Realism for Beginners
5 Principles for realistic Watercolor Paintings
When I paint something, I often get a reaction like "Wow, that looks so real." I do have a lot of practice when it comes to painting. But even with this amount of experience, it's not random that my paintings turn out the way they are.
There are certain rules and principles I follow when creating a realistic painting. For me, parts of it happen subconsciously, but still, I follow these principles. They will help you to grow in the craft, even as a beginner.
Always use a Reference
Always work with a reference you can look at. This can be a photo or something physically present. Painting from memory is a tough thing. Some people can do it, given a lot of practice. But painting realistically has so much to do with seeing properly what's in front of you; there should be something you can see.
I always work with photos that I or Jonathan took to have a personal connection to my paintings.
Your Drawing is your Foundation
Your drawing is the foundation of a beautiful painting. Create an outline drawing and make sure that all the proportions and the perspective are right. With a pencil, you always have the option to correct what’s not working.
With a great drawing as a base, it's way more relaxed to paint with color. I love to enjoy the process and have fun with colors without worrying too much about the right placement.
It takes some time, and this can feel a bit boring when you want to start with color, but it's better to be prepared than to be frustrated later.
The Values need to be right
You need to get the lights and shadows right in order to bring your subject to life on the paper. The keyword here is "values".
Look at these drawings. You can see the hornbills clearly, even without color. That's the power of value.
Even when we work in color, we need to have the values in mind and create enough contrast between light and dark areas.
If you feel like all your paintings look flat, dive a little deeper into the topic of values. It will open up a whole new perspective for you.
Use natural Colors
To prevent my paintings from looking like children’s paintings, I use muted colors. If the colors are too bright and saturated, they won’t look natural anymore. There are exceptions, of course, like some very colorful flowers, birds, or insects. But even when painting them, the shadows are less saturated than the parts directly catching the light.
I think this principle applies especially to green. You can mix and match all the yellows and blues in your palette to create different greens. If a green looks too artificial, just add a hint of red into the mix, and it will look more natural.
Don't paint every detail
This principle may feel counterintuitive, but to create a realistic painting, you don’t have to paint every detail. Simplify the motifs, especially objects in the distance. The human eye and brain will fill in the details and complete the picture.
If you don’t simplify, you will get lost in so many details that you will no longer be able to see the big picture. You can achieve this by painting the big shapes first and adding the details in the end.
Here is only enough space to list the principles. Every one of them is a learning field of its own. It still needs practice and patience to improve your painting skills. But knowing what steps lead to a great painting will help you focus on what you need to learn.
If you want to see how the jungle scene was painted and hear a bit more about these principles, watch the full video on YouTube.
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