Some parts of this website will not work with Internet Explorer.

Please use a different browser such as Chrome or Firefox.

Back to Original

Mountain Waterfall

joha59 25 Jun 2021

On budget canvasboard 24x30 cm. Again an excercise in "Let the paint break" for the snow on the mountain. Since a short time I have the original Bob Ross titanium white in my collection. I first did a try on black paper (dry, dark and stiff background), that was succesfull, holes in the paint and a nice distribution of paint, but in real painting life I always struggle with the underlying colour (also when following Bob's advice for no pressure). Although tried to remove as much paint as possible, still the white becomes darker, it seems the underlying paint is eating up the snow. A proces that continues during drying time.

Feels a bit sorry for the lonely tree: this time Bob has no friend available ...

Oils

Comments

First of all, your mountain came out great. Highlights, shadows, little areas that are darker...it's all there. Now, here's my question...

Does the paint HAVE TO break in order to create a nice mountain? I'm beginning to think it doesn't. Would it be nice if it did? Sure. I'd take it. But I'm also starting to just enjoy whatever happens. If I step back and like what I've done, then I move on (to messing up some other part of the painting). 😁

Seriously, we are so critical of our work. I've had family members and friends upset with me because I painted over something that they would've loved to have had. 🤷‍♂️ Who knew? My point is you did a great painting here. Enjoy it as much as others will.

One thing I've had good success with in getting paint to break is actually touching the blade to the canvas (handle on a 45-degree angle) and gradually closing the angle, as I lightly draw the knife downward. I used to try to lightly graze the roll of paint over the canvas but usually ended up with a 'glob' followed by a 'streak.'

However, I think the blade touching the canvas at the start of the stroke gives my brain a tactile point of reference as well as feedback on how light I'm holding the knife. Hard to describe here, but hopefully you get what I'm trying to say.

Regards.

Thanks Alex_Ander for your extensive comment.
I think the paint does not have to break to get a nice mountain, but I just try to master a technique Bob is using so often. I also have found a way to make a mountain looks good, without this technique. From a distance it looks good, but a closer looks it seems a mess. And often I intend to make the snow really white, but it becomes darker as wanted. But in some cases I am also satisfied how the mountain came out :-)

Pietro1963 Master of Monsters

LOVE THIS.GREAT MTS..NICE JOB.

Sign in to leave a comment.


Not a member yet?
Join over 5900 other painters and share your paintings with the world!

Register now