because of the splashing waterfalls, so no big waves, just lots of little ripples going every which way. A turqoise mixture of Cobalt with a bit of Winsor Green works well. I'll also take some of this color later and introduce hints of it in the figures and shadows for overall harmony.


I've further defined the rocks on the right side by adding some of the shadows. It's amazing how much more three-dimensional something looks once you begin to add the darks.


The job of defining the rocks under the waterfall is not quite so easy. In fact, it's a pain in the neck! I add gradually darker layers but I have to be very careful to keep the edges soft. Otherwise, the water will appear "cut out". Jagged edges (like in the last step) and outlines that are not fully defined are the key to making the rocks seem like they are behind the falling water.