How to Draw Reflections with Watercolor Pencils
Drawing reflections in water isn’t as hard as it seems—especially when you’re working with artPOP! Watercolor Pencils! These pencils act as both a colored pencil AND a watercolor, giving you tons of versatility in how you create. When working with reflections, this versatility is key. What is vibrant and clearly defined on land will appear less saturated and detailed in water. This tutorial shows you how to achieve that effect by putting both watercolor-pencil techniques to work.
Easy Tree Reflection Tutorial
What You’ll Need
Tips
Be sure to use a thick watercolor paper for this project—thin printer paper won’t cut it. It also helps to start with sharpened pencils for more defined lines and vibrant color. Lastly, tape down your paper to reduce shifting while you work.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Select your colors. Don’t worry about using realistic tree colors—have fun and get creative!
Step 2
Draw your trees by starting with one tall line and gradually extending longer and longer diagonal lines off the sides. For richer color, fill in a second layer over the middle part of the tree.
Step 3
When laying down each trees’ reflection color, use lighter pressure and a swirling, circular stroke to avoid “lines” and to get a more even blend.
Step 4
To activate your pencil and turn it into a paint, add a light layer of water to each individual tree reflection.
Step 5
Next, use a wetter, clean brush to fill in the entire "water" area and allow the reflections to blend slightly. This will smooth out the edges and dilute the color, making your reflection appear more realistic.
Step 6
Allow 1+ hours for your watercolor to dry. You can speed this process up by using a hair dryer.