A Simple Watercolour Approach to Realistic Waterfalls

Painting waterfalls in watercolour can easily become overworked. In this demo, I show a simple way to keep the water soft, natural, and flowing — without losing freshness. The key is in the edges, timing, and how little you actually need to do. In this video I cover: Soft edges and how they create movement Where to leave things alone so the painting stays clean How to build depth around the falls without tightening up Simple shapes that make the scene read clearly A small technique that keeps the water looking real This is a calm, step‑by‑step commentary rather than a technical lesson. If you’re trying to paint waterfalls that feel natural — without overworking them — this approach will help.T I focus on loose washes, layered greens, rocky textures, reflections, and capturing the power of moving water in a calm and expressive way. This painting combines Payne’s Grey, Sepia, cobalt blues, and rich greens to create a moody landscape filled with waterfalls, forest textures, and subtle light effects. I also demonstrate how to paint figures within a landscape to add scale and atmosphere. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced watercolour artist, this video will help you improve your understanding of composition, tonal contrast, layering washes, and painting natural wilderness scenes with confidence. Materials used include Saunders Waterford Rough Paper, Rosemary & Co brushes, and professional artist watercolours from Winsor & Newton and Jackson’s. ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Introduction & First Washes 02:39 Materials & Paper Explained 03:45 Painting the Forest & Waterfall Area 06:00 Inspiration from Northern Ontario 10:22 Building Rock Textures & Shadows 15:30 Painting Water Reflections 20:29 Strengthening the Dark Areas 26:05 Painting the Figures & Final Details 🎨 Materials Mentioned • Saunders Waterford 140lb Rough Paper • Rosemary & Co Red Dot Mop Brush Size 6 • Rosemary & Co Series 301 Size 12 • Rosemary & Co Series 402 Size 8 • Rosemary & Co Pure Sable Rigger Series 88 • Payne’s Grey • Sepia • Cobalt Turquoise • French Ultramarine • Sap Green • Neutral Tint 📌 Patreon Outline drawings, extended tutorials, exclusive full-length videos, critiques, and early access are available on my Patreon page. patreon.com/GerrysArtStudio 👍 If you enjoy peaceful watercolour tuition videos, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment. Your support really helps the channel grow.  / gerrysartstudio   Instagram-   / gerryludlowartwork   website - https://www.gerryludlowart.com #artist #watercolours#landscapes#CanadaLandscape #WatercolorPainting #ArtTutorial #WatercolorTuition #CanadianArt #LandscapeArt #PaintingTutorial #ArtEducation #WatercolorTechniques #NatureArt #ArtInspiration #CreativeProcess #WatercolorArtist #ArtCommunity #LearnToPaint #ArtClasses #PaintingTips #WatercolorLessons #ArtForBeginners #ScenicCanada #ArtisticJourney #WatercolorSkills #OutdoorPainting #ArtVlog #ArtisticExpression #WatercolorWorkshop #CanadianNature #ArtisticLearning #WatercolorArt #PaintingWithWatercolors #ArtisticAdventure