Reflection & Movement

With this serene watercolour of a swan, ROB DUDLEY explains how you can capture the beauty and energy of the natural world

Although one might think that since this painting is a simple study of a single swan, little, if any, thought would have gone into the design, but that would be wrong. The painting’s format, the placement of the swan within the picture, tone and colour – all the considerations that an artist would give to a more finished work apply equally to smaller-scale paintings. The study is not merely about the swan, it’s also about the reflection and the movement within the water. Therefore I chose a rather narrow portrait format that would amplify the swan, particularly its neck and its reflection, but would also allow room to include the wake. www.moortoseaarts.co.uk

1 DRAW AND MASK After transferring the drawing from the tracing to the stretched watercolour paper, reserve the swan and its reflection with masking fluid using the nylon masking brush. Let it dry naturally. It is worth noting that if masking fluid ends up in the wrong place within the painting, avoid rubbing at it straight away with a finger or kitchen paper, as this can damage the paper’s surface, making it almost impossible to paint. Let it dry and then carefully remove by gently rubbing with a finger or Maskaway eraser.